Top tips for choosing your first car

 A Guest Post 

You’ve got your licence, you’re ready to take on the open road, and so all you need now is a car of your own. Now that learners at Bill Plant Driving School can once again take their test (following the coronavirus pandemic), more and more first drivers are passing and looking for their first car. Choosing your first car is a big deal. Cars can be a huge financial commitment, as not only will you have to pay for fuel, you’ll also have to pay for regular MOTs and services, and any additional maintenance that the vehicle may need.

Because of this, you’ll want to find a car that has an economical fuel consumption and is reliable, to save you having to fork out for any unexpected problems that may occur. Of course, this is also an extremely exciting process and we want to help you to get this right, so here are some top tips for choosing your first car.

Do your research and shop around

Fortunately, there are plenty of online resources out there to inform you about the best cars on the market and specifically, the best cars for new drivers. Before you even start shopping around for a car, read some reviews and get some insurance quotes, to find out how much each car is likely to cost to insure, since this can vary depending on a multitude of factors. Once you’ve got an idea of the best cars out there, you can start looking around online to find cars for sale near you.

Since cars depreciate as soon as you drive them away from a dealership, we recommend that you purchase a used car, as you’ll be able to get greater value for money. There are plenty of approved used cars advertised online, so the best practice is to go and view a few different cars to get an idea of what you like and find the best deal, to make your money go further.

Take someone knowledgeable with you to view the car

If you don’t know much about cars, then going to a viewing alone could be an awkward situation, where you walk around the car, prodding at the tyres and looking under the bonnet, pretending you know what you’re looking for, when in reality, you don’t have a clue. Take a family member or friend with you who knows what to look out for when purchasing a car, so that you don’t encounter any unwanted surprises when you drive the car away.

Features to consider

There are a few important features to consider when buying your first car, so it’s important to establish what you want from your vehicle and what you can afford. Do you want a petrol or diesel car? A diesel will achieve more miles per gallon (mpg) meaning that you won’t have to refuel so often, however they are typically more expensive than petrol cars. Do you want an automatic or manual? There are pros and cons to each transmission type, however, you’ll be required to pay extra for an automatic, so consider whether you realistically need one.

Another thing that will affect how economical your car is, is its engine size. The bigger the engine, the more fuel that it will consume. If you’re only wanting a ‘run around’ and the majority of your journeys are pretty short, then you should aim for a smaller engine size, like a one litre Citroen C1 or a Volkswagen UP!. CarExpert provides car reviews that might help you in choosing the best car for you.