my first car but no money help???

kingsley16

I recently passed my theory test last year in november and i'm still 16 going 17 on monday and I really need to get a car but i'm having money problems...

Ok my reason for a car at 17 is not because i want one it's because I have to get one...See i only live with my mum and she has Arthritis on both knee joints and she can't drive either. life is really hard for both of us when theres no car, espesically her walking to her voluntary work every weekday and right now i'm the only one who knows how to drive and can drive. But when we tried to get a personal loan from a few banks to buy a used opel corsa 1.0L for 2,995 they all declined our aplications!! She is under social welfare payment but repaying for the loan wouldn't cost much at all and i was wonder if thats the reason why they keep declining? but my main question is...Is there any places at all that could give us a loan of 5500 (to pay the car, insurance and car maintainance products). I got a quote from axa for 2,800 and i haven't checked other insurers and was wondering if thats the cheapest i'll get at 17 and i'm a male.

L1011

For the insurance, 2800 is horrendous - did you try Quinn? I'd expect it to be under 2000 even on the dot of 17 these days. My last provisional insurance was 1500 on a far newer and faster car at 19.

Finance wise, the Credit Union might be a better bet, they're more flexible and willing to come to arrangements than a normal bank but unfortunately this is the worst time for decades to be looking to borrow.

alo1587

Did you try your local credit union for a loan? As for insurance, give hibernian a ring, you'll get a good discount if you do their Ignition driving course.Maybe you should go for an older car if its your first car, there are plenty reliable cars out there at the moment for handy money..

kingsley16

ha thats actually weird because my mum said the credit union wouldn't be good because...1) she only has like €50 in here account and 2) it would probably take weeks before we get a loan off them...oh and will that test your talking about be judged very harshly? because i only got my driving experience from a friend who tought me how to drive last year.

L-M

alo1587 wrote: »

Did you try your local credit union for a loan? As for insurance, give hibernian a ring, you'll get a good discount if you do their Ignition driving course.Maybe you should go for an older car if its your first car, there are plenty reliable cars out there at the moment for handy money..

Ya, a good discount of which they have heavily added on. The last time i compared quotes, they were almost twice what Quinn wanted lol...

OP, Quinn seem to be the cheapest for young drivers, and a credit union load sounds best for ye.

L1011

Its based on the British police 'Roadcraft' book. Nearly sure you need your full licence before they'll let you do it though so you should work towards that as a very first thing - get the waiting time for your local test centre and apply that number of weeks before the 6 months waiting period is up. The drop in your insurance from this will be bigger than any other.

You can also pay for insurance monthly rather than yearly but the insurers charge a fair bit more for this - it would be cheaper to get the loan for it but if you have to reduce the amount you're borrowing it might work out.

bestquote.ie got me a quote round 500 cheaper than quinn.. try it

draycottgirlz

there are plenty of very cheap run-a-round motors out there now, you could probably pick one up for under €1000, also get a 1.0l or .999cc motor as it will be much cheaper and get 3rd party insurance (first try as your mother insuring the car with you named and then on your own) try www.isure.ie, www.123.ie etc and also insurance brokers. Some insurance policys are payable monthly, try this way first.

I wouldn't recommend get lots of loans etc, and remember you will need money to run the car: tax, insurance, petrol, tyres, general maintenance etc

You also need to apply and pass you driving test as soon as possible!!!

PirateShampoo

Hate to burst the bubble here lads but even if you do manage to buy the car and get insured, Legally your still not going to be able to drive your mum around has you only have a provisional and your mum doesn't have a License.

steof1984

try www.quinn-direct.com i started driving when i was 19 and my first quote was 4,500 with axa. i got a loan with my credit union and had only a few hundred

my renewal was then 3,500. i got a quote with Quinn for 2,000

as for your car as a first car i wouldnt spend more than 1,000 loads of 1-1.2l cars out there for cheap

there shouldnt be much difference between the quote for a 1l and a 1.2l and gives you a wider selection of cars

very best of luck i hope you get it

challengemaster

One problem I can see. If you're the only one that can drive, where's the 2 year licensed driver to sit with you for 6 months while you're on a learner permit?

As for insurance 2000 - 3000 is what you're looking at alright, even for a small 1.0 - 1.2 L car from 2000...

Tony Broke

Go to a few brokers around the town and see what they can get you, then ring the company they say is cheapest.Your looking at about 4000 loan, car like a micra will set you back 700-1000, insurance 1700-2000, tax 240 a year or something and if your lucky the car will only cost you about 250 or so to maintain for the year.

The old fiats are bangers and I doubt the quality of the old Polo's and such as well, good a to b motor would be a Micra, they dont break and very cheap to insure.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1312487

unkel

Sound advice there from draycottgirlz. You can buy a decent NCTd car for well under a grand now. It's madness spending €3k you haven't got. As for insurance, ring ALL insurance companies and ALL brokers. Will take you several hours, but you might be pleasantly surprised with the result. And get your full license asap - before you buy the car if that's possible.

