It’s December. It’s
the end of year 12 and schoolies is done. And guess what, it’s finally time to
buy your first car! Great news if you’re a seventeen year old. Not so great
news if you’re the parent of one!
We can’t think of
many situations in life where two parties have such conflicting priorities. The
whole experience can be a bit of a minefield, so we’ve put together a few key
points to consider when making that much-debated-over decision.
Manual vs Auto
You’re generally
better off going for a manual over an auto. They’re cheaper to buy, run and
maintain, and you have a much wider choice of vehicles available to you,
especially when you’re buying older, second hand models. Plus, you’ll totally
feel like Vin Diesel when you’re burning ‘round the suburbs, shifting up and
down the gears like a pro.
P Plater Restrictions
For safety reasons,
and to minimise hooning (although we’d never do that would we??) P Platers
aren’t allowed to drive any car considered ‘high performance’. This generally
rules out all 8-cylinder models, and anything with a turbo, supercharger or
other performance enhancing mods. The definition of ‘high performance’ varies
slightly from state to state, so make sure you check out your local rules
before purchasing your first car. You want to make sure you’ll actually be
allowed to drive it! Below are links to
the Queensland, Victoria and NSW restrictions to get you started.
True Costs
One thing most of
us learn the hard way, is that cars cost a lot more than the price on the
window sticker. It’s important to consider the true cost of a car before you
buy it. Firstly, that means calculating how much it’ll cost to keep the tank
full. With petrol prices climbing steadily, this is more of a consideration now
than ever before. A general rule - four cylinders are always better than six!
There’s no point having an awesome Hummer in the driveway if you can’t afford
to take it anywhere.
Also look at the
average cost per service and the service window (i.e. how frequently you need
to service your car). Not all models are the same, and some cars will need to
be taken in more frequently than others. Buying from a dealer that offers fixed
price servicing is a great way to anticipate and manage your ongoing outlay.
Consider the
availability and cost of parts for repairs. Let’s be realistic – you’re
probably going to rack up a few dings and scrapes in your first years driving.
Accidents are par for the course, so make sure you’re not having to ship custom
parts in from Finland after every rear-ender.
Finally, look at
insurance. Premiums are more expensive for young drivers, and the nicer your
car is, the more it will cost to insure. Your nan’s old Corolla is looking more
and more attractive isn’t it?
Top Models
The most popular
and practical cars for first time drivers are cheap, safe and easy to get about
in. Hatches are great as they have heaps of space for you and your mates, but they’re
still small, light and cheap to run.
You can’t really go
wrong with a 90s model Barina, Lancer, Corolla or Pulsar to start. Or if you’re
after something larger, your Camrys, Lasers, Focuses and Mazda 323s are a good
bet.
Don’t Get Too Emotional
Buying a car is an
emotion-filled experience at any age, but it seems to be amplified the first
time. It’s tough advice to follow, but try to stay as dispassionate as
possible. Or at least buy from a dealer with a cooling off period or moneyback
guarantee so you have a chance to change your mind once you’ve slept on it and
realised that bomb DeLorean will probably take a little longer to fix up than
you initially thought.
No comments:
Post a Comment