See all Motoring AdviceBuying your first car is a big moment in a person’s life and one that comes with the promise of independence, excitement and impromptu road trips. One of the major downsides to car ownership, however, is the sheer expense of motoring. Car owners need to set aside money for tax, insurance, fuel and repairs, and younger, less-experienced drivers are almost always the hardest hit with sky-high insurance costs.
When buying your first car, it’s important to choose wisely as, while you may want to reduce your expenses to a minimum, you’ll also want a car that doesn’t leave you stranded at the side of the road on that spur-of-the-moment trip to Doolin.
Here are a few top tips to help when choosing your first car.
Choose the right type of car
In the majority of cases, those buying their first car don’t need something massively spacious or powerful. One type of car that usually fits the bill for first-time car owners is a supermini (think Volkswagen Polo or Ford Fiesta, for example). In addition to the fact that superminis are still adequately spacious and peppy for most, their smaller size makes them easier to drive and park for less-experienced drivers. Their engines, too, are smaller (usually between 1.0- and 1.3-litre) making them cheaper to fuel, tax, insure and repair.
Choose the right age of car
New drivers are in a double-bind. On one hand, newer cars are more expensive than older ones; on the other, a car that is more than five or ten years old can be far more expensive to insure, if you can find an insurance company that’s even willing to provide a quote. Before you decide on older versus newer, do the maths to figure out which will leave you financially better off. Recent global events have hugely driven up the cost of used cars, so even much older models that may have been worth no more than €500 a couple of years ago are now selling for €1,000-€1,500 — it’s worth bearing that in mind when you’re making your calculations.
Because cars from 2008 onwards are taxed according to their emissions rather than engine size, motor tax tends to be higher on pre-2008 models too.
Buy second-hand
While you can definitely buy a reliable second-hand car for €1,000 or less, you may decide to go for something newer, maybe because you fancy the extra gadgets, the improved safety features, the style, reduced emissions or the potentially lower insurance costs. In either case, buying used is the best option financially as this reduces both the upfront and/or monthly payments as well as not giving the buyer the same depreciation headache as those buying brand new.
Check the car thoroughly
While buying from a dealer may offer more legal protection and the possibility of finance options, buying privately is usually cheaper. Again, the choice is one that a buyer needs to make based on their own circumstances. Whichever you choose, make sure to inspect and check the car thoroughly. Someone buying their first car likely won’t have the same level of experience and knowledge of what to look for compared to a veteran motorist, so, when you’re going to view a car it’s worth bringing along a mechanic or an experienced friend or family member to provide a second pair of eyes. Take the car for a test drive to see whether it feels and sounds right. How does it drive? Are there any weird vibrations under cornering or braking? Are you comfortable behind the wheel?
Find a good mechanic
Ask car-owning friends and family members for recommendations as regards mechanics and car servicing. While many people bring their car to a main dealer for servicing or repairs, this is usually far from the cheapest option. Try to find a good independent mechanic locally as their rates are usually lower and, in most cases, they’re happy to use cheaper non-OEM parts when carrying out repairs.
Check your local scrapyard
Whether you’ve broken a headlight, or your electric window motor has packed in, buying brand new parts can be expensive for those on a tight budget, as many first-time car owners usually are. Rather than shelling out for a new unit, check any scrapyards locally as breakers will sell you a used and fully-working part for much less than you’d pay elsewhere. It’s more environmentally friendly too.
Learn to look after your car
No, you don’t need to be able to change your own oil or replace a head gasket unless you particularly want to. What you really should be able to do, however, is a few basic jobs to help keep your car in the best condition. Learn how to check your oil and fluid levels. Be sure that you know how to check your tyre pressures and tread depth. Know how to change a wheel in the event of a puncture. These won’t just help you to nip any potential problems in the bud and reduce the chances of a breakdown, they’re also vitally important for safety reasons. It’s essential to ensure that your car is in good, roadworthy condition as things such as bald tyres and burnt-out bulbs are both NCT failures, road traffic offences and potentially deadly risks.
Drive carefully
The last thing anyone wants to do is wreck their pride and joy and the best way to keep you and your new car safe is to drive in as careful and risk-free way as possible. Careless driving, using a phone behind the wheel or driving under the influence of drink or drugs are all serious road traffic offences and, if you’re caught by the Gardaí or involved in an accident because of any of these things, it can, even in the best-case scenario, lead to points on your licence and a hugely inflated insurance premium.