Would it be mad to buy new for your first car?

Thelomen Toblackai

I'm in my 30s and I've been doing the lessons preparing for my test in a couple months and getting pretty confident on the road. So starting to think about buying a car.

Everyone I speak to says buy something small, old and cheap for my first car. But all I see with people who have cheap old cars is that they don't particularly like the car and every other week something else needs doing on it.

Would it be mad to just buy new and get a really nice car that wouldn't have those constant problems (hopefully)?

Atlantic Dawn

For me yes you would be, I know on my first car I had the odd collision with kerbs that damaged wheels and under bits, nothing that required repairing but I know if it was a new car it would have made me sick. For me get something sub €5k for a year and all going well with that then perhaps go for new. Cars built in the last 10 years are reliable, not like stuff from years back.

choons

Thelomen Toblackai wrote: »

I'm in my 30s and I've been doing the lessons preparing for my test in a couple months and getting pretty confident on the road. So starting to think about buying a car.

Everyone I speak to says buy something small, old and cheap for my first car. But all I see with people who have cheap old cars is that they don't particularly like the car and every other week something else needs doing on it.

Would it be mad to just buy new and get a really nice car that wouldn't have those constant problems (hopefully)?

Generally people get a cheaper car as a first car because there is a high probability you'll crash it or at least have a few bumps and scrapes.

No reason not to if you can afford to take the loss of writing it off!

Thelomen Toblackai

choons wrote: »

Generally people get a cheaper car as a first car because there is a high probability you'll crash it or at least have a few bumps and scrapes.

No reason not to if you can afford to take the loss of writing it off!

Definitely can't afford to take the loss of writing it off !

I didn't think the risk of damage would be that high though. Or at least not much higher than it would be a few years down the line. I'll probably be more careful starting off than I would be in future.

Voodoomelon

As long as its not a large vehicle and is a similar size to what you learnt to drive in, I see no reason why not. I don't recall bouncing off kerbs and walls after I passed my test, i'm sure the majority don't either.

Most people would rather see you in a crap car for their own reasons, not legitimate ones.

Armchair Andy

23 year old sister bought a Duster on finance when she was on a provisional, 4 years later it's still serving her well.
POS but it's worth a million to her.
I was expecting it to be dinged and bashed but not a mark on it. If you can afford it why not I say.

choons

Thelomen Toblackai wrote: »

Definitely can't afford to take the loss of writing it off !

I didn't think the risk of damage would be that high though. Or at least not much higher than it would be a few years down the line. I'll probably be more careful starting off than I would be in future.

I don't have the statistics but new driver insurance premiums are higher because they are more likely to be caught in an accident. Food for thought anyway!

Blatter

Anybody who buys a new car and doesn't have lavish finances, is mad IMO.

There are plenty of used cars in absolutely mint condition that will give you pretty much the same experience as a new car, at a fraction of the cost. You just need to be diligent and thorough with your research in order to give yourself the best chance of differentiating between a good bargain and a potential lemon.

Eric Cartman

5 grand is a fine amount of money to spend on a car, you'd get something you like, thats clean and has paintwork intact, its not a life ending sum of money iv you write it off, but its not a shítbox which I can completely understand why nobody wants.

I had a 4 year old Kia Sorento 4x4 when I was 18 for my first car, didn't smash it off any kerbs or roll it or crash it into the back of anyone. I put one small mark on it and that was it, depends on how confident a driver you are and as always , observation.

Thelomen Toblackai

choons wrote: »

I don't have the statistics but new driver insurance premiums are higher because they are more likely to be caught in an accident. Food for thought anyway!

While that's true I'd assume 30+ first time drivers would be statistically less likely to be in accidents than those <30.

Maybe it's the old "I'm a good driver I'll never crash" delusion though. Wouldn't hurt to take a bit of time before upping the ante in terms of costs of a mishap anyway I guess.

Avatar MIA

That's around the time my wife got her first car. She learned to drive in an A6 though :pac: and is very careful and never put a scratch on her new car.

theteal

It's not accidents as such I'd be concerned about (concerned is probably too strong a word tbh), it's the little bumps and scratches that I'd assume most pick up when a novice driver that would put me off starting in a newer car. I'd get something cheap to last a year or two to get proper experience under your belt before upgrading

Lia_lia

I wouldn't dream of it anyway. Then again I can't ever see myself buying a brand new car. Most people I know have damaged their first car in some way. I have a few scuff marks on the front of mine from pulling out of a driveway. Nothing major. It's a 2005 Ford Fiesta so I'm not too bothered. If it was a brand new car I'd be very pissed off!

I'd recommend getting a car that is a few years old (but not too old!) and known to be reliable. Small engine (below 1.4ltr) because of insurance. Small car because they can be easier to park.

headoverheels

I wouldn't advise it until you have a few years driving experience under your belt.

Getting a car a couple of years older is the best option when you first start out.
It won't feel like the end of the world if you happen to bump or scrape it off a few things while your learning about spacial awareness.

I too wasn't fond of my car when I first started out it cost me €1500 and couldn't wait to upgrade but 4 years on I still have it.. passed my test in it first time round and it never gave me an ounce of trouble from the day I got it..
New car doesn't mean reliable.

hullaballoo

Buy a nice used car. They are cheap at the moment and you will get a well-specced BMW for a small enough price relative to buying a brand new car. You will probably have to get something from 2008 or newer in order to get insurance at the start. You will do some silly things like misjudge a parking space etc. for the first while.

Even after driving for years, you can still be liable to do silly things but they are less frequent. If there is a low wall anywhere near a brand new car, they will meet and that is guaranteed.

the_pen_turner

my first vehicle was a new van. its the best way to go. in 3 years it only cost me 8 euro extra for a set of bulbs.

goz83

My first car was a 2 year old Astra. Loved it. Felt like the dogs bollix driving it, because everyone else who had a first car had a cheap banger. If I were to do it again, I would have got an older car. Every little scratch and nick of the kerb was painful. I wouldn't have minded if the car was 5+ years old.

