Please could someone help me with chosing and buying a car...

[Fredathetortoise]

... because I am completely clueless.

I'm in my 40s, no DCs, live in greater London, have never owned a car (althought I've had a licence since I was 19).

I hire cars several times a year for work, holidays etc, and with changes in my work (takes me away from home quite a lot, often for weeks), I think I need to buy a car. But I have no idea what to chose, how to buy, etc. Is there a website for complete car-ignoramuses?

I don't want to get a very small car as I do quite a bit of motorway driving, which I've found difficult and scarey in hired cars such as a Toyota Aygo which felt very flimsy and had limited acceleration power. But equally, I don't need a people-carrier or land-rover. But something with a good bit of boot space is necessary for work.

I'm reluctant to go for a brand new car, due to the 'lose 1/4 of the value when you drive it off the forecourt' thing, but is that really true? Is it better value to buy a new car on finance, with one of those packages that has maintenance and insurance thrown in? Can you get that kind of package with a 1-2 year old car?

Should mention, since I've never owned a car, I have no no-claims bonus so my insurance is likely to be very high for a few years, which will probably influence the type/size of car I buy. I've tried a couple of online insurance calculators, for a hypothetical car, and the estimates vary so wildly, from £400ish to £1500ish!!!

Thank you for any advice

We usually buy 3 year old cars for around 6k and run them for as long as we can. We tend to pay upfront so I can't help with finance. Look on auto trader to get an idea of models in your price range, then go to a few big car supermarkets and be sure to haggle.

Have you thought about car clubs (depending on how often you need the car) or leasing (if you like the idea of everything included and changing your car from time to time)?

I would personally second the PP about paying upfront. I like that this means you own the car and aren’t tied in to anything. That’s just personal opinion.

I have a 2014 Audi A3 which is brilliant because it is a great motorway cruiser, has decent boot space & has good acceleration power (I have the lowest 1.6 TDI and it is still quick - plus £0 road tax). They are popular too so I can’t imagine they’d be expensive for you to insure.

Other cars I have driven that I liked that may fit your bill are Kia Niro, VW Golf & Honda Civic. Again this is all personal opinion but good luck on your search OP.

I'm trying to decide on a new/newish car, am test driving a mazda 2 and a mazda 3 tomorrow. Will then have to work through the finances to see which makes sense as to buying or leasing.

If you pick a car with a low insurance group, that will make insurance much cheaper. I was a company car driver for a lot of years, so didn't have any no claims, but got insurance for my Skoda Citigo for £250 (but obviously might be smaller than you want)

www.theaa.com/car-insurance/advice/car-insurance-groups

Insurance can be cheaper if you add a second driver with a good record, even if they rarely drive the car. If you don't have a partner, it could equally be a sibling, parent, cousin, friend etc, because you might want to share driving when you go on days out together, right?

If you're not looking for a new car, check the tax band, because I think between about 2010 and 2017 many effcient cars were £0-30 pa tax, so a good saving over newer or less efficient cars, which are £140+.

The Skoda dealer I used does finance on used cars, but sometimes you can get such big discounts on new or nearly new cars with better finance, no MOT and longer warranty, that the extra cost isn't that great. And if you plan to keep the car for a very long time (more than about 5 years) the initial depreciation isn't that significant.

Maybe something like a Skoda Fabia, Honda Jazz, type size will suit you?

I read an article comparing the cheapest ways of owning a car and a straight cash purchase came out the best over loan or hire.
For sheer reliability, how about a Toyota or Honda, say the Auris or Civic? I've driven a Civic 1.8 litre which is great in town but also long legged enough for the motorway.
Do check insurance and tax costs too.

Vw jetta. It's like a larger version if the polo, very good boot space get it automatic. It's fucking awesome! Good workhorse car :)

Oh i got mine on buacar.com easy

Thank you for the advice. The insurance groups list is very interesting, @BarbaraofSevillle, thank you for that. Also, you mentioned cars with no MOT - are some cars exempt from MOT?

For those who have bought from a dealership, especially used cars, can you turn up and ask to test-drive 2 or 3 different cars? I have shorter-than-average legs and quite often seem to have problems with the relative location of the clutch and the streering wheel, so would need to take a car out on the road to identify any problems.

Also, are dealerships still stuck in the, "Come back with your husband" women can't buy cars, mode?

Cars don't need an MOT until they are 3 YO so a small saving if you get a new or nearly new one.

@Mewe was about to recommend my Audi, but looks like you have the exact same!
OP, before my A3, I had an Audi A4, 11 plate, was sad when I wrote it off, Audi’s are amazing!

can you turn up and ask to test-drive 2 or 3 different cars? I have shorter-than-average legs

Absolutely, but you may finding sitting in them in the showroom and seeing if you can adjust the seat to suit you might help narrow things down before you test drive. Pick a big showroom with lots of different makes - this usually means second hand ones, but if they are newish models and you want to buy new then later on you can test drive just the ones on your shortlist.

I was once looking for a car which could comfortably take 2 average adults in the back, one with long legs and one with a long back, and spent an afternoon just getting into the back seat of cars. The salesmen must have wondered what on earth I was doing but it helped me eliminate several models that I fancied.

Also, are dealerships still stuck in the, "Come back with your husband" women can't buy cars, mode?

Nope. I just ordered a new car from a dealership this very morn all by myself.