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Betsy the six year-old Ford Fiesta - First time car buyers' number one
The Ford Fiesta was unveiled today as the most commonly purchased first car of the last five decades, according to a survey of 3,000 motorists by QUINN-direct, the young drivers car insurance specialists.
The study, which asked motorists to recall their first car, unveiled that it was on average just over six years old when purchased, cost £2,400, was blue in colour, called Betsy and would have been chosen for its economy, price and style. Cheap car insurance for young drivers or first time buyers is often a must in order for them to get a vehicle on the road.
Ford came out as the most popular manufacturer for a first time car purchase, taking three of the top ten spots:
| Most Purchased First Cars | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Ford Fiesta |
| 2. | Ford Escort |
| 3. | Vauxhall Corsa |
| 4. | Ford KA |
| 5. | Renault Clio |
| 6. | MG Rover Metro |
| 7=. | VW Polo & Nissan Micra |
| 9. | Vauxhall Astra |
| 10. | Peugeot 106 |
When it comes to paying for a first car, only a quarter of drivers (26 per cent) rely on their parents to pay for it outright. A further 12 per cent of drivers shared the cost with their parents. Overall, almost half (46 per cent) of first time motorists are helped financially by family members.
Perhaps surprisingly most first time buyers who bought a car in the last three years did not turn to loans and credit cards to pay for their first car. The research showed that to get their own set of wheels, 75 per cent of first time car owners used cash and savings to finance the purchase - just 16 per cent turned to loans, