Tips for buying first car

meeshpeesh

Hi I'm just looking for some tips on where to start when buying a first car, I'm actually quite surprised there isn't already a stickied thread on this!

I've not passed yet but want to research a little bit about what to look for in advance so I'm ready to hit the road when I get my shiny pink license.

I'm looking for a little used car, nothing fancy, just to get me from A to B. I currently live about 20 miles away from my workplace, but I'm uncertain about whether I'll be driving to work as it may remain cheaper to get the train (which is £120 a month).

I know nothing about cars, no one in my family drives so I'll be the first. I have no idea what is a reasonable amount to pay and how it relates to certain specifications. (I've seen cars listed for less than £500 and can only assume that they're on their way out or being sold for parts)

A few particular questions I have:

• How much mileage is too much? What would be the maximum mileage you'd suggest looking for?
• How old is too old? Is the age of a car that relevant to how it will run? Or is mileage more important?
• Are there particular makes and models to avoid?
• Which rights, if any, apply when buying a used car? If it dies after a few days can I get my money back?

Any tips that you could give me would be fantastic. I mainly just want to know how much to budget so can get a realistic timeline for when I'll be able to afford it.

fivetide

Condition is more important than age. A well used but well looked after car can be infinately better than a low miles but never serviced motor.

I would be looking to do some comparison quotes on cars you like or cars that fit your budget so you get an idea of the costs of insurance which depending on your age could be very high. That alone could make the train cheaper overall and it is a shame some people are priced off the road whilst those less honest drive about uncaring.

If you are going to use the car just to get to and from work, consider a 'black box' policy which monitors when the car is being driven as these can offer significant discounts over standard ones (and you don't mind big brother being in the car with you).

If you have an older relative you can add to the insurance, that sometimes helps too.

warwicktiger

Mileage:
The trade assumption is 12,000 per year for three years then 10,000 per year.

The type of mileage is important, sitting on a motorway at a safe legal speed is much less wearing on a car than stop start short shopping trips, so the total mileage is not the first priority.

Makes/models, we all have our own prejudices, sometimes based on an unlucky experience, so keep an open mind, buy what you like not what others tell you.

It would help if you gave a guide to your budget, preferences for small/medium/large cars, and which matters more to you, MPG or MPH ?

Apart from your possible commute what other driving do you anticipate?

meeshpeesh

fivetide wrote: »

Condition is more important than age. A well used but well looked after car can be infinately better than a low miles but never serviced motor.

I would be looking to do some comparison quotes on cars you like or cars that fit your budget so you get an idea of the costs of insurance which depending on your age could be very high. That alone could make the train cheaper overall and it is a shame some people are priced off the road whilst those less honest drive about uncaring.

If you are going to use the car just to get to and from work, consider a 'black box' policy which monitors when the car is being driven as these can offer significant discounts over standard ones (and you don't mind big brother being in the car with you).

If you have an older relative you can add to the insurance, that sometimes helps too.

Ah right I see, and is information on whether it has been serviced regularly usually available when buying?

I've heard about the black box insurance things, is it right that they go by time of day or is it style of driving? If it were the latter I wouldn't mind but I wouldn't want to be stressing about using my car at night if I had to work late or simply go out, I can see how they're handy for teenagers though but I think I'm a bit mature for that

meeshpeesh

warwicktiger wrote: »

Mileage:
The trade assumption is 12,000 per year for three years then 10,000 per year.

The type of mileage is important, sitting on a motorway at a safe legal speed is much less wearing on a car than stop start short shopping trips, so the total mileage is not the first priority.

Makes/models, we all have our own prejudices, sometimes based on an unlucky experience, so keep an open mind, buy what you like not what others tell you.

It would help if you gave a guide to your budget, preferences for small/medium/large cars, and which matters more to you, MPG or MPH ?

Apart from your possible commute what other driving do you anticipate?

That's a good guide for mileage, exactly the sort of guideline I was looking for thanks

I'm not really sure on my budget at the moment, I don't want to spend more than I have to but I'd say around £1500-£2000, is this realistic? (just for the car, not incl insurance and stuff)

I'd prefer a smaller car to start off with, I don't really know which I'd prefer with regards to mpg or mph...(miles per gallon and hour right? I'm a complete newbie sorry ). Most likely miles per gallon as I'm not usually in a massive rush to get anywhere and efficiency is more important.

Other than the commute it will be the occasional trip to a friends or supermarket, maybe once a week. Also for long distance trips to visit friends in other cities, but these would be once every couple of months maximum.

fivetide

You should be able to tell if it has been looked after but yes, if the car has or is advertised with FSH (Full Service History) then they should have a book, all nicely stamped once a year to say the servicing has been done. If they have reciepts for the work, even better! If they don't make sure the stamps aren't all the same or written in the same pen as it isn't hard to fill a book in!

You aren't looking at high miles so i would avoid a diesel.

What is your budget?

I'd recommend a Toyota Starlet as a good reliable little car. Not fancy at all but should be cheap to insure and not leave you at the side of the road!

This one is an automatic but you get the idea http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-TOYOTA-STARLET-1-3-AUTOMATIC-3-DOOR-FINISHED-IN-WHITE-WITH-12-MONTHS-MOT-/131101263736?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1e863e8778

Netwizard

Forget about mileage, buy on condition. Look at cars that are popular, something like a ford focus would be a good buy. a 1.6 ford focus petrol would be an idea 1st time car.

In terms of mileage, i have bought cars with low mileage and cars with 200,000 miles on. All have been fine.

If you don't know much about cars, an AA/RAC inspection before you buy could save you buying a pup

mad_rich

You say your budget is £1500-£2000 for the purchase only, not including running costs. I think this is the wrong way of looking at things. You could buy a cheap car that’s expensive to run, or an expensive car that’s cheap to run. If you end up spending the same in the end, does it matter? Just don’t get an expensive car that’s expensive to run!

How much can you afford now, and how much can you realistically afford to contribute a month to petrol, insurance, tax, Mot, repairs, servicing, breakdown cover etc.?

There’s no reason a £500 car won’t last. I had a £650 Saab that lasted 2 years with barely anything done to it except a tyre to get past its MoT. But it was a !!!!!!! fortune in petrol (and tax).

I wouldn’t focus too much on mileage. Or indeed age. A car that’s been a company car carrying a lone driver up and down the motorway, serviced on the dot every time, is likely to be in much better nick than a runaround ‘one careful owner’ job, where the owner has thought ‘I’m not doing many miles. I won’t bother to service it’.

Any car is a bit of a leap in the dark. I’ve made two very good purchases without much research or strategy. Pure luck! Equally, you might do all the right things and still end up with a lemon. If you have someone mechanically minded, that would be helpful. If not, I’m sure if you post some cars you’ve found here, someone will give you their thoughts.

You have much more rights buying from a dealer than privately. But you’ll probably pay more. If you need finance, it’s pretty much guaranteed that getting it from the dealer is a bad move.

Good luck. Post back on here with some cars that you've found before leaping into anything.

mad_rich

mad_rich wrote: »

If you end up spending the same in the end, does it matter?

One more thing.

A cheap car with expensive running costs has the obvious advantage of low up-front cost if you don't have much saved. Also, if it becomes uneconomical to repair, you haven't lost much.