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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

or is DH being daft?

81 replies

LadyDeGrump · 25/06/2015 20:34

DH has his driving test on Saturday. If all goes well, he wants to buy a car on Saturday afternoon. He wants to buy a new car.

He then wants to drive from London to Manchester the following weekend. By himself.

I think that a) a new car is absolutely ridiculous for a new driver and that b) a week after passing his test, even with a motorway lesson in between, it is neither clever nor safe to attempt the London to Manchester drive.

He says it is fine because he is 30 something and not the typical kind of 18 yo boy racer new driver.

If he passes his test, I am seriously thinking of confiscating his passport, licence, debit and credit cards to prevent him from going through with this potentially ruinous plan.

MN Jury am i being unreasonable, neurotic or sensible?

OP posts:
keeptothewhiteline · 25/06/2015 21:52

He may fail his test...........

pictish · 25/06/2015 21:52

Mind you, my wee car isn't brand new...it's a 10 yr old Fiesta, which yes...I have scraped along a wall and ruined the look of, through sheer inexperience.
I don't know if a brand new car is good idea...I'm told most of us have a wee prang or scrape in the first year of driving.
maybe he should start out with a second hand motor like me.

GnomeDePlume · 25/06/2015 21:57

Whatever type of car OH gets the insurance will be cheaper if the OP is the policy holder is she has a no claims bonus. Then the OH can be insured as a named driver.

If DH is the main driver then this is called 'fronting' and insurance companies take a very dim view of it:

"If a driver is found to be fronting they may have all or part of their insurance claim refused by their insurer, their policy may be cancelled and they could face prosecution for fraud, which can lead to a criminal record." ActionFraud

pictish · 25/06/2015 21:59

How can they prove it?

Bakeoffcake · 25/06/2015 22:02

I don't know how they prove it Pictish, but they have whole teams of people working on this kind of thing in the claims depts.

keeptothewhiteline · 25/06/2015 22:03

Unless of course the OP already has an insurance policy on her own car using a no claims bonus.
A no claims bonus can only be used on one policy.

Salene · 25/06/2015 22:07

He will be fine I passed my test at 17 and drive from my home to Glasgow (150miles) 3 days later , no hassles.

FuckingLiability · 25/06/2015 22:14

Christ no, don't insure a car in someone else's name if that person isn't the main driver.

There was a thread on here recently where the OP's car was hit in a car park by a girl driving her dad's car as the main driver. The dad obviously knew it was fronting and tried to tell the OP she wouldn't be able to claim but most people on MN told her this was rubbish. IIRC she made her claim.

My first car was a proper banger so the insurance was cheap and it didn't matter if I scraped a bollard, as new drivers invariably do. If I was the OP's DH, I'd buy a 1.1 shed for a couple of hundred to get used to driving and build up a year or two's NCB, then look at buying a nicer car. But I accept that when you're all excited at passing your test, the thought of driving a battered Fiesta isn't that tempting.

LittleMiss77 · 25/06/2015 22:16

If he wants to buy a new car - let him. Provided its his cash and you arent needed to contribute.

I would say that he needs to do his research first on what would be the best car to get and get some insurance quotes (assuming that this hasnt been done already and depending on whether he is able to get a 1 yr free insurance deal)

And maybe look at leasing rather than buying initiallly - you can get some really good deals if you shop about - 0% finance, free servicing, free insurance - it all helps with the costs.

Personally i wouldnt be too keen on the long motorway journey, but if he is having a motorway lesson and he feels confident enough to make the trip... well, he's going to have to do it at some point. Maybe its better to do it now rather than wait and wait and wait and lose that confidence?

Dont assume that just because he is a new driver he is going to smash the car up in 6 months - not every new driver does this and i doubt he'd be too impressed with your lack of faith in him, especially when passing your test is quite an achievement (in my mind at least!)

keeptothewhiteline · 25/06/2015 22:17

But surely it was up to the policy holder to make the claim? Not the DD.

Memphisbelly · 25/06/2015 22:19

Insurance wise my best friend is 33 and just passed his test, he bought a 10 year old banger for £600 and his insurance for year is £1000.
Also if he is looking at a brand new car you normally have to order them and would probably have to wait a week or 2 for it to arrive unless he isn't fussy on model or colour.

