Car for a new driver..?

ThunderZtorm

Hi all,

First things first: I am a Danish citizen, living and working in Ireland.
As getting a driver's license in Ireland is about 20-25% of the price of Denmark, even with professional instructor lessons, I've decided to go ahead and finally get the license.

Now, I've never paid much attention to all the stuff about getting a car, but obviously I'd love to actually get one - to that end I have a few questions that may be very simple to most of you people.

1. What sort of expenses should I expect beside actually buying the car and the petrol. Insurance is required I guess, as well as something called NCT or somesuch?
I'm mostly worried about the monthly cost, as I'm not exactly rich, and I don't want to spend every cent I have on owning a car.

2. I'll be looking for a cheap car, below 1000 euros or so, unless I find the most amazing offer ever. Should I be looking for private purchase or from a dealer?

3. I've been considering getting a car before I get the full license - but I figure it might be best/cheapest to get the full license first, as the insurance and such might be cheaper then?


Anyhow, that's it for now - thanks in advance for any replies

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

challengemaster

There's plenty of decent cars (with NCT) available for under €1000 these days, so you should have no trouble finding one. Stay away from large engine sizes though, as insurance will be troublesome to get and very expensive.

As said, NCT costs €50 a year from June for all cars over 10 years old.

Again, as said, you will have to pay Motor tax every year also. Unless you find a post-08 car for under €1000, it will be based on engine size (CC) - rates are avaialble here -> https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/menu.do?page=motortaxinfotype

And select "Private car standard"

No matter what you buy, insurance will probably be >€2000 for your first year (Third party, fire & theft)

ThunderZtorm

Thanks for the replies - very informative.

I've been discussing with my flatmates, and one of them suggested I look into leasing a car instead of buying it, but I'm wondering if that's really a sound option. Granted, I'd probably get a better car, but from what I understand, I'd still need to pay insurance and so forth on top, so in the long run it might be a lot more expensive?

softmee

challengemaster wrote: »

There's plenty of decent cars (with NCT) available for under €1000 these days, so you should have no trouble finding one. Stay away from large engine sizes though, as insurance will be troublesome to get and very expensive.

As said, NCT costs €50 a year from June for all cars over 10 years old.

Again, as said, you will have to pay Motor tax every year also. Unless you find a post-08 car for under €1000, it will be based on engine size (CC) - rates are avaialble here -> https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/menu.do?page=motortaxinfotype

And select "Private car standard"

No matter what you buy, insurance will probably be >€2000 for your first year (Third party, fire & theft)

I bought my first car ever a month ago and I paid about 830€ incurance with Tesco, but i am 30 female, so its propably different if you are younger male -but still so expencive? :eek:

challengemaster

softmee wrote: »

I bought my first car ever a month ago and I paid about 830€ incurance with Tesco, but i am 30 female, so its propably different if you are younger male -but still so expencive? :eek:

If I'm lucky my insurance might be around that this year, 20 with 3 years NCB.... first year for me was 2k, car was only worth 1.5k, and even still that was kinda cheap...

ThunderZtorm

I'm looking at carsireland.ie - seems to be quite a few decent cars for less than 1000 euro..

I did a search for any car with max 1.2 engine thingy (yeah, I know a lot about cars ) and max 1000 euro, in Dublin..

However, knowing very little about cars except how to (sort of) drive one and that the awesome cars are way out of my league, I'm a bit stuck at that point.

I'm a regular bloke who intend to drive the car a bit here and there inside Dublin, maybe take some weekend road trips with my two flatmates to whereever - Belfast, Galway, Cork even.. Maybe get a cyclerack, stuff my bike on it and drive to the countryside for a little 20-30-40km cycle trip or so.

I wouldn't be using it every day I think, as I kind of enjoy cycling to work and such, but I would be using it regularly as I feel I should be doing regular driving once I have the license for the continued practice.

In other words, a few basic requirements for my car:
Big enough for 3 people + luggage
Economical
Easy to drive (ie, small, power steering and such)
Able to put a cycle rack on the back.
Preferably a car that has a history of not breaking down easily, and if it does, be cheap to repair.

softmee

Maybe not that beautiful, but i've heard they are good, i would go for it :

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2124418

or

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1928797

or some corsa, just not 1.0, but 1.2

lau1247

since this is learning to drive forum, i'm guessing you're on provisional/learners permit..

you'll need to consider driving with a full licence person as passenger..

ThunderZtorm

lau1247 wrote: »

since this is learning to drive forum, i'm guessing you're on provisional/learners permit..

you'll need to consider driving with a full licence person as passenger..

Aye of course. Fortunately my flatmate has had a full license for 7 years

Either way, I wouldn't expect to use it much before I've got the full license myself. My goal is getting the full license before October, as I'd really want to be driving around the country when my mum comes over from Denmark - it's so much easier to play tourist in a car :P

softmee

ThunderZtorm wrote: »

Aye of course. Fortunately my flatmate has had a full license for 7 years

Either way, I wouldn't expect to use it much before I've got the full license myself. My goal is getting the full license before October, as I'd really want to be driving around the country when my mum comes over from Denmark - it's so much easier to play tourist in a car :P

Exactly, Ireland is a nighmare to travel by bus!

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

michelledoh

I just got insured with Quinn even though I'm on a provisional and had never been insured previously. They said if i get my full license within 3 months i would get €400 back, in 6 months I'd get €300 back... and so on! It is pretty fair!

As regards the NCT that is €60 every 2 years.

Try to buy a car with a small engine. I have a Yaris with a 0.9l engine and the tax is only €172 a year upfront (it is cheaper to pay a lump sum each year that spread it out over the year)

bring someone with you who knows alot about cars if you are buying a car from someone privatly!

Good Luck!

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

michelledoh

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

Thanks, sorry about the mistake! Wow its rare you ever over-estimate the price of something in this country! That's great news... less money to spend in June for me so!:D

ThunderZtorm

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

I got my learner permit December 7th, so I should be ok