You're not mentioning it but I presume you are still in full time education? If so, you could get a part time job to boost the family income. Running a car is not cheap.

challengemaster

unkel wrote: »

And get your full license asap - before you buy the car if that's possible.

Well that's at the very least, 6 months (for holding the permit), if not 7-8 due to waiting lists from the time he gets his learners permit. Judging by his post, he doesn't seem too willing to wait that long unkel.

unkel

challengemaster wrote: »

Judging by his post, he doesn't seem too willing to wait that long unkel.

Yeah I too get the sense of urgency from his post, but one has to be realistic. I can see a €3k insurance quote being reduced to €2k for a 17 year old once they pass their test. That's a big difference if you don't have the money in the first place and even more so when you don't really have the regular income to pay back loans either.

draycottgirlz

unkel wrote: »

Sound advice there from draycottgirlz. You can buy a decent NCTd car for well under a grand now. It's madness spending €3k you haven't got. As for insurance, ring ALL insurance companies and ALL brokers. Will take you several hours, but you might be pleasantly surprised with the result. And get your full license asap - before you buy the car if that's possible.

You're not mentioning it but I presume you are still in full time education? If so, you could get a part time job to boost the family income. Running a car is not cheap.

thanks


After reading your story again and taking the reality of the slow process of the Irish driving licensing system into consideration, while also understanding that it is very difficult for you and your mother without a car, can I recommend a different approach.

Can I recommend, as you not 17 yet (yes Monday you will be) that you must take one step at a time.

1st, get your theory test + provisional

2nd, apply for your test, you may even be able to start this process on Monday!

You have done without a car so far so perhaps until you got your full license you could continue that way, as putting a finanical burden on your family would be far more stressful and cause much more harm. Also you have to think if you are attending school you may not be available to bring your mother very often to or from work.

It is a big responsibility owning and driving a car, so you must be ready for this.

Could I also even suggest getting a 50cc moped? It as good a place as any to start from.
(cheap to buy, insure and run)

L-M

draycottgirlz wrote: »

Could I also even suggest getting a 50cc moped? It as good a place as any to start from.
(cheap to buy, insure and run)

Mopeds are actually surprisingly expensive to insure(up on a grand nearly), and also i'd say you'd get a car as handy as you would get a scooter.

Orla K

The way the credit union works is, say you want €1500 then you have to have €600 in the account before you get that. You also need 4 recent pay slips(the reminder they send you out for the dole) or go to the office and ask them for written conformation. You also need some bills in your name. (May be more I can't remember).

I think the best thing for you to do is wait for 6 months and until you get the full licence, just go through the test routes with an instructor.

kingsley16

ok i'm getting lots of mixed advices from everyone and most of them interest me, but i'm still confused. judging by what everyone said what do you guys think of these ideas?

try get a personal loan of 5000 - 5500 from the credit union.

not by a car less than 1000 and not over 2000.

use the rest to pay for insurance, tax and equipments needed for car
maintainence because i know a lil bit about auto mechanics and learned a few basic car maintainence like changing oil, oil filters, air filters, checking the engine for serious problems etc...I do alot of research on auto mechanics and learned alot from friends who are mechanics.

as for cars my ex gf's dad who was a mechanic for 32 years told me not to get a car under the year 2000 and less than €1000, a car over 1.2L and an ideal and a reliable for me car would be an opel corsa or any japanese cars.

and any remainder will be kept aside for any services and i'll also be saving 20 a week with it.

how does that sound guys??

challengemaster

Still sounds like a lot of money and trouble, especially for volunteer work...

I'd still like to know how you're going to address the issue that you HAVE to have a 2 year licensed driver beside you while you're driving.

TestTransmission

challengemaster wrote: »

Still sounds like a lot of money and trouble, especially for volunteer work...

I'd still like to know how you're going to address the issue that you HAVE to have a 2 year licensed driver beside you while you're driving.

He wont exactly be the only learner driver in this country breaking that law now,will he...go easy on him,hes only 16

fryup

try FBD, hint-tell em your a farmer;)

but seriously give them a call

Orla K

kingsley16 wrote: »

try get a personal loan of 5000 - 5500 from the credit union.

as for cars my ex gf's dad who was a mechanic for 32 years told me not to get a car under the year 2000 and less than €1000, a car over 1.2L and an ideal and a reliable for me car would be an opel corsa or any japanese cars.

For a loan of €5000 you'll need about €2000 in the account.

