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!

Don’t know where you live either @GreyExpectations and can’t see the relevance. My stepson (28) decided against an Audi - “old geezers’ car”.

@Zippyx

You can get cheap insurance on anything if you know how to. Point of the thread was not to question the received quote!!

Bollocks.

The only way you can get cheap insurance on any car through 'knowing how to' is by being dishonest.

No way can a 17yo new driver get cheap insurance on a BMW whilst being truthful in the quote details.

Not. A. Chance.

My stepson (28) decided against an Audi - “old geezers’ car”.

Sounds like a very judgmental guy. Ah well, first time I've ever heard an Audi described like that so sorry but I don't think your step son is as clued up as you may think he is.

@DowntownAbby Read up on some insurance tips. The insurer does not give a shit as to whether it's a BMW or a Ford. All they care about is what's under the bonnet.

Then it's a matter of adding very experienced named drivers to the policy, making sure you're getting the quote at the cheapest time of the day/month/year (yes, it is like getting a holiday) and from the best comparison site (they vary a lot!).

If you lie for an insurance quote, your insurance will be invalidated anyway so you'd have chucked £1,x00 away and not gotten any insurance out of it. In other words, the quote was received having provided genuine details.

@Alsohuman @GreytExpectations is right - Audis aren't really ever seen as old geezers' cars. I don't even think location has any relevance either!

@DowntownAbby Read up on some insurance tips. The insurer does not give a shit as to whether it's a BMW or a Ford. All they care about is what's under the bonnet

But a BMW 1 series is a 1.5 at the least, so going to be far more expensive to insure than a 1.1 Toyota aygo for example.

@Trewser More so than the Toyota Aygo - absolutely. But the idea of bigger engine = more power is outdated.

Audi A1 1.4L engine puts out 122bhp. Honda Jazz 1.4L engine puts out 98bhp. BMW 116d 2.0 engine puts out 116bhp.

To be honest, a powerful car means nothing. A car will only go as fast as you dare to drive it. DS isn't a speed-freak fortunately so not too worried with him having a 122bhp car. DH on the other hand.... That's a matter for another thread!

So which of those three would cost more to insure?

I don't think your step son is as clued up as you may think he is.

He’s a young man and it’s his perception. Being clued up doesn’t come into it.

@Trewser The Audi A1 and the Honda Jazz were very similar in insurance - I think it was a £150 increase on Audi's side at £1,300. BMW was the most to insure at £1,500.

OP you're coming across as if what your son drives matters more to you than him?

You're proposing to spend a lot of money on his first car, which is fine - your decision etc - but wont let him choose? Why ever not?

Also I'm slightly confused, he's driven brilliantly on your farm - which is a long way from where you live you say later - but hasnt as yet had any proper driving lessons. If I were you I would go cheap and cheerful and safe for his first car - once he's had those essential onroad lessons.

Wait. He's not even had a driving lesson yet? Driving round your farm on private roads is one thing. Negotiating traffic, junctions, islands, traffic lights, merging, pedestrians etc is nothing like that. He might take a while to pass. It's not just driving around a bit and parking.

You may want to wait until he's got his pass certificate and then have a look at cars he likes.

Don't forget this either:

Graduated driving licence*
In 2018 it was proposed that newly passed motorists could be given a graduated driving licence which would impose certain restrictions in a bid to make new drivers safer.
Newly qualified motorists are the most risk on the roads as they have the least experience. The proposal to introduced this type of licence could help to reduce the number of accidents involving young motorists.
Here is a list of restrictions that the RAC believes the graduated licence could focus on:
• Curfews - Times when they are allowed to be on the road
• Passengers - Limits for how many passengers a new driver can have
• Speed - Separate, lower speed limits to other drivers
• Engine sizes - Limits on how powerful their cars can be
• Mandatory P plates - These are currently optional, but could be made mandatory for up to two years
• Alcohol - Lower limits than the general driving population

@TricklBOO Driving around the farm and Young Driver were both when he was 16.

Since thread was made, DS - as well as passing the theory test - has done 12 hours of lessons and (7 more hours of private practice) and is nearing the end of what his instructor feels he needs. DS and instructor have agreed that in 4 more hours' time, they'll consider booking the test.

For that budget, Polo, Up, Mii. We did masses of research, with insurers and mechanics and ended up getting a Mii. Insurance with Tesco.

Ah that's great then. Fingers crossed he passes with flying colours .

Tip from driving instructor DH - sign up to a driving test cancellations site. They can alert him to tests quicker than may be available through government site.