Nesser

Get an older car first. You won't mind so much the bumps and scrapes that result from inexperience. In a year or two when you are more comfortable driving buy something new.

Vic_08

Voodoomelon wrote: »

As long as its not a large vehicle and is a similar size to what you learnt to drive in, I see no reason why not. I don't recall bouncing off kerbs and walls after I passed my test, i'm sure the majority don't either.

Most people would rather see you in a crap car for their own reasons, not legitimate ones.

Second hand =/= crap.

The main reasons for not buying a new car is that it is not a good financial decision. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be done but too many people delude themselves that there is a financial upside to buying new with bullsh1t about maintenance costs on older cars, etc. Pay 10k more to save a 1k maintenance bill, not a financially sound decision.

The other thing OP should consider is insurance premiums. Get quotes before buying a car, especially if it is anything bigger than a 1.2l Fiesta sized box, the quotes for even modest family cars for learners/new drivers can be astronomical.

Del2005

Voodoomelon wrote: »

As long as its not a large vehicle and is a similar size to what you learnt to drive in, I see no reason why not. I don't recall bouncing off kerbs and walls after I passed my test, i'm sure the majority don't either.

Most people would rather see you in a crap car for their own reasons, not legitimate ones.

Worse thing I did was learn to drive in a Mini. There was never any need to worry how you got into a parking space as it was always between the lines, took me a while to get used to having to pay attention when I moved to bigger cars.

The attention of the driver is what causes damage to cars not the size of the car. Plenty of people who have passed their test years ago have cars full of dings and dents while there's a similar amount of people who have only passed their test and never clipped a curb.

The only potential issue I could see with a brand new car starting out is the insurance premium, if that is affordable then go for it. You're as likely to get a damaged by another vehicle in a car park as self induced, it'll be the same reaction in a new car regardless of the cause.

Del2005

Vic_08 wrote: »

The main reasons for not buying a new car is that it is not a good financial decision. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be done but too many people delude themselves that there is a financial upside to buying new with bullsh1t about maintenance costs on older cars, etc. Pay 10k more to save a 1k maintenance bill, not a financially sound decision.

If someone doesn't take the hit on new cars there won't be any value buying 2nd hand. If a person can afford it then let them spend their money as they please and they can use any excuse they want to justify it. There's thousands of people who bought completely unsuitable new cars to save a few Euro on motor tax.

Zurbaran

Really does depend on how much disposable income you have. If you can afford a new one though and it's in anyway taxing on your lifestyle I would advise against. In that situation get the car you want but 3/4 years old. That way you will pay around the same over the first 3/4 years as new car (pcp) but after that the car is yours with no balloon payment.

Or you could buy something from 8/9 years ago that is better than a new yoke for cheaper and and keep it for a few years and then get scrappage on it against a new car.

If you do have an income that won't affect your lifestyle in anyway get the new car. Either way they are all good options as far as I'm concerned.

Vic_08

Del2005 wrote: »

If someone doesn't take the hit on new cars there won't be any value buying 2nd hand. If a person can afford it then let them spend their money as they please and they can use any excuse they want to justify it. There's thousands of people who bought completely unsuitable new cars to save a few Euro on motor tax.

He asked for advice, I gave mine.

I am happy to take advantage of someone else taking the depreciation hit for whatever reason they like but if they ask I wouldn't advise someone that it is a sound financial decision when it is not.

Nuw

If you can afford it, why not? There are deals out there that would make sense on a monthly budget (even though, don't be fooled, you are paying more than for a used one) which makes it manageable (PCP). It also offer the piece of mind of having warranty and everything...

If I was in a position to buy new, and in the situation of a first car, I'd probably go for something like a dacia sandero, or similar, they're budget cars, not really comfy nor desirable, but in fairness, if you are to come to sell it it's the type over which you'll loose less money. You might even go for a Nissan (a note is a fine first car) and manage to get free insurance on it for a couple of years (depends on terms and conditions, check with a dealer if they'd accept a new driver though, not at all sure they would).

If they do, and because as a first timer your main budget would be eaten by insurance cost, it would make total sense to me.

Anyway, just my 2p.

Eric Cartman

Nuw wrote: »

If you can afford it, why not? There are deals out there that would make sense on a monthly budget (even though, don't be fooled, you are paying more than for a used one) which makes it manageable (PCP). It also offer the piece of mind of having warranty and everything...

If I was in a position to buy new, and in the situation of a first car, I'd probably go for something like a dacia sandero, or similar, they're budget cars, not really comfy nor desirable, but in fairness, if you are to come to sell it it's the type over which you'll loose less money. You might even go for a Nissan (a note is a fine first car) and manage to get free insurance on it for a couple of years (depends on terms and conditions, check with a dealer if they'd accept a new driver though, not at all sure they would).

If they do, and because as a first timer your main budget would be eaten by insurance cost, it would make total sense to me.

Anyway, just my 2p.

If you're going to sign your life to a pcp deal, please pick something nicer than a dacia sandero.

The one thing worse than owning a dacia sandero is paying every month to drive one you don't own.

It wasn't my first car (as in I didn't own it) but I did my test in and drove my mothers brand new car for my first year or so of driving on the road. Never put a scratch on it. That being said I could drive long before I was legally allowed to do so on the road so I wasn't learning in it.

r3nu4l

I'd wait, for all of the reasons above and also because as you get more used to driving, you'll find your own style of driving and that's the time to buy a new car. What suits you now as a novice may not suit you in a couple of years time.