I have an Opel corsa 1.2L it's a great car, mine's a 96. It needs some work and looks like crap, it failed the NCT but not on anything huge, they are great cars that last.

challengemaster

jackncoke wrote: »

He wont exactly be the only learner driver in this country breaking that law now,will he...go easy on him,hes only 16

That makes it ok? It's ok to break the law because he's 16? Because there's others doing it? Lets let him break all the other laws so too, speed limit, etc. See how long it takes for him to wrap himself around a tree, or head on collision. Then lets all do it, seeing as you like to follow the crowd so much.

And the last thing he needs on-top of getting a near 6k loan to afford all this, is having the car taken off him for breaking the law, or being banned from driving.

unkel

jackncoke wrote: »

He wont exactly be the only learner driver in this country breaking that law now,will he...

Of course not. But he looks like the last learner driver in this country who could do with a €1,000 fine. So don't encourage him to break the law please.

Tony Broke

You dont have to get such a big loan, some insurance companies let you pay monthly with little or no interest charged.If you dont have disposable income, then you cant afford a car.You could get a fine yoke like an old peugeot 106 or fiesta for about 500, but if you cant afford to put petrol in the tank whats the point?

Owning any car is expensive, you cant put a fixed cost on them because anything can happen.

My advice would be to look for a part time job ( hard I know ) and build up some savings with the credit union, then get a small loan or use some of your savings to get a cheap runabout ( say a clean 600e fiesta ) and pay insurance monthly.By the time you have done all that you should be well on your way to getting a full licence

Mr Benevolent

Problem is, with no money in the CU it's tough to get a loan these days. Maybe go into bangernomics mode, buy an old Corsa for €500-700 and get your mum insured on the car instead. Should be cheaper (temporarily) that way, especially if your mum needs it more than you. Keep in mind you'll also have to tax it, fill it with petrol etc. I estimate my first car will cost me the guts of €5000 in the first year, inc purchase, insurance, tax, service, fuel etc. Taking out a loan to buy something that'll cost you a fair bit to run when you don't have the money is a bit mad tbh. My bro got a loan for €5000 to buy a Bora, insure and tax it etc... and 2 months later he lost his job. He's only managed to hold onto it because my mum bought half of it off him because she wanted to use it.

PS: With no job and your mum on SW it's going to be very hard to get a loan, let along pay it back. You're only in 5th year, surely you don't need it now? Being in debt with no money is truly horrible (I've only just gotten out of debt for the first time in 10 years) and I wouldn't recommend it as a way to go. Wait until you really, really need it.

yes there is an urgent rush in me wanting my license and a car because I am persuing a career in aircraft mechanics and I will be training for it outside dublin after I finish secondary school so it would help if I have a car.

That's still well over a year away.

kingsley16

Ok I think some people aren't getting enough info so here they are....

I have passed my theory test already so all I have to do is wait till monday when i turn 17 and then i get my license and I also passed my theory test for bikes but I only took it because i know the whole theory test questions like the back of my hands...i like bikes too but love cars and a car is safer and does a better job for all my day to day needs...oh and both tests where passed on my 1st trys

yes i am still in school, i'm in 5th year actually.:cool:

yes there is an urgent rush in me wanting my license and a car because I am persuing a career in aircraft mechanics and I will be training for it outside dublin after I finish secondary school so it would help if I have a car.

yes i've been trying to get a job since i turned 16 but no jobs at all and i'm still looking by the way...it's unreal how hard i'm trying to get a job and this year is definately not the year for that.

I'm not a law breaker but when I get a car i'm mainly going to be using it to practice driving for 6 months before i take my full license driving test, drive to school, drop my mum off when shes going to work, drive to the supermarket to help with all the bags and these places are all in my area... I know I know it's against the law but my brothers wife is also a learner and she got pulled over by the gards and they clearly saw the learner plates but all they did was check if her insurance and tax disks where up to date and I know many people who are learner drivers...

I may be very young but i love cars and love to take care of them and of course i'm not 1 of them teenage boys who just want a car to show off...its all for a good cause for me!! and hopefully i can pass the driving test on my 1st try too.

if theres anymore info i left out please let me know

TestTransmission

challengemaster wrote: »

That makes it ok? It's ok to break the law because he's 16? Because there's others doing it? Lets let him break all the other laws so too, speed limit, etc. See how long it takes for him to wrap himself around a tree, or head on collision. Then lets all do it, seeing as you like to follow the crowd so much.

And the last thing he needs on-top of getting a near 6k loan to afford all this, is having the car taken off him for breaking the law, or being banned from driving.

unkel wrote: »

Of course not. But he looks like the last learner driver in this country who could do with a €1,000 fine. So don't encourage him to break the law please.

Just to clarify I was not encouraging anyone to break the law,and I was not using his age as an excuse if wished to do so.

I was merely pointing out as he was only 16,he maybe somewhat oblivious to what it really takes to own/drive a car and what responsibilites come with it.

No harm intended