Choosing your First Car

There are many different choices available on the market to you when choosing your first car. So many that it becomes incredibly difficult to even decide. In this blog, we’ll give you tips on finding the perfect car, and help you narrow down on the factors that matter the most to you.

Choosing your First Car – Price

The most important factor to a majority of people would the cost. The price of cars can range astoundingly from as cheap as a few hundred pounds to £100,000+. The main difference being used cars vs a brand new car. Cars straight from a showroom tend to lose value as soon as they leave. They are typically valued at around 40% of their original value after 3 years. By buying a used car, you’re letting someone else take that finical hit and offering the best value when you buy it a few years old.

Choosing your First Car – Buying New

There are many benefits to buying a new car. For example, the assurance of the manufacturer’s warranty means that the cost of any faults which arise in the first few years are often completely covered. This can potentially save you £1000s. Furthermore, some car manufacturers will offer incentives to buy a new car, such as paying for your first year of insurance. For newly qualified drivers, this can be a massive deal.  Insurance costs can be sky high, often at a minimum of £2500 for a young driver. However, there can have a few catches. The main one being you must have been a qualified driver for over a year. Therefore this could be out of the question if you’ve just recently passed your driving test.

Many people see buying a new car to be out of their reach, simply because of the high cost associated with them. On the contrary, car dealers often offer monthly low-cost payments.  This allows you to slowly pay off the balance of the car. After an initial deposit, the monthly cost of some cars can be as low as £100, making it a relatively affordable option.

Choosing your First Car – Fuel Type

Another factor that often influences people is the fuel. There is a choice between petrol, diesel, electric, or hybrid. All of these options are perfectly valid, but each has their advantages and disadvantages

Petrol is much cheaper than diesel and has fewer emissions, making it a more environmentally friendly option. Electric cars have relatively technology but incur no fuel costs.

They can be charged up in your home for far cheaper than ordinary fuel. However, travelling long distances could require extra planning to ensure there are electric charging points along the way. Furthermore, charging an electric vehicle often takes more time in comparison to fueling up a regular car. They are also more expensive, sometimes up to £2000 to £4000 more than it’s petrol counterpart.

Choosing your First Car – Engine Size

The best of both worlds would be a hybrid vehicle, which uses both fuel and electric. Allowing you to save money on petrol costs whilst also being prepared for long journeys without too much stress.

It may seem tempting to assume larger engine sizes are better.  However, a large engine size has its downfalls. The first of which is fuel consumption, as a larger engine size will have a lower mile per gallon. It will cost significantly more in the long term. Insurance companies also tend to charge a great deal more for a car with higher engine size, as there is a greater risk of collision. This risk is increased dramatically within the 17-21 age group, therefore if you fall into this category, it may not be wise to buy a car with a 2L engine.

Choosing your First Car – Manual or Automatic

Should you get an automatic car or a manual car? If you have passed your practical test in an automatic, you are only allowed to drive automatic cars. However, if you have a manual licence, you are entitled to drive both. Automatic cars are much easier to drive, especially in the city. No hassle of changing gears. However, automatic cars use more fuel than manual cars, cost about 10% more and are more expensive to repair.

Choosing your First Car – Breakdown Service

An additional thing to consider would also be buying roadside assistance, such as the AA or RAC. This greatly depends on whether you’re buying a used or new car. If used, the chance of breaking down whilst on a journey is far greater. Furthermore, many roadside assistance companies offer discounts to first-time joiners, meaning it’s relatively inexpensive to buy one of these policies. With a brand new car, it may not be needed. However, it is often thrown in the deal as a freebie. Modern cars have a vast system of electronics and computers which could fail, leading to the same predicament as a mechanical part failing on a journey.

In conclusion, there’s a vast number of factors to consider when buying your first car. The main factor being the price. However, you should also keep in mind things such as; insurance, engine size, fuel and new vs used. Sufficient research should be done before deciding on a new car to ensure that its perfect for you.

Taking your Driving Test

If you already have access to a car, you may choose to take this to the driving test. However, if you decide to rent a car for your practical test, it must be fitted with dual controls. DTC Driving Test Car Hire can arrange an automatic or a manual for you to take your driving test in. All our cars come with a qualified driving instructor who will provide you with some great last minute tips.  You can hire one of our cars along with a qualified driving instructor, at only 48 hours notice. You can see the Rules for using your own car for the driving test at https://www.gov.uk/driving-test/using-your-own-car