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Original poster

1st car for teen - help steer me thru this journey

56 replies

ServeBacon · 03/01/2022 05:52

See what I did there Wink

Teen DD turns 17 next month and thus so will start her driving lesson journey if we can find an instructor will free slots

And so we will need to look for her first car - where to start? We really havent a clue apart from fairly tight budget for the car itself. Teen DD has saved around £3.5k towards a car and we are happy to help towards insurance - I'm guessing insurance will probably match this in her first year? Am I right ? Currently guessing wildly - asking Mumsnetters for their experiences please.

TIA

OP posts:
cauliflowersqueeze · 03/01/2022 05:54

Something like a VW polo? Reliable? Does she have her eye on anything in particular?

cauliflowersqueeze · 03/01/2022 05:58

The Honda jazz and Toyota Yaris also always do incredibly well on Which? reports.

Original poster
ServeBacon · 03/01/2022 05:59

Polo - good call.

She quite fancies a mini at the moment.

Any idea on insurance costs for a 17 year old? It's going to break me, isn't it? - steeling myself .....Grin

OP posts:
cauliflowersqueeze · 03/01/2022 06:09

She’s a girl which will make it lower.
Make sure the engine isn’t massive - that will help. Some insurers will have a black box that monitors their driving and that works out cheaper as well. I know at one point it was a lot cheaper having yourself as the main driver and the teen as an additional - not sure if that’s still the case. There are also some companies which just insure female drivers (I’m thinking Sheila’s Wheels).
Exciting!!

mjf981 · 03/01/2022 06:21

@cauliflowersqueeze

The Honda jazz and Toyota Yaris also always do incredibly well on Which? reports.
This is your answer. Can't go wrong with either of these choices.
BarbaraofSeville · 03/01/2022 06:56

Use the registration numbers of cars for sale to look up the insurance groups to compare.

Insurance is no longer cheaper for women than men, also only put yourself as the main driver if you genuinely are, otherwise it's illegal fronting. Perfectly fine and a good idea to put yourself as the second driver though.

Minis are expensive to buy and insure compared with other small cars.

Polo a good idea as good selection of older vehicles, second hand car prices are high at the moment.

Also look at VW Up, Skoda Citigo and Seat Mio, which are all the same car, also there's a tiny Toyota, Citroen and Peugeot, not sure of the names of those but again are all the same. I think the Peugeot is the 107, these 6 are probably the cheapest to insure and fuel.

BarbaraofSeville · 03/01/2022 06:59

Jazz and Yaris probably also a good idea, good reputation for reliability and unattractive to boy racers which makes the insurance cheaper compared to VW Corsa for example.

AuntieJoyce · 03/01/2022 07:00

My DS 17 has a 1.5L petrol engine. The insurance was £2k with a tracker and me as additional driver

His fridnd paid £1.5k in year one then it was £500 cheaper in year two. Smaller engine but not sure by how much

CuriousMariette · 03/01/2022 07:27

I’d second putting yourself or DD Dad if an option on there as a second driver. It lowered my DS premiums. I’ve read it shows you have an active interest in their lives which hopefully makes them make more sensible driving choices. I’ve no experience of black boxes but a friend had their one for their DS and it registered poor driving and upped his premium mid term so I’d read the terms of those. Best wishes for your DD and her driving

hellsbells99 · 03/01/2022 08:15

We found Admiral to be the cheapest insurance. Popular first cars also are the Aygo and Corsa.

MrsDThomas · 03/01/2022 08:18

My 17 yr old has a 1.2 fiesta (10 years old). Insurance is £1100 without a blackbox.

Other DD who is 19 has a 1.2 corsa. (10 years old) and insurance is £890 without a black box

whereshalligo · 03/01/2022 08:20

My son had a seat Ibiza which he liked. First policy once passed was with admiral. It was for 10 months but then gave him one years no claim if he stayed with Admiral and no black box. We then moved all our cars onto a multi car policy all named drivers for his car.

Qwertykeys · 03/01/2022 08:22

Learners insurance is reasonable, £300 for a 08plate 107 , once they pass you are looking at £1000+. Don’t go for a big engine or any modifications.

autumnboys · 03/01/2022 08:22

We have a Citroen C1 after a lot of research. Do have a look at the insurance band of the car. It is my car, and cost me about £140 when there was only me driving it. It cost about £800 for me and him, with a black box. It is my car, which he uses when it is free, we talked to several insurance companies to make sure we were doing it the right way round.

Snowiscold · 03/01/2022 08:25

In my experience, it’s quite rare to start driving lessons at 17 these days, and parents don’t get involved in getting a car. Perhaps it depends where you live. My DC started to learn after finishing university but still don’t have a car. For insurance, I’m sure that it no longer matters that she is a girl. All that has happened is girls’ insurance has been raised to match that of boys’.

Parky04 · 03/01/2022 08:26

One DC has a VW Up and the other one has a Toyota Aygo. Insurance was around £700, both parents as named drivers and no black box. Tax around £10 per year.

Lollipop999 · 03/01/2022 08:29

@Parky04

One DC has a VW Up and the other one has a Toyota Aygo. Insurance was around £700, both parents as named drivers and no black box. Tax around £10 per year.
We are looking at these too and also Peugeot 108.

Would you say the up or the aygo are easier to drive? Or are there any other pros and cons?

Snowiscold · 03/01/2022 08:33

Insurance costs aren’t just down to age; they depend on the car, postcode, whether you have off-street parking, a garage, crime statistics, etc.

alrightfella · 03/01/2022 08:45

@Snowiscold Round here everyone starts driving at 17. Loads of kids have a lesson on their 17th birthday after school!

littleowls83 · 03/01/2022 08:47

A 17 year old who can't drive doesn't need a car, unless you only have very expensive or unusual cars in your house and you want her to be able to take her out? I wouldn't buy a car for that either until you have tried taking her driving as it may or may not work out. She doesn't need a car until after she has passed her test and even then it may not be practical - if she is going to uni for example most don't have any parking for students so it would sit unused at home or she would have to pay for private long term parking. I think you are considering this about a year too early.

Kjr33 · 03/01/2022 09:01

I spent £800 on a polo and it’s plenty good enough to get him through learning/passing and hopefully a couple of years of driving, that seems to be fairly standard around here. Make sure the engine is 1.2 or less. The insurance is the same huge expense for girls or boys now. I counted everything up and I think you can get them on the road for under 3k if you try so mine has been told it’s his choice of this or pocket money and big presents over the next couple of years he chose driving without hesitation. It’s really important to some kids.

sofakingcool · 03/01/2022 09:02

DS drives a Corsa (1.4 engine I think)

Insurance band 8 - costs about £850 a year I think - Admiral

We worked our way through autotrader, found cars he liked the look of, then put the number plate into an insurance checker online.

Most of his friends have aygo, Up, i10, polo , Skoda Fabia and Corsas

MrsDThomas · 03/01/2022 09:03

@littleowls83 i disagree here. They can easily learn to drive with their own car too. The more they drive with you as a parent the less lessons they need.

sixtiesbaby88 · 03/01/2022 09:03

Skoda Fabia. Very reliable and highly rated. Cheap insurance

sofakingcool · 03/01/2022 09:04

[quote MrsDThomas]@littleowls83 i disagree here. They can easily learn to drive with their own car too. The more they drive with you as a parent the less lessons they need.[/quote]
Definitely agree - DS passed after 22 hours of lessons, his confidence helped, but his instructor said the biggest factor was the extra driving we did with him.