New drivers and their first car

[Rich1988]

I think a lot of people are quite happy to drive whatever they can get their hands on, I know that was the case for me (1992 rover 214 sli of doom) but those people won't post to ask whether its a good car for a first car, or to show their first new car because they know its nothing special!

The people that post about first cars are either doing so to show off, or they have ideas of grandeur.


*edit, my point was kind of made by someone else*

 

[sigma]

I turned down a free Fiat Punto (from family) as I was saving for a car myself.

I reckon the cost of insurance for n00bs these days definitely means you need to think a bit more about things.

 

[Hagar]

Your first car, you're going to hit something with it or someone is going to hit you.

There are better things to spend money on than cars particularly if you are paying garage rates and don't know the first thing about what happens under the bonnet.

My first car was actually a van which cost £40, my second and third were not much better. Only when my mileage shot through the roof did I finance a car purchase.

Jumping back a few years people had to make-do with cars that they could buy with cash only. Finance was a thing reserved for very few rich people, and often the thought of car finance was beyond many people's ability of comprehension.

People were forced to buy cars that required weekly maintenance, and were generally, not that safe at all.

Nowadays, salaried pay and wages are delivered monthly into the bank, very few people get ultra-short-term cash in hand pay and we mostly have some semblance of job security. This allows us to consider car finance.

I financed a car through hire purchase in 1978, I was earning about £3000pa, paid into the bank. The car was second hand five years old and cost £1500

 

[lemonade]

Yup that's it. Great car, really chuckable and probably the most fun I've ever had in driving. Even the ATR I had couldn't compare to it in the fun department. ATR felt more grown up, and though it handled well, I didn't dare chuck it around like the Yaris. I wish I had kept it and S/C'd it, some decent suspension and could have made it into a fun B-Road blaster. Not the fastest thing but taking corners in that was ace.

Yep nothing beats a fun to drive small nippy car that you can just chuck around like a go kart. I'm considering one of these or even just the 1.3 as a run around in the near future, they are cheap to chips to run, easy to work on, fun to drive and great for city driving.

I feel like everyone is missing the point - would you buy a £50 banger now, knowing you'd have to pay £1700-£3000 to insure it as a 17 year old?

Or, would you recognise that purchase price of the car makes up much less of your car costs as a 17 year old and therefore get something a bit better? If you spend a bit more you can keep it a bit longer?

Not all of us young males write off our first cars, or even bump/scrape/disfigure it on anything. But we still pay/paid horrific insurance costs.

I wouldn't spend £50 on a car and waste thousands insuring. I would still do what I personally did and that's wait a bit until I have a proper job, aged a bit and then buy a half decent car for less than a grand.

IMO makes no logical sense to go and buy a car straight away whether its £50 or £5000 and insure for £££'s, unless of course your loaded or have a sugar mummydaddy.

If I did have to have to buy at 17 then yes I would spend a bit more than £50 to buy a car, but still less than a grand.

 

[Aeleys]

The most super critical part for me was the insurance cost, other than that it could have been a mattress on wheels as long as it went at least 30mph to get to and from places I would be happy enough.

I'm not in a position to even think about owning something decent.

Massive entitlement culture meets easy credit.

For most yes, not everyone though. I actually value money and couldn't sit still if I had a debt to pay. It would be nice to be given a car, but reality is harsh so I've had to earn everything I own which most people don't at that age. and it's only going to get worse lol.

 

[Well Splattered]

Massive entitlement culture meets easy credit.

Agree, my first car was chosen on insurance cost, engine size and practicality.

Once chosen, I purchased on credit and paid off monthly.

 

[RedvGreen]

I've not known anyone in my workplace or group of friends who have had any money thrown their way (with the exception of through family deaths).

I had to pay for everything in College, everything in Uni (with the help of Student Loan), everything since then.

My first car I bought and was insured on, involved finance for the vehicle and the insurance, when I was aged 24. I didn't crash it, nor did anyone else crash into it either. Had it for 2yrs before I got a better job and swapped up the car for another car on finance.
My philosophy grates against most others, but I am happy to pay a monthly amount for motoring, purely because I otherwise couldn't afford to save up (or by the time I did, hydrocarbons will be all expended!).

 

[Kaeo]

Agree, my first car was chosen on insurance cost, engine size and practicality.

Exactly the same. My first car was a '96 purple citroen ax haha. Only thing it needed in two years was a lower arm ball joint. Don't wish I had kept it but it was an excellent first car.

