First car - What to do

Flynn

Hey guys this isn't a what type of car will i buy thread but more looking for advice..

It is my first car, i have a full license no NCB. I have 2500 - 3000 to spend on a car was going to get a 03 ish 1.4 focus, astra or whatever for the 3k mark. Now as i have no NCB my insurance for the first year would be something like 1300. I reckon the following year it woul dbe down to 800 (i'm over 25 btw)

Now a car dealer told me i would be stupid to spend that much on a first car and to get a runaround for 500 and pay minimum insurance, then next year buy the car i want for 3000 and insurance will be much cheaper as i will have a NCB (all going well)

So it would seem that i would save the 500 on insurance as i wouldnt have to fork out the 1300 but aren't i just wasting 500 on the runaround as it will likely be worth feck all at the end of the year.

Also i have a friend that is willing to put me as a name driver on his 206. If i get insured on this it wont stand to me as a NCB is this correct?

So what should i do? blow my money and fork out the 1300 for insurance or wait the year?

thanks for reading!

djimi

If its your first car and youve no NCB then I really dont see you paying a whole lot less than €1300 no matter what car you buy if Im honest. Certainly I dont see you saving enough to make such a plan worth considering.

Youre best course of action would be to find a €500 car and see what quotes you are getting on the insurance. The go online and get a quote for the €3000 and put in that you have one years experience and NCB and see what it comes back with. Base you decision on this information.

To be honest if it was me Id probably spend the €3k on a more decent car; a €500 car could have problems waiting for it that would eat into the difference in price anyway.

sebastianlieken

Op, have you driven before? as in do you know how to drive or have you still to learn?

My situation isn't too different from yours. I'm looking for a car at the moment and will have my first insurance policy with 0 years NCB and at 25. I have however driven for a couple of years on parents policy and am comfortable enough with rules of the road, clutch control, etc. etc... This is why I'm looking to spend the money on a car that I actually want as opposed to a scrapper. The insurance difference (in my case) would be null after a year of me getting sick of the scrapper and getting a new car that i want. IMO there's no point in going for the scrapper. may aswell spend the money now rather that later if you can afford to do so.

coylemj

Flynn wrote: »

Now a car dealer told me i would be stupid to spend that much on a first car and to get a runaround for 500 and pay minimum insurance

And I bet he has just such a car ready for you for which he probably paid €200.

Kenny Logins

Buy the better car, you should get a decent one for that money. Just don't go bumping into stuff in it.

Flynn

Djimi: Thanks for the advice that's great is there any websites online that quote for free? i've only found ones that make you pay..

Sebastian: Yes i've driven before, i got my license in Oz and swapped it over, havn't driven in over a year and never in Irleland (planning on takin a few lessons here to get used to it as i'm not too confident but for the most part yes I can drive) Are you saying a scrapper would be good for someone who will run it into the ground but if you know what you're doing spend the money on a decent car? I'm kind of leaning more towards that to be honest...

Coylemj: Actually no he was an ex-car dealer sorry should have mentioned that.. He was a friend of my mothers and i think he was just trying to give sound advice based on experience but i just don't really get it..

scamalert

well the dealer is right from one perspective,3k on a first car that will be worth less than 1k after a year is waste of money.Dont be the person who looks at the reg plates and such,Theres plenty of cars going on donedeal below 1k mark and with less then 100k miles even with nct or tax,and more possibility to sell the car for what it will be bought if you decide to change later.bangernomics thread is a good place to find a decent ride aswell.

Zubeneschamali

scamalert wrote: »

3k on a first car that will be worth less than 1k after a year is waste of money.

What? A €3K car has already lost most of its value, it's not going to lose 2K in a year unless you crash it!

I'd steer clear of €500 cars, unless you want to spend a lot of time at the side of the road.

djimi

Flynn wrote: »

Djimi: Thanks for the advice that's great is there any websites online that quote for free? i've only found ones that make you pay..

Most of the main insurers will have an online quoting system. 123 or Chill might be worth a look. You only really want ballpark figures.

Flynn

scamalert Hey thanks for the reply but i'm gonna have to agree with Zubeneschamali on this one. How could it lose nearly 70% of it's value in one year?


djimi Cheers, 123.ie are charging but chill do a free "quick quote" one. I assume it's ball park but its a good start thanks.

djimi

https://www.123.ie/insurance/car-insurance/quote-form.123?conversationId=55743

That should be a free full online quote. None of the big insurers (or any of them that I know of) charge for an online quote.

Dont bother with quick quotes; they are literally not worth the 30 seconds they take as they dont take any of the important criteria into account.

Media999

Id say just spend the 3k. Youre well able to drive so dont see why people are telling you to get a runaround heap of dirt.

Your insurance will come down quickly enough if you dont crash.

3k goes a long way these days.

H3llR4iser

Not too dissimilar a situation from mine; However, I'm older than you at 32 and have been driving sideral mileages before moving to Ireland (in the range of 35-40k a year).

If you want the likes of a Focus or an Astra and genuinely like these cars, then go for it - provided you won't turn it into scrap metal, you will probably keep it for the next 3 or 4 years. I don't think the the "banger now, better next year" approach would save you any real money.

It would only work in a predicament like mine - limited to a 1.4 engine by the insurance and just can't bear small(ish) cars, as thir rounded shapes make all seem either extremely feminine or targeted to a teenage audience. Therefore, I won't spend a few grands on something I will want to get rid of as soon as possible (especially when I see cars I like for the same money, but the insurance won't cover before two years).