What Makes a Good First Car?

Everyone remembers their first car well as the vehicle that changed their life and gave them a new sense of freedom and independence. This is usually something that is a little basic which is actually a smart move at this stage, but how can you go about finding the right car when buying for the first time?

Work Out Your Budget

First, you need to work out how much you can afford to spend on the car and this will include the price, insurance, fuel, road tax, maintenance and any other costs. Many shop in the used car market as a way to find a decent car for low costs, but it is also worthwhile looking at a new car if you are in a position to do so as these can be much safer, cheaper to run and more reliable and you can manage the cost with a finance deal – a Citroen C1 could be a good option to look into.

Consider Requirements

When you have an idea of how much you can spend, you should then think about specific requirements. You should think about the kind of journeys that you will be making along with how many passengers you will need to carry and storage needs.

This should give you an idea of what category to go for – typically, new drivers will opt for something small like a city car as these can be cheaper to buy and run while remaining practical.

Not Too Powerful

You might want to make your first car one with plenty of power that will turn heads when you drive past, but this is not smart as a new driver and you will end up paying through the teeth when it comes to insurance. Instead, you should choose something that is not too powerful so that you can drive safely and build your confidence (as well as keep insurance down).

Comfortable to Drive

You also need to make sure that the car is comfortable to drive. As your very first car, it is vital that it is a vehicle that you feel safe and confident in and this is why the test drive is such an important process to go through – you can find advice for how to test drive a car online.

Choosing your first car is an exciting and major decision, but you need to make sure that you take the time to find the right one that will fit in with your lifestyle, allow you to build confidence and enjoy your new sense of freedom.