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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Saving up for a car for soon to be 17 year old DD...

81 replies

RazzzzzzzzzlllllllleDaaazzzzllle · 12/02/2025 18:46

...any suggestions for a small car with a reasonable(!) insurance rating?

Good safety rating obviously top priority.

Not sure on budget yet - probably £3k ish.

OP posts:
Girliefriendlikespuppies · 12/02/2025 22:53

My dd got a Citroen c1 and a few of her friends got similar, it's a few years old but had only done 52k. It cost around 3k.

The Citroen c1s, small Peugeot (?106) and Toyota aygo are basically the same car all made by Toyota.

She's been really pleased with it and it's v cheap to run.

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 12/02/2025 22:56

CatsBalls · 12/02/2025 20:16

just paid £365 for a year’s insurance on a C1 for a new driver.

Are they a teenager?

All the teens I know the insurance has been at least a grand...

mondaytosunday · 13/02/2025 00:00

With that budget I don't think you can be picky.

Hellohah · 13/02/2025 06:29

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 12/02/2025 22:56

Are they a teenager?

All the teens I know the insurance has been at least a grand...

Show quote history

DS paid nearly 3 grand last year 😭
His girlfriend has just paid 2 grand.

Where the fuck does she live to pay £300????

Bjorkdidit · 13/02/2025 07:03

Agree with the 107 or equivalents or also Citigo which also has VW Up and Seat Mio equivalents.

There's a lot of older Yaris around so that could be another option. I think it will be a given on your budget, but if you get one from early 2017 or older, the road tax will be £30 or less, so a decent annual saving compared to newer equivalents, which will be around £200.

Be aware that insurance will be cheaper as a learner than when she passes her test so will be out on her own.

But it's astonishing how cars have held their value over the last few years. I sold a 4 YO Skoda Black Edition Citigo in 2018 for £4k and they're still worth that now, 8 years later.

autumn1610 · 13/02/2025 07:07

House4DS · 12/02/2025 19:54

@RazzzzzzzzzlllllllleDaaazzzzllle

Peugeot 107, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo.
They are all essentially the same car - built as a collaboration between the three companies.
Lowest insurance bracket. High mpg. Zero/£20 road tax. Cheap to fix.

We've just bought a 2014 107 for £2300.
£850 insurance for 17 year old + me as named driver.
Whatever you do, check insurance price before committing to buying anything. You don't want to find the insurance costs more than the car!

Just as this happened to me if your child has passed their test put them as named driver. When I was 17 my mum was named driver and when I came to doing my own insurance I hadn’t built up any years and my insurance was so high still even though I had been driving for a few years

Jiggedy · 13/02/2025 07:08

CatsBalls · 12/02/2025 20:16

just paid £365 for a year’s insurance on a C1 for a new driver.

We've just insured ours as dd passed on Monday. £1595.

Parked on the drive, starting in two weeks ( which apparently brought it down) and with another driver with no points or anything.

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 13/02/2025 07:25

@RazzzzzzzzzlllllllleDaaazzzzllle the cheapest insurance for a 17 yr old is on a volkswagen polo!! also been looking.

Huckyfell · 13/02/2025 07:31

CatsBalls · 12/02/2025 20:16

just paid £365 for a year’s insurance on a C1 for a new driver.

Who with? My DD is 20 (3 years no claims) and the best we could find on a polo was £944

Jiggedy · 13/02/2025 07:35

Who with? My DD is 20 (3 years no claims) and the best we could find on a polo was £944

I'd also like to know with who as ours hasn't started yet.

Sinkintotheswamp · 13/02/2025 07:37

300 insurance!

Even mine isn't that for a sensible car, no claims or points over 25yrs.
A crappy postcode and no driveway totally hammers car insurance.

Dueanamechange2025 · 13/02/2025 07:40

My DS has a Kia Picanto, been a lovely car so far. Avoid Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Fiesta, very expensive to insure.

Miloarmadillo2 · 13/02/2025 07:40

SlaveToAGoldenRetriever · 12/02/2025 19:25

No chance of getting one for £3k!

Following with interest OP - DD is 20 and still shares a car with me (purposefully downsized from an SUV for this reason, sadly!) as it’s just so expensive to buy and insure, especially for a young driver.

Edited
Show quote history

We did - and it’s been great so far (18m). Insurance £100/m for newly passed DS.

Zusammengebrochen · 13/02/2025 07:42

Worry less about the cost of the actual car and more about the cost of the insurance.

ahdlfj · 13/02/2025 07:43

just paid £365 for a year’s insurance on a C1 for a new driver.

Going to assume they haven't passed yet?

Also laughing at the not getting an Aygo for under £3k, did they misread Bugatti?

House4DS · 13/02/2025 07:49

@Jiggedy that is still quite expensive. Did you look on money supermarket or similar price comparison? Ours starts tomorrow in a couple of days for £850.

Jiggedy · 13/02/2025 07:53

House4DS · 13/02/2025 07:49

@Jiggedy that is still quite expensive. Did you look on money supermarket or similar price comparison? Ours starts tomorrow in a couple of days for £850.

Yes, I know. 💰 I tried absolutely everything, hence the two week delay in it starting.

At least I'm not paying £67 for a driving lesson and £.6.25 a day for her college bus I suppose.

mitogoshigg · 13/02/2025 08:04

Where are these cheap places? Dd pays nearly £1000 despite 3 years no claims, going through a specialist broker and being in her 20's! I know her job is a factor because hers went up not down when she started working despite an extra year of no claims kicking in. Admiral and Churchill would not even insure her due to occupation, crazy

Mine is only £240 but I'm obviously middle aged.

purplehue · 13/02/2025 08:21

Yes, I know. 💰 I tried absolutely everything, hence the two week delay in it starting.

At least I'm not paying £67 for a driving lesson and £.6.25 a day for her college bus I suppose. @Jiggedy

Was that per hour?

Where we are it's £40 per hour.

CatsBalls · 13/02/2025 08:25

@Girliefriendlikespuppies 19 rather than 17. No black box, kept in secure garage overnight, comprehensive for 7,000 miles. Put the excess up to £250 to make it a bit cheaper. Used confused.com to find the best price

nicky2512 · 13/02/2025 08:27

Also shocked at the insurance prices. More like 3000 for a new driver in NI.
Vw polo or Seat Mii both worth a look.

CatsBalls · 13/02/2025 08:28

The question was which car is the cheapest for insurance, the C1 was the cheapest we found @CarpetKnees I know that postcode affects the price but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the same details with an Audi A1 would’ve been approx £900 or a fiat 500 would’ve been just under £600 when I looked at quotes. Even the aygo which is basically the same car was over £100 more

ThreeMagicNumber · 13/02/2025 08:29

Dd has a Vauxhall Adam and has had no issues, Dn has a little corsa.

House4DS · 13/02/2025 08:33

@mitogoshigg
Look on moneysupermarket.com
It depends what car she has of course - bigger engine, more expensive (and particular cars too - friend bought her DD a fiat 500 and insurance was a shocking 3k).
DS is in 3rd year of driving a fiesta and renewal is looking like 400-500.

Ciderwine · 13/02/2025 08:35

I'm interested to know what options will young drivers have when older evs have packed in.