Need advice buying first car please. No idea what I am doing

LandyAndy

19lottie82 wrote: »

That is a relatively new process. For the OPs budget, the car should have a service book.

Mazda have been doing that since at least 2006! Hardly recent.

19lottie82

Mazda were the first to do so. Others generally followed > 2010. As I said for the OPs budget, it “should” have a service book. But as I also mentioned receipts can also be used.

Tiexen

JP2019 wrote: »

Thanks for this everybody! So nerve wracking buying a first car, feel so out of my comfort zone here.

I am viewing a car on Friday. Can I get some advice on exactly what to ask for from the current owner if I choose to buy and anything to ‘look out for’ ?

Thank you

Don't forget you won't be able to test drive it as you won't be insured, you will have to take out 1 day insurance - or ask the owner to take you for a drive.


When you buy a car you will need to take out insurance and tax it before you drive away (even if its a £0 tax rate)

Mutton_Geoff

JP2019 wrote: »

I have just passed and am looking to buy my first car and to tell you the truth I don’t have a clue what I am doing or what to look for...

Do I go with a dealer or a private seller? Surely there’s more risk with a private seller as I imagine dealers have to abide by certain laws/standards?

How much should I pay? What should I be looking out for.

I don’t have anyone to help me with this or take along to view a car so could do with the help guys. I have been looking at auto trader and I am so petrified of being scammed.

My budget is up to £1000

Thank you

Can I ask how old you are and how essential to life a car would be? I know it's exciting passing your test and getting some wheels but owning a car is a lot more expensive than just buying it.

Be careful posting those Autotrader links as they contain a postcode. If that's where you live, it looks like you have double yellow lines outside your place. Do you have allocated parking nearby?

One of my biggest financial regrets in my life was rushing out and buying a car when I was 17 having just passed my test. If you're older and have a decent income, then fair enough but bear in mind owning a car will cost you more than you think with insurance, petrol, tax, maintenance, furry dice etc.


If you are set on buying one, you must take someone with you who knows their stuff. You cannot read enough on the internet to risk spending £1,000 on a private purchase without putting yourself at risk of buying a lemon. On the other hand, a little knowledge and following tips in this thread, you can get yourself a half decent car and join the school of Bangernomics.

F1F93

gozaimasu wrote: »

I don't. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8222087.stm

What utter tosh.
Because obviously everyone on gumtree is a murderer and everyone on autotrader is genuine...

OP, think about the costs.
Gumtree is free to post adverts.
Autotrader is £38 for 2 weeks.

If you were selling a car for less than a grand, would you really want upwards of 4% of your total earnings going on the advert?!
On a more expensive car then the £38 is more palatable but on a banger it's such a huge expense that many dont bother.

For a banger you're far better off looking on gumtree and facebook selling groups. Possibly ebay too.