TTWK · 25/06/2015 22:28

The difference in the cost of insurance between a new car and an old car of the same model isn't much. 90% of the premium is to cover the the third party risk, the person he hits and maybe injured. That's where the big claims are, the multi million pound injury claims, and it doesn't effect the third party payout if you hit them in a new or old car. And age/maturity is the main factor. A new driver in their 30s will pay far less that a 20 y/old with 3 yrs experience.

A friend of mine passed in her 40s and went straight out and bought a new Porsche Boxster, and the insurance was about £1300, less than half the price her 19 y/o son was paying for his Vauxhall Corsa and he'd been driving for 2 years! Not bad for a new driver in a £60K car. That was about 3 yrs ago and she hasn't crashed it yet.

morelikeguidelines · 25/06/2015 23:27

Why would he need a passport to go to Manchester?

OwlsEscapade · 25/06/2015 23:28

DS was 22 when he passed his test and it was cheaper to insure him for a new car than an older car. I queried it and was told they were cheaper to repair. His insurance was just over £1000 with reasonable excesses and mileage. Adding my name as another occasional driver would have added a huge amount even though I've never had an accident or made a claim. Again, I queried this as it seemed odd and they said it was to prevent fronting. It seemed strange as my son was the named main driver.

grumpybear68 · 26/06/2015 00:05

If he's going to have a big smash, better have it in a new, big car, than an old small one.
He should clearly go and get a new 5 series BMW.

Postchildrenpregranny · 26/06/2015 00:13

its illegal to do that keep And he wouldnt build up a no claims bonus either

But putting op on is a good idea,assuming she drives

GREYCROW · 26/06/2015 00:21

I passed my test and a week later drove from Monaghan in Ireland to East Sussex via the ferry. In a year old car.

So many years ago and have loved driving since.

homewoes · 26/06/2015 00:46

Wow, people really do use sex as a method of getting people to do what they want...

Gross.

Yellowbird01 · 26/06/2015 00:56

Yabu

Redglitter · 26/06/2015 02:36

If he really wants a brand new car look into pre registered cars. I saved £7500 on the price of my car buying pre reg compared to brand new. It was still the newest plate when I got it and had 15 miles on the clock

Raveismyera · 26/06/2015 02:39

Well to go against the grain within 6 months of passing I had not only seriously scraped the whole side panel of the car (got wedged in a drive) but also had an accident (not exactly my fault as I was shunted from behind by the car 2 down who caused the impact, at the lights. However the reality is I contributed heavily by braking hard too late)
I also caused a vehicle to make an emergency stop on the motorway after cutting him up (that one was total inexperience- bad weather conditions and poor use of mirrors)
Luckily I had a £400 old banger (think the insurance was £300. I was also 29)

That said, DH bought an extremely expensive although not new car straight after passing and never had any issues, although he knows how to bugger a clutch.

I was seriously annoyed with him and would be if I were OP, but you can't really do anything. However if it were joint finances I would just refuse to sign. If it was joint funds affected I would also be extremely upset. Who wouldn't be, to suddenly have a £300 a month repayment without consultation?

Talismania · 26/06/2015 02:44

I bought a new car and drove 300 miles the first weekend, and I was 17. I never had an accident until I was 21, and even that was someone driving into the back of my car while I was sitting in it without the engine on. I may have just got lucky though?

TTWK · 26/06/2015 07:08

However the reality is I contributed heavily by braking hard too late

Nonsense. You are meant to leave enough space between you and the car in front to brake safely without hitting them even if they are forced to do an emergency stop. You didn't contribute at all, 100% their fault. They were driving too fast/close to you.

tabulahrasa · 26/06/2015 07:31

I bought a new car after passing my test...I set off to look for a used one, but I got a really good deal as it was just before a model change and a registration change. I did nothing to it in the first 6 months.

Also insurance isn't silly amounts for a new driver of that age.

But, buying a new car that'll impact on joint finances is a different thing, that you're not being unreasonable about, that should be a joint decision.

RandomMess · 26/06/2015 07:58

Your occupation influences your premium too. I pay more because I work at a university rather than different education institute!!!!