First Car

[Zippyx]

Hi

As a bit of context, we live in a good area for insurance. DS has done 'young driver' 3-4 times (1 hour lesson each time) and has driven about 4 hours on private roads around our farm. DH and I have both gone through basic parking manoeuvres with him, which he has grasped with relative ease. DS is therefore pretty confident as a driver; DH and I are equally confident in him, given the rate of progress he's made in a relatively small time. Obviously as we are not professional ADIs, he will have at least 10-15 hours of lessons as a minimum.

Now it's time to buy a car, we are looking to spend around £6,500. Firstly, is this reasonable?

Secondly, the car we are looking at is a BMW 1 Series 2011 with about 60k miles on the clock. Insurance would be about £1,500 so not too bad at all. WIBU to buy it for him?

Thanks!

Your budget is reasonable, but personally wouldn;t consider BMW or any other 'premium' type car. Would by looking at Fiesta etc, which may not be what he is after. My DB's SS had a series 1 BMW and the bills were astronomical!

We just spent £800 on a 13 year old Citroen C3 for our 17 year old son who passed his test about a month ago with just 4 minors. (It’s all we could afford)

I'd second a Fiesta, for a first car.

For 6,5k can you not get a lower mileage 5 star safety rated vehicle with a less flashy badge?

Does a young lad really need that car?! You do realise he’s going to get so many knocks and scrapes. This is just a stealth boast/show off to your friends thing.

£8k 'not too bad at all'?! BMW as first car? Check your privilege OP.

I would look at VW polo or UP or
Audi A1

@MsBananaHammock much more sensible!

Family friends children are 18 & 19. 18 year old passed her test in Feb, 19 year old just passed his. They both have VWs (Golfs or Polos - not sure which) that are about 10-12 years old. I wouldn’t get a teen who’s just passed their test a BMW!

I just bought my own first car (26) which is a 2016 Corsa, £5.4k with a two year warranty. If you want to spend about £6k I’d personally look for a newer version of the more standard first cars - corsas, Citroen’s, Peugeots, fords etc

I had a battered old Nissan micra. A BMW seems awfully flashy for a teenager! Something less powerful with less appeal might be better

I agree, something basic and most important, easy and cheap to fix when he does knock it! A BMW is not cheap to repair.

Where do you live to get that low of an insurance premium????

My first cat my parents told me they would contribute half the £££ towards it - so I got a job and saved towards it. Feeling like id worked x100 hours to earn my car certainly made me more precious about keeping it in good nick - could you offer him something like that?

Double-check the insurance - our DC1's went up after he passed his test, I guess because there didn't have to be any experienced drivers with him in the car any more.

A BMW 🙄

I would get a Skoda Fabia, you could get a 2016 one for your budget, it's a great little car (made by the VW group) and has a 5* review on What car:
www.whatcar.com/skoda/fabia/hatchback/used-review/n808

However, if your first thought was a BMW, I expect you'll turn your nose up at Skoda.

A BMW isn't usually a first car; he'll be expecting a McLaren for his 21st...

DS has done 'young driver' 3-4 times (1 hour lesson each time) and has driven about 4 hours on private roads around our farm. DH and I have both gone through basic parking manoeuvres with him, which he has grasped with relative ease. DS is therefore pretty confident as a driver

8 hours driving experience and is a pretty confident driver?!

This has to be a reverse

The son hasn't even driven on the public road yet - it could take months till he passes the test, and why would you buy such an expensive car?

My DS bought himself a Skoda Fabia. It cost £2.5k, I've insured it, £1050.
The initial insurance was £680 while he was learning. The company wanted an extra £1500 when he passed his test. I cancelled it, got £460 back and went with another company.

The insurance will jump up after he passes, I’m pretty sure, so I’d check that. But if that’s the car he wants and you can afford and you don’t think he’ll wrap it round a tree on its first outing then go for it.
Some 17 yr olds do just take to driving after a few hours, not sure why there’s snippiness about that.

Some 17 yr olds do just take to driving after a few hours, not sure why there’s snippiness about that

Some people do take to driving quicker and more easily than others but it's still a stretch to describe him as a pretty confident driver if he's had 8 hours worth of driving experience

My DD has a 'boyfr

Sorry accidentally pressed send - my DD had a 'boyfriend' at 17 who would race against his friend on the dual carriageways of Milton Keynes. 17 year old boys are crazy - I would buy him a car with a small engine if I were you.

My first car 6 is a Hyundai i10. I love it. Cheap to drive and insure. And fun to drive.

Somehow, I don’t think there would have been the “well, he’s NOT ALL THAT as a driver!” type comments if OP had said he was getting an old banger of a Corsa