 

[K1LLSW1TCH]

My first car was a P-reg £250 Fiat Punto SX, it was alright mechanically and I was simply happy to be driving a car. My mate had one which was almost identical, we even had the same colour except mine had electrical luxuries and his didn't. Of course being a Fiat the electrical luxuries ended up as central locking which didn't work properly and front fog lights which would turn on or off depending on which mood they were in.

It was a decent enough car despite the indicator stalk breaking off on the drive home from the seller...

 

[R.C.Anderson]

I'm one of these people being referred to...

I'm looking for my first car, I passed at 20, and I'm currently 22, in my final year at Uni. I'm not looking to spend £50 on a banger as I like the comfort of nice cars & can afford one. I had an industrial placement for a year between years 2 & 3 of my degree & have worked all summers between year 1&2 & years 3&4. I don't spend much on anything else, so I've got a fair amount saved up. As such, as I want a nice car, I may as well spend a bit more & get one.

The whole "just get the cheapest car you can find because you'll hit someone, or someone will hit you" idea is just rubbish. If you're going with this argument, no one should ever get a decent car, as it's always possible for someone to hit you, or for you to make a mistake. If anything, having a nicer car is more likely to prevent an accident, as you'll car for the car more & therefore be even more careful. Ask yourself this: how much more careful would you be turning round a bollard if you knew the damage (if hit) would cost £1000 rather than £10? You would make sure you leave space!

 

[Aeleys]

it's more of a 'if' someone hits your car...not will so spending so much on your first car regardless of if you can afford it just isn't worth the risk. although the way people drive around here it's not surprising.

My car was only £1000 I would drive any other car the same way I drive mine if I owned it, cost isn't the reason you drive sensible...

Even if the repair was 1p I would rather not have damage to my "banger" or any other car.

 

[K1LLSW1TCH]

I'm one of these people being referred to...

I'm looking for my first car, I passed at 20, and I'm currently 22, in my final year at Uni. I'm not looking to spend £50 on a banger as I like the comfort of nice cars & can afford one. I had an industrial placement for a year between years 2 & 3 of my degree & have worked all summers between year 1&2 & years 3&4. I don't spend much on anything else, so I've got a fair amount saved up. As such, as I want a nice car, I may as well spend a bit more & get one.

The whole "just get the cheapest car you can find because you'll hit someone, or someone will hit you" idea is just rubbish. If you're going with this argument, no one should ever get a decent car, as it's always possible for someone to hit you, or for you to make a mistake. If anything, having a nicer car is more likely to prevent an accident, as you'll car for the car more & therefore be even more careful. Ask yourself this: how much more careful would you be turning round a bollard if you knew the damage (if hit) would cost £1000 rather than £10? You would make sure you leave space!

I think you're vastly underestimating the value and importance of a few years driving experience.

 

[Monkeynut]

I passed my test at 17, bought a 2004 Ford Fiesta for £1600 (actually bought it when I was 16, could drive it around on abandoned industrial sites in my area to practice) First year insurance cost £4000. What a waste of money.

Second year, £2700. Third year, £800. More like it.

In hindsight I was mugged, but was egged on by the "you need your independence" garbage that was hammered into me by my parents when I was trying to get my head around why 20 drives a year is worth 4K + running costs (hint: It's not).

Then again at 19 I've bought half a share in a flat which I now live on my own worth about 55K. And I have a basement full-time job in retail.

Silver spoon planted firmly in cheek, but I do appreciate all of the assistance, and I'm not going to waste more money on cars anytime soon

 

[R.C.Anderson]

it's more of a 'if' someone hits your car...not will so spending so much on your first car regardless of if you can afford it just isn't worth the risk. although the way people drive around here it's not surprising.

My car was only £1000 I would drive any other car the same way I drive mine if I owned it, cost isn't the reason you drive sensible...

Even if the repair was 1p I would rather not have damage to my "banger" or any other car.

Statistically, the chance of you hitting someone after the first few years of driving my drop, but the chance of someone else hitting you doesn't change, so by your logic, it's never worth the risk of buying a decent car. If you feel that way, then that's fine, you don't need to buy yourself a decent car at any point, but for the rest of us that would like a decent car feel it's worth it (& is what we pay insurance for)

Some people are like that (me included) but one of the main reasons I've heard thrown around to get a banger, is you don't need to bother doing anything if you damage it.

I think you're vastly underestimating the value and importance of a few years driving experience.

