8 Questions to Ask When Buying Your First Car

Buying your first car is an exciting and significant moment in your life.

That’s why it’s so important that you make the right choice and find the best first car for you.

Read on and find out the 8 questions you need to ask when buying your first car.

 

What Should I Look for When Buying My First Car?

When it comes to buying your first car, you should look for one that meets your style, comfort and reliability needs.

You can visit local dealerships or browse new and used vehicles online to find the right one for you.

Before you commit to a purchase, you should find out what you can about the vehicle, including the following:

• MOT history
• Age
• Mileage
• Service record
• Any modifications
• Any repair work

You should also find out about any features that may not be working correctly. 

Once you have found this out, you should then take the vehicle for a test drive. 

 

How Much Should I Spend on My First Car?

Buying and maintaining a car can be expensive – especially for young people. It is best to pick a car that reflects your budget, needs, and preferences.

If you are regularly driving on the motorway or covering long distances, then an efficient car with a large petrol or diesel engine might be best.

You could find such a car for under £10,000 in cash – or £200 a month on finance.

If you make fewer or shorter journeys in a week, then a smaller petrol hatchback might be better for you.

You could find such a used car for around £6,000 in cash – or £100 a month on finance.

 

Do I Need Insurance First?

Regardless of whether you buy from a dealership or a private seller, you will need insurance.

Your car must be insured before you drive it – even if the drive home from the dealership wouldn’t take long!

You can insure a new car before you pick it up by letting your insurer know when you need the cover to start.

You will need to provide them with your details ahead of time, including the registration and in some cases your logbook/V5C.

Alternatively, you can get temporary insurance which covers you from as little as an hour to a month.

With temporary insurance, you’ll be able to drive your new car home and arrange longer term insurance at a later date.

 

Should I Buy My First Car on Finance?

When deciding whether or not to buy your first car on finance, you should factor in the following:

• Your budget
• Interest rates
• Depreciation
• Your credit score
• Ownership vs leasing
• Your future plans

Though financing allows you to spread the cost out over time, you need to know that the monthly payments align with your budget. 

You should also bear in the mind that financing allows you to eventually own the car once the loan has been paid off. 

Leasing, on the other hand, means that you are basically renting the vehicle for a set period of time - with no ownership at the end. 

You should weigh the pros and cons up carefully before deciding to buy your first car on finance. 

Remember, you will need to pay interest on top of the car's price. 

This can make the total cost higher than if you had paid for the car right away. 

You can choose Hire Purchase (HP) car finance, Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) car finance, a personal loan, or leasing.

 

Which Cars Are Safest for New Drivers?

Generally speaking, the newer the vehicle, the safer it should be. 

When choosing your first car, look for a vehicle that has such safety features as an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and auto emergency braking (AEB).

 

How Should I Budget?

It is important that you budget effectively when you’re planning on buying your first car.

Remember to budget for more than just the cost of the purchase.

Some of the running costs associated with owning a car include:

• Car insurance
• Road tax
• MOT testing
• Fuel

In some cases, your vehicle may be road tax exempt.

 

Should I Buy a New or Used Car?

New Cars

If you choose to buy a new car, you will be protected by law and covered with a warranty if something goes wrong.

Even so, you should still visually inspect the vehicle before driving it off the lot.

You may notice a dent or scratch in the vehicle’s paintwork when you get home if not, and it can be difficult to prove that you didn’t cause this.

 

Used Cars

When buying a used car, you will be buying from a dealer or a private seller.

Many used car dealers are members of trade associations and have their vehicles independently checked.

By law, used car dealers must ensure that the vehicles they sell are:

• Fit for purpose
• Legal to drive
• Of satisfactory quality

The vehicle must also match the description advertised.

Buying from a dealer means you’ll have some protection, but buying privately is more of a ‘buyer beware’ situation.

In other words, buying from a private seller may be cheaper, but using a trusted car dealer is a safer way to buy your first car. 

 

Should I Buy a Petrol, Diesel or Electric Car?

Cars that run on petrol are generally lighter and quieter than diesel cars.

Petrol cars are usually cheaper than diesel cars of the same type and age.

However, if you tend to make regular long journeys at high speeds, then a diesel car may be more efficient.

Diesel cars tend to use less fuel than petrol cars, but they aren’t designed to make short trips regularly.

You could wear your car out quickly if you make short trips in your diesel car, and you could unintentionally block the diesel particulate filter (DPF).

Electric vehicles are the most expensive choice of the three.

EVs take longer to ‘refuel’ with electricity, but this could be a good option if you tend to drive less than 100 miles a day and have a driveway where you can charge the car.

 

FAQs