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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy a car just now even though i dont have my license yet?

27 replies

ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 13:46

Im currently learning to drive just now and will be coming into some money soon. I will be using this money to buy my first car. I have found a 63 reg 1.0l 5 door car that has a decent boot space and has done 32,043 miles. Ideally i wouldnt be fussed about getting a car so quickly but with the new road tax changes coming in if i bought just now the car would stay £0 road tax.
Aibu to do this? My gran says its better to wait until ive passed to get a car but my thinking is if i have the car i can be taken out in it while carrying on with my lessons

OP posts:
DontTouchTheMoustache · 15/01/2017 13:51

If you are able to use it for extra practice then definitely get it. It will be very good for you to already be familiar with the car when you have passed and driving alone for the first time. Just be aware that you will need to change your insurance when you pass.

Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 13:54

I looked at compare the market last night for quotes for the car, i did it as a new driver that had just passed to see how much it was. I used just me in the quote. Then i used my mum as a named driver and the cost literally dropped from 1500 to just over 500 for the year

OP posts:
KathArtic · 15/01/2017 14:01

We've just been looking for DD. Martin Lewis suggests using your name as the main driver, but adding an experienced driver (your mum) as an additional driver, which surprisingly brings the quite down.

Also, look at your job title too - tweaking your job can effect the quote.

Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 14:07

kath my quote was 1500 and adding my mum brought it down to 561

OP posts:
Whywonttheyletmeusemyusername · 15/01/2017 14:11

I got my first car whilst taking lessons - gave me more incentive to pass my test. Also, if you have a garage, it may bring the insurance down a bit more.

CrohnicallyPregnant · 15/01/2017 14:13

I thought the new road tax changes only apply to new cars, not if you by a used car?

CrohnicallyPregnant · 15/01/2017 14:14

*buy (damn autocorrect)

SpringerS · 15/01/2017 14:25

I'd buy it. I got mine this summer after a couple of lessons. For the first few weeks I felt like I'd bought an expensive garden ornament but once I'd gotten comfortable with the basics of driving I started using it all the time. I'd never have become as confident a driver as I am now without my own car.

SusanneLinder · 15/01/2017 14:28

Absolutely buy a car when you are just learning. If I hadn't bought a car to practice in, would have taken me yonks to pass my test.

Rainmaker1 · 15/01/2017 14:29

The new VED changes are irrelevant to that car.

Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 14:46

The article i read about it said: A car emitting 99g/km bought before April 1 will be free of road tax for life.
Those bought after the date will cost £120 in the first year, and £140 a year thereafter.

OP posts:
titchy · 15/01/2017 14:49

It means bought from new!

Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 14:53

Ahh i thought it was meaning all cars no matter if new or 2nd hand

OP posts:
Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 15:31

Thank you for clearing that up for me :)

OP posts:
SheldonCRules · 15/01/2017 15:32

It only applies to brand new cars.

I wouldn't buy a car before you pass, there's no guarantee you will and then what would you do with it?

LEELULUMPKIN · 15/01/2017 15:36

Go for it! I bought mine before I started my lessons. My kindly elderly next door neighbour used to let me park it up her drive. I would sit in it for hours practicing clutch control etc driving forward and backwards a few feet. It really inspired me and I credit it with passing first time after just 10 half hour lessons. Good luck!

Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 15:38

Lee i have my own drive so i would be able to practice clutch control etc safely out of the way

OP posts:
BobbieDog · 15/01/2017 15:43

I did this and regretted it.

I didnt pass my test for at least 6 months later so my step father got himself insured on it and drove it himself.

I wanted to practise in it but it was a disaster having someone in the car with me who wasnt a trained instructor and contradicted everything my driving instructor was teaching me as everyone has their own driving style.

Original poster
ItsNachoCheese · 15/01/2017 15:46

My dad said he would take me out. He has taken my wee sister out and she said it was fine but when mum did she was telling her to do different things.

OP posts:
thecatsarecrazy · 15/01/2017 15:54

I bought one to learn in, paid £450 for it, tax, insurance, it ended up sat outside only used a few times and scrapped for £17 Sad

Reality16 · 15/01/2017 15:57

Christ no way. It's just an expense so any potential tax saving would be written off straight away by the fact that you had the car as they cost money to keep anyway! There will be plenty cars to choose from when the time comes. I would plough extra cash into more lessons rather than a car at this stage

BackforGood · 15/01/2017 16:30

I wouldn't, not until I'd passed.
Cars just eat money - especially insurance when you are a new driver although yours sounds like a very reasonable quote. Why would you want to pay out on something you will be getting no use from ? Confused

AssembleTheMinions · 15/01/2017 17:01

The only thing I would add is, your insurance will more than likely rise massively as soon as you pass. When dd1 passed, my insurance went from £400 ish to £3.2k! Shock Angry

We ended up getting her her own car and with a lot of shopping around, managed to get a policy in her name for around £900 with a black box.

SharkBaitOohHaha · 15/01/2017 17:07

I actually bought my first car with the intention of being taught by my dad in it. I found a car that was too good to pass up, so I even bought it before I was 17.

It was the right thing for me. Dad took me out every day after work and I passed in no time, having had only 5 lessons from an instructor.

Though I'd probably steer clear of a 1L car. I did the same, but the insurance wasn't any cheaper than a larger engine (presumably because lots of younger drivers go for that size engine?) and it started to feel massively underpowered after just a bit of experience (well - it was!).