I'm not, I know the difference in driving ability after a couple of years of driving is huge compared to just passing a test, but if you want it, and can afford it, I don't see the reason not to go for a decent car.

Personally, although I've not had my own car, and only been named on an insurance policy for a week, I have driven many 1000s of miles in cars costing from £30k upto well over £100k, and I've never had an accident (I don't think I've ever even scuffed an alloy). By the recommendations of most people on here, I should have had several accidents by now. I have had a couple of near misses, but not because of my own fault (eg someone in the left hand lane of my deciding they no longer want to come off that exit on the round-about, even though both theirs & mine do, so without looking or indicating, just swerving in front of me)

 

[Cybergangster]

With lots of "New driver, which car?" threads popping up, I'm just curious to know why new drivers appear more critical than they used to be...

Back in the day we bought what we could afford on our after-school wages. They were usually 20+ year old bangers. But the motors could be maintained using your old man's tools in the garage and the maintenance was our own responsibility.

Our modern motors have a lot more in the way of electrics and driver assists that I wouldn't be confident taking to with a spanner. I'm happy to pay someone who knows what they're doing to maintain our vehicles these days. When my kids start driving I expect we'll be splashing a little extra cash on what they're just for the sake of reliability and piece of mind.

For the record, from 1993 - 96 I went through a 1969 Vauxhall Viva, 1969 Austin Mini and a 1978 Morris Marina...

 

[ZG002]

My first car was just a hand me down (N reg Seat Ibiza) Was just happy to have me some wheels.

In the last few years I think it's been harder to come by a real cheap car to use as your first, When I passed the market was full of real cheap old cars, not they seem to of been scrapped or people believe their 10 yr old Clio is worth some decent money still.

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

I saved up 2.5k back in 99ish and bought a modified mini van that needed a little work on it. I actually bought it before I passed my test and started working on it so it would be ready!

It was the most fun car I ever owned. I am still trying to track it down with its current owner.

If anyone sees a yellow mini van with the reg ukr850x please let me know when and where! It is on the road still, and still yellow

 

[Freefaller]

You have to realise that back from the time we learned, the cars weren't new and "cool" - now days older cars, are the ones we were hankering over when we were young teenagers. We saved up our paper rounds/weekend jobs and bought whatever we could afford. Peer pressure is greater these days, and cars were probably a little cheaper (2nd hand bangers at least).

 

[Jester*]

I rocked out a Ford KA as my first car. Spent more on the insurance than buying the thing. I ragged that little 1.3 like it was going out of fashion. Great car, many fond memories.

But 6 months after passing my test I did have a small prang, and it tamed the yobbo in me. 8 years on and all is well!

 

[Grimezy]

I think you're right, internet plays a huge factor and also image/insurance is a big issue. I'm still on my first car, 13 year old bog-standard Punto, 1.2 60bhp, grey with black bumpers, blue interior, pretty horrible thing. I know a girl my age (20) who earns about £800/month as a hairdresser who just bought a 1.2 Limited Edition Corsa for £14k on 5 year finance. Her parents are necessarily rich or anything, she was just told she could get this flashy red car with black wheels and she went for it despite the fact it'll be worth £3k in 5 years. And after 3 months she wanted a white Audi A1 anyway so it's not going well for her.

I don't think first cars are so much the problem though, it's second cars for me. I've been researching for about a year now despite not being able to afford a better car. My options are so much more open now that I have 2 years NCB and I actually have the time to pick something I want whereas my first car I just wanted something to drive. I never actually looked at punto's, I just saw one local with low mileage and went for it seeing as 3 trips to Birmingham (40 miles away) had all come up useless prior to that.

Edit: The people saying you're guaranteed to have a bump in your first few years are wrong. Not everybody does, I worked hard for my car and I don't intend to have a bump in it on purpose.

And for those saying you'll buy your kids a better car for 'safety and reliability', I find this wrong on so many levels. All my friends who have had nice cars bought for them have ended up in a hedge with hardly any car left. They never worked for their cars and therefore never appreciated them. And whenever a MOT or Service came up guess who paid for it? And whenever insurance renewal came and they couldn't afford £1000+ guess who pays for it? And when it comes to buying a newer car after a year because they're bored of it and realise they can't actually afford a car better than what they already have because they have a car out of their budget, guess who's going to have to help them again?

My 13 year old car breaks down no more than a brand new corsa, if anything I'd say my little Punto was more reliable, it's never left me at the side of a road.