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Original poster

Best car for new teenage driver.

53 replies

mumtimestwo · 15/08/2023 08:42

I’ve been kindly given £5000 to buy a car for my DS who just passed their test by a relative. (They are insistent it’s for a car as they never had one. Money also has been set aside for uni hopefully next year)
Anyone got any recommendations. The money would also have to cover some insurers costs so I think am looking for a car around the 4k mark.
we live relatively rurally, although flat and I imagine he will go in a car sharing group with others to college so looking for one that will fit 4/5 tall boys and has a bit of power.

I had originally thought a fiesta but read here about the problems with a wet cam belt (every day you learn something new!)

his sister suggested a fiat 500- I think because she likes the look of it - but I don’t think that seats 5 although it seems you get a newer car for your money.

would it generally be better to prioritise lower mileage or newer car?

many thanks.

OP posts:
Badbadbunny · 15/08/2023 17:29

Given the price range, presumably you're looking at something like a 10 year old car, if not older. I'd throw my hat in with a Citroen C3. My son has a 15 year old one, can fit in 5 21 year olds when it has to. They seem to last the tests of time very well indeed. Lots of C3s around in the 10/15/20 year old range, many of them still look good!

nicky2512 · 15/08/2023 17:30

Ds (17) has a VW Polo 1.4. Think it’s 2017 or 2018. Insurance with black box was about 1800 with both parents as named drivers.

Delphigirl · 15/08/2023 17:34

Oddly enough insurance costs are high for the sort of cars you expect first drivers to drive (Corsas, Ibizas, polos) but often less high for cars they are less expected to drive (small Volvos, Audi A1s). And it is almost impossible to predict. I guess ilia is because there are more young crashes in a cross than a Volvo c30. You could get a 2011 c30 for 4700 easily. So spend an afternoon with auto trader and an insurance website plugging in some options and see what deals you can find.

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Original poster
mumtimestwo · 15/08/2023 17:56

He’ll be cross with me. He did pass last Friday. I am so used to saying when you pass…

Theres lots of cars suggested that I have never thought of so I guess a spreadsheet is in order with car cost , insurance costs, and potential car issues. Mileage. Age. Etc

OP posts:
HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 15/08/2023 17:58

We got dd a skoda fabia. Economic, safe, reliable and insurance is ok.

EnthENd · 15/08/2023 19:40

Be careful with doing too many what-if quotes, the insurance company computer systems sometimes detect it as potential fraud and refuse to give further quotes. It's more of a problem for stuff like job title or claims and convictions history, but I would still be careful. There have even been a few cases of the insurer cancelling a policy after it was taken out.

Small hatchbacks may not be the lowest insurance any more. Because so many young new drivers get them, they're statistically a higher risk. (I also wonder if people with a "nicer" car are less likely to crash it.) So don't dismiss saloons and estates.

Brand-wise most Japanese makes along with Ford are best for reliability. French and Italian are breakdown-prone and German luxury are expensive to fix. (All just a rule of thumb mind you). Age-wise I'd rather not go earlier than late 2000s, because the crash safety really falls off with early 2000s stuff. Also I'd try not to get something that's liable for Clean Air Zone charges, even if your area doesn't have one yet.

Rainbowshit · 15/08/2023 19:52

Anything boy racers like attract high insurance costs. Needs to be something boring.

Jackydaytona · 15/08/2023 19:54

For £5k you'll be looking at a 6/8 year old car (such is the used car situation in the UK atm)
Try and get one with the least mileage you can
Ds1 has a vauxhall viva, which is 1 litre and has a limiter and city drive option
Bluetooth and ac
Insurance will be high, so go for a 1 litre
Try marmalade for young driver insurance

whathappenedtosummer23 · 16/08/2023 09:33

Jackydaytona · 15/08/2023 19:54

For £5k you'll be looking at a 6/8 year old car (such is the used car situation in the UK atm)
Try and get one with the least mileage you can
Ds1 has a vauxhall viva, which is 1 litre and has a limiter and city drive option
Bluetooth and ac
Insurance will be high, so go for a 1 litre
Try marmalade for young driver insurance

I think you’re looking closer to 8-10 years. A car we bought for £3.5k nearly 4 years ago is now worth £5k and is now 10 years old

TheNinthLock · 16/08/2023 10:00

Last year ago we bought dd a ten year old VW Up which only had 42,000 genuine miles on the clock for £5000
Lowest possible insurance group (01E)
It is proving itself to be the most reliable little run about ever. We all love it!
DS and I are very tall and we fit without issues.

Original poster
mumtimestwo · 16/08/2023 16:50

I have another question sorry. I hadn’t realised that you can only get no claims on one car at a time. I have a huge old volvo which is useful for transporting large things, but not so good for nipping to the shops for a pint of milk. I was going to put this new car in my name with my son as named driver as we will both be driving it pretty equally I would imagine. But I have just read that you can’t have no claims bonus on more than one car. Does that mean my 30+ years of driving won’t be counted when I insure this car. Lots of people I know have more than one car.

