So, you may have just passed your driving test (congratulations!) or you are looking to buy a car to learn in. It is an exciting time and most people just choose the first car they see however it is important to have a look around and compare prices as well as style and safety. Here are a few tips:
Affordability
Make a check list to see what you need to put money aside for as well as the cost of your car.
Start off with the main extras to the car:
Insurance – This is the second most expensive cost besides from the car. Sometimes, the car costs less than the insurance! Hunt around for the cheapest quote, choose an insurer that has easy rules with a black box and has no hidden fees if you go over a set mileage. You have two options to pay the insurance, either monthly or upfront for the year.
Insurers take many factors into account when setting premiums and most cars are assigned to an insurance group indicating the level of risk. The lower the group, the lower your premium should be.
Cars in group 1 and 2 are usually for newer drivers. Some examples are the Ford KA+, Nissan Micra, VW Up, Toyota Yaris and a Vauxhall Corsa.
Remember, it is not always about the insurance group. The car’s engine size can also make a difference on how much your insurance is. A 1.2L or lower is recommended for a first-time driver.
Car tax – Just like the insurance, you can pay this upfront or split it into two and pay 6 months. Car tax is different depending on what how much fuel your car uses and its official co2 emissions.
Fuel- Consider how much money you have to fill up your car whether that be weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Fuel is not cheap so this should be a priority.
Servicing and MOT- Services are either annually or twice a month depending on what car you have. An MOT is once a year and can cost up to £54.85. Usually, garages offer a discount if you have your MOT at the same time as your Service.
Safety
Generally, the newer car , the safer it is. Most new cars have safety features such as Anti-lock braking systems and auto emergency braking. You can see the safety rating of the car by looking at Euro NCAP’s cash tests. https://www.euroncap.com/en
Know what to look out for
Before buying your first car, you should always have someone go with you to take a look around the car and make sure all lights and features are working properly.
Some important information you need to know about the car is:
• The cars age, service record/ MOT history and mileage.
• The number of previous owners
• Any major repair work that has been completed or modifications.
• Anything that is not working correctly.
You should be able to take the car on a test drive. Make sure you can adjust the seat to the way you feel comfortable, check all functions are working and it feels good to drive.
New or used?
We would all have loved a brand-new car for our first-time car. Reality is most people get a second-hand car that was passed down or something less thrilling.
Benefits of buying a used car include:
Less stressful with caring about scratches – Most first time drivers have bumps and scrapes, it’s a part of learning, so if you are worried about driving a brand new car, buy a used one to get used to the feel of the roads and driving.
It is cheaper than buying a new car- After 3 years, cars become worth around 60% less than its original price!
You can easily find a used car that fits your budget plus there is no time wasting, waiting for it to be built and delivered.
Benefits of a new car are:
Warranty – a warranty covers any faults from the manufacturer in the first few years and will cover the cost of these.
Finance options- If you have a good credit history and the budget, you will be eligible to finance a car which means you can spread the cost over a period of time.
No previous owners- The is no unresolved issues from previous owners and the car becomes yours from the get-go.
Do you want to go privately or go with a dealership?
Buying a car with a private seller can be cheaper however it is very risky. You may start to find faults in the car after you have paid for it which may be why it was so cheap to start off with.
It is safer to buy from a trustworthy dealership where you can talk to experts and talk about warranty.
Take a look at our used cars below:
https://www.buckinghamford.co.uk/used_cars_home.php
Final checks
Once you have chosen our car, make sure to do some final inspections before committing to that car.
• Check the vehicle registration book ( the V5 or logbook)
• Check the details of the car match the ones on the paperwork.
• Read through the paperwork thoroughly and make sure you understand how much warranty you get with the car and when it expires.
• Check if the insurance isn’t too expensive before buying the car.
