5 Tips When Looking for Your First Car

Fantasising about your first car is part and parcel of learning to drive for many of us. It’s possible to spend many hours Googling the various makes and models that you could envision yourself driving.

There’s no better time to start thinking about the practicalities of buying your first car. Of course, there are lots of variables to think about! Here are a few of them:

The cost of the car itself

The first thing you should figure out is how much you have to spend on your first car. This will also help you decide whether to buy a new or used car. Most new drivers opt for a second-hand car, due to the lower prices (and also the fact that it won’t feel like the end of the car if you accidentally scratch it while you’re still getting to grips with driving!).

The cost of insurance

Insurance is a major factor to consider. As you are likely to have heard, insurance premiums tend to be higher for those with no driving experience.

As a learner driver, it’s a legal requirement that you use a learner driver insurance policy if you are practising your driving in between lessons. You can apply this to a friend’s or relative’s car. You can even buy a car before the test and drive under a learner driver insurance policy! The beauty of this type of policy is that it can cover you on a short-term basis. If you apply it to someone else’s car, their no-claims bonus won’t be affected by any incidents you have.

Once you’ve passed and you sign up for an annual policy, you’ll need to be aware of the factors that bump up insurance costs. The model of your car, your postcode, where you keep the car and even the way you phrase your job title on the application can all affect the premium!

Used Car Variables

If you decide to buy a used car, as so many new drivers do, there are a few other things to be aware of. These include:

• Mileage – Higher mileage typically reduces a car’s value. Though a cheaper used car with high mileage may look like a tempting bargain, high mileage often means expensive repairs. As a guideline, try not to get a car with a mileage of much more than 50k.
• Engine size – the engine size your car has can also affect the insurance and road tax prices. To reduce this, go for a car with an engine size of 1200cc or less.
• The type of car

Once you’ve determined a budget and a better idea of the specs you’re looking for, you can start narrowing down the car makes and models you’re interested in.

In addition to personal preference, it’s also good to consider how easy the car is for new drivers to use and how the car will serve you in the area you live in. If you live in a built-up area, a small hatchback car could be for you. They tend to be very manoeuvrable, managing the twists and turns of city roads better.

If you live rurally, a larger saloon or SUV might be more appropriate for you. These are well-suited to bumpy roads and some of them have off-roading capability, too.

Fuel type

Think about whether you want an electric or fuel-powered car. If your journeys will mainly be shorter trips around town, electric, hybrid or petrol-powered engines might be best. But if you expect to be a frequent long-distance traveller, a diesel engine could be better suited.

Electric cars will cost you nothing in road tax, while a hybrid is likely to cost less than a petrol or diesel car.

Buying a new car can be an exciting but pricey experience. Armed with all the knowledge you need to do, you can find clever ways to keep the costs down!