OP posts:
slithytoveisascientist · 16/08/2023 20:21

Would you consider an automatic? As not many new drivers get them the insurance can be much lower as fewer crash stats

EnthENd · 17/08/2023 13:44

I was going to put this new car in my name with my son as named driver as we will both be driving it pretty equally I would imagine.

There is a very good chance the insurer will deem this to be 'fronting', which is insurance fraud. At the very least the insurer isn't stupid and will probably whack the premium up for having the young named driver anyway.

NCD is for one car only, but years you've held your license and not had incidents will still be considered in quotes.

Original poster
mumtimestwo · 17/08/2023 14:29

EnthENd · 17/08/2023 13:44

I was going to put this new car in my name with my son as named driver as we will both be driving it pretty equally I would imagine.

There is a very good chance the insurer will deem this to be 'fronting', which is insurance fraud. At the very least the insurer isn't stupid and will probably whack the premium up for having the young named driver anyway.

NCD is for one car only, but years you've held your license and not had incidents will still be considered in quotes.

I genuinely will be using the car at least as much as my son. I have a huge 30 year old Volvo estate who is is on its last legs but is usual for dropping off the odd commission

OP posts:
FawnFrenchieMum · 17/08/2023 14:42

mumtimestwo · 17/08/2023 14:29

I genuinely will be using the car at least as much as my son. I have a huge 30 year old Volvo estate who is is on its last legs but is usual for dropping off the odd commission

Show quote history

You can definitely only use your no claims on one policy. Would it be worth swapping the Volvo to third party insurance and using your no claims on the new car.

Original poster
mumtimestwo · 17/08/2023 14:46

Yes I think it’s worth considering that

OP posts:
Favouritefruits · 17/08/2023 14:49

I’d be getting them a Dacia Sandaro, cheap to run, small engine, cheap parts and very cheap to insure, it’s not just about the best car now it’s about the future too!

PastTheGin · 17/08/2023 15:01

Whatever car you settle on, I would always go with the highest possible Euro NCAP safety rating, so Dacias would definitely be out.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 17/08/2023 18:37

slithytoveisascientist · 16/08/2023 20:21

Would you consider an automatic? As not many new drivers get them the insurance can be much lower as fewer crash stats

I’m not sure about this. Dd has an automatic and it seemed to make the quotes more expensive. Someone said it’s because so many old people have them and they have accidents. This was 5 years ago, hopefully as they’re becoming more popular this might change.

ChocoChocoLatte · 19/10/2023 21:47

Both DDs had VW Polo for their first cars.. 1.2 engines and big enough for 4 definitely. I'd never encourage them to have 5 in the car. Too much chatter and distraction.

Insurance with admiral and their little box, putting me and DH on as named drivers.

DD2 was supposed to sit her test today but it's been cancelled and the next one isn't till Dec............

matthewstirling · 20/10/2023 00:52

We've got a Skoda citigo that we take our learners in and the grown ups both use too. It's exactly the same as the Up but cheaper. Was cheaper to insure than an Up when we were doing our research too. V reliable, v cheap to run. All good.

justjuggling · 20/10/2023 02:30

My 18 year old has a Toyota aygo. It had low mileage, was under £5k and the insurance is under £1600 PA. Perfect first car!

Coyoacan · 20/10/2023 02:39

I don't hang out with young men anymore but when I younger I noticed that they took unnecessary risks when driving and only seem to realise that they aren't demigods around the age of 25

WombatChocolate · 12/02/2024 16:00

I think a mistake people make is buying a car before checking the insurance group, or only looking at insurance costs for learners and not new drivers which are more expensive.

Group 1-3 and ideally Group 1 will be cheapest. These are 1 litre engines with low HP. All the typical ones are mentioned like VW UP, Aygo, Skoda Citigo. Some of the other popular new driver cars like Corsa, Fiesta are higher insurance groups. It can make a massive difference in price.

A couple of other things that can reduce price of insurance is not looking to insure for the next day on the day they pass their test. Even insuring them 1 month after they’ve passed is cheaper, as is getting quotes for insurance due to start 3 weeks plus into the future instead of next day. This can be several hundred difference.

Don’t just look to continue insuring with the firm you had learner insurance with. Those who are cheap for that are often expensive for new drivers. Use comparison websites to see. Add an experienced driver as a named driver too. Or alternatively consider selling a family car which has the main driver who is a parent and replacing with one of the cars above, if they are happy to drive a little car and the new driver will be only an occasional driver (often the case if about to go to uni) - lots of families have 2 big cars and the new driver car will be a 3rd. Some could manage with one big family car and one little runabout and the teenager doesn’t need their own. But every family needs different stuff.

StiggyZardust · 12/02/2024 16:03

Another vote for Skoda Fabias. DS has one, insurance was around £1000 when he first passed his test. It's been reliable and cheap to maintain.