Best Cars for First Time Buyers

Having your own car can be one of the greatest feelings in world. You finally have the freedom to go where you want, when you want. However, and you've heard this before, along with that freedom comes some big responsibilities. Like the saying goes, “freedom isn't free.” While that saying comes from a much nobler endeavour, it is also true here.

Not only does a car cost money to buy, they also cost money to maintain. You need money for tax, insurance, MOTs, petrol and maintenance. The average annual fuel cost alone is over £1,500. Hopefully, while thinking about your new car, you have considered these things and worked them into your budget. If you haven’t, now is the time to do it, and make sure that you really can afford a car right now. Depending on the type of car you buy, some of these things will be more important than others.

One thing that all cars need to have is insurance. Car insurance rates are based on a lot of statistics that mainly have to do with your age, the type of car you have and where you live. Logically, the rates for a newer high spec car are going to be higher than they will be for an older car – assuming that you’re not buying a vintage Ferrari. You can help to reduce your premium by parking it in a garage or on a driveway rather than on the road, fitting an alarm and joining an owners’ club.

Unfortunately, young people have the worst safety records when it comes to driving. This means that your insurance is going to cost more than a person who is 30 and buying a car for the first time. With age comes experience, whether it is behind the wheel or not. You can still get good deals on car insurance if you shop around, so try a comparison site which will weigh up the policies of different insurance companies.

It’s a certainty that you have had your eye on certain cars since you were old enough to know you could own one of them one day. But, the fact that you are reading this means that you are open to suggestion and you want to be sure that you make a good investment with your hard-earned money.

Although it can be scary, buying a used car is the better economic move. A new car loses 11% of its value as soon as you drive it off the lot, and that’s a lot of money. It will also cost less to insure. However, follow the advice you’ve heard 100 times and have the car you are considering checked out by a mechanic you trust, especially if you are buying from a private party. The AA has some great advice about what to look out for when buying a used car: http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-buyers-guide/cbg_usedtips.html

But if you want to buy a new car, here are some suggestions. They are all under £5,000, have low running costs and ratings of four or five stars from Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme).

Model	Engine	Price
2002-2008 Ford Fiesta	1.25 petrol	£1,500+
2006 Vauxhall Corsa	1.0 petrol	£3,000+
2003-2009 Citroën C2	1.1 petrol	£1,500+
2006 Toyota Yaris	1.0 petrol	£3,500
2006-2010 Fiat Grande Punto	1.2 petrol	£2,800+

Finding the car you want can be exhausting, but take your time. You've waited a long time for this, so you can wait a bit longer to make sure you make a good decision. Most of all, be safe and have fun driving!