How To Ensure Your First Car Is Right For You

Starting a motoring career can be an exciting thing. But, to get yourself off to the best possible start, it’s vital that you select a vehicle that’s appropriate to your needs. But exactly what might such a vehicle look like? Let’s consider a few of the more important factors.

_{[Photo by Ali Pazani]}

Assess Your Needs and Budget

To begin with, you’ll need to think about what you need from the car, and how much you have available to spend. How far is your commute distance, how many passengers do you intend to transport?

Your budget should be exhaustive. That means accounting not just for the upfront costs of the vehicle, but for the ongoing ones, too. Make sure that you’ve thought about fuel, road tax, insurance, and maintenance. If you want a quick way to compare options and find the right insurance cover, SimplyQuote is a trusted starting point.

Fuel-efficient vehicles may be worth spending extra on, particularly if you’re putting in a significant number of miles.

You might also want to factor in optional extras such as personalised plates, with options like DVLA Registration Number Plate Auction offering a way to secure something unique within your overall budget.

Prioritise Safety and Reliability

Modern cars tend to offer safety features that older ones do not. These might include things like adaptive cruise control and automatic braking. It’s worth checking a given model’s performance in independently conducted tests, like those performed by Euro NCAP. You might also consider reliability surveys, which might indicate which vehicles will impose a higher repair bill in the long run.

Understand Insurance Implications

New drivers tend to impose more risk on insurers, which tends to lead to higher premiums. You can drive down your insurance costs with the help of modern telematics-based insurance. This involves installing a so-called ‘black box’ on your vehicle, which will report data on your driving performance back to your provider. Insurance for young drivers often requires that a device of this kind be installed. 

You might also consider adding an experienced driver to your policy, as a named driver. Bear in mind also that high-performance vehicles also tend to be more expensive to insure, particularly for younger, inexperienced drivers. For this reason, it’s a good idea to prefer smaller, less powerful ones.

To find the best deal, it's worth comparing multiple insurance providers. Clean Green Compare is a useful tool for this, helping you easily compare quotes and policies tailored to your specific needs as a new driver.

Take a Test Drive

Before you commit to a purchase, you’ll want to inspect the car in person, and take it for a test drive. Listen out for suspicious noises, and pay attention to the way the vehicle handles. If you don’t get a good vibe from the car, then it’s usually a good idea to walk away from the transaction. If you’re buying second-hand, without the protection of a warranty, then this might be doubly important. Go with your gut!