Buying your first car

After passing your driving test, the overwhelming feeling of relief usually gives way to a feeling of excitement - soon you'll be able to get behind the wheel whenever you want, and go wherever you please. But there's just one thing standing in your way: you don't have a car. So you decide to get one. Simple enough. However, buying your first car is a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly, and, as a significant investment, can often trip up those who haven't done their homework first. Here's what you need to consider before buying your very first set of wheels.

Budget

For most people buying their first car, this is the biggest factor that affects the vehicle they eventually opt for. Make sure you take into consideration all car finance costs, not just the price of the car. These include:

• Car insurance;
• Road tax;
• fuel & maintenance.

However, if you're buying an older car, then reliability will be key. After all you don’t want to put all your hard earned cash into something that just keep breaking down & costing you money to get it back on the road.

Insurance

Insurance plays such a big part in the purchase of a car that it deserves its own section. This will be your biggest outlay once you've paid for your car. Recent research by AA found the average cheapest premium for comprehensive cover stands at £1,034 a year in the UK. However insurance for young drivers can be many times that amount. Think about what kind of insurance you need. Types include:

• third-party - this type of insurance is the legal minimum requirement for driving in the UK, covering you if damage a vehicle, property or a person;
• third-party fire and theft - this covers you for the above, as well as if your car is damaged by fire or stolen;
• fully comprehensive - this covers you for all of the above, but usually also includes insurance for accidental damage, equipment (such as sat navs) damaged or stolen from within the car and insurance to drive other vehicles.

Bear in mind that many factors affect the cost of your specific insurance premium, including but not limited to:

• your age;
• your location;
• your driving experience;
• gender;
• vehicle type;
• vehicle colour;
• occupation.

It’s worth looking for policies that are tailored to new drivers. As long as you can work within the limitations they set they can often save you large amounts on money.

Make and model

Without doubt one of the most important things to consider is what exactly you're planning on using your car for. Is it a simple A-B motor you're after? If so, you might want to think about getting a small car with a small engine. Or are you going to need it for regular long journeys? If that's the case, you could buy with a car with a good fuel economy and a slightly larger engine, especially if you’re wanting to use it on motorways. Are you going to be loading up with shopping, sports equipment or other bulky items? A big boot should be near the top of your priorities. Do you need to accommodate a family? Look at models that are going to keep the kids comfortable. Researching the market and finding out the pros and cons of cars that are within your budget is essential if you want to make the right purchase. Similar cars can often have very different insurance groups, which could cost you large amounts of money. Also the cost of fuel is a large concern for driver’s today, so ensure your happy you can afford to run your new pride and joy.

Inspections and documents

Once you have narrowed down your choices and found a few cars that fit into your budget, you need to go and check them out before making a firm decision and parting with your hard-earned cash. There is a great deal to look out for at this stage, and for some people it can be overwhelming. Taking a friend or member of the family who knows a thing or two about cars is a good tip, and will help you make sure the price is right. Just some of the important things you need to inspect are:

• bodywork;
• mileage;
• tyres;
• under the bonnet;
• handbook;
• V5C registration document;
• MOT certificates;
• service history.

And don't forget - take it for a test drive to make sure that you're comfortable behind the wheel, that it drives well. If it’s your first time out buying a car then here’s a jargon buster to help you understand some of the information that’ll be presented to you;

Jargon buster

• 4WD - Four-wheel drive
• AC – Air Conditioning
• PAS – Power Steering
• FSH - Full service history
• ABS – Anti-lock braking system. A braking system that prevents the wheels from locking up under hard braking. It will take the vehicle longer to come to a halt but you maintain control of the steering.
• TCS/ESP - A system that helps stop wheels spinning faster than they should by automatically braking or reducing power from the engine or cutting off fuel injection
• MPG - Miles per gallon (fuel)
• BHP - Brake horse power. A basic measure of the power of the engine
• CO2 - The chemical symbol for carbon dioxide, emissions of which are measured in grams per kilometre (g/km)
• MoT Test – Government standard test to ensure a vehicles road worthiness. Only for vehicles over 3 years old & due annually from that point.
• Oversteer - When the car turns and its tyres lose grip, causing it to feel as if it is about to spin around
• Understeer - When the car does not turn enough for the corner