or is DH being daft?

[LadyDeGrump]

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?

[Raveismyera]

Your first year of insurance will be a lot regardless of age. My friend was quoted £5k for insurance on a new quashqui as a newly passed driver. When my husband bought his aforementioned super car after passing most places refused to cover him at all.

That's why it's always a good idea to get the old banger if only for a year

[tabulahrasa]

My first year's insurance was £850 compared to £250 last year, so yes you do pay more for being a new driver, but not always silly money.

[RandomMess]

I noticed this time around (just renewed) there were a lot more questions asked than previously, those I can remember:

Were your NC earned in the UK
Do your NC included the previous 2 years
Have you been insured and driving regularly in the previous 2 years
Do you regularly drive in peak hours (then quoted what they mean)


Definitely more and more detailed in recent years and trying to cover loopholes and higher risks.

[Anon4Now2015]

Lots of people get a new car straight after passing. Many of them would argue that a new car is safer and less likely to cause them to crash than a second-hand car. If he can afford it I don't see the problem. If he crashes and the insurance is fully comprehensive it should cover the cost of the car regardless. In any case if he does crash (and that's a big if he's still a lot more likely to not than to crash) surely your concern should be for his safety rather than the car, and as I said arguably he's safer in a new car if he does crash.

I drove 5 hours round trip on the motorway two days after I passed my test. I was 18 and only had non-driver friends in the car. It was no problem at all

[Trills]

A new car will at least not have anything wrong with it or any quirks - it will be in good condition and JUST WORK.

[Trills]

If it will impact on your joint finances then discuss it as just that.

If you make it about the likelihood of him crashing or your worry about his driving ability he will focus on that.

If a car and insurance etc for that car will impact on joint finances then you get to have a say in how much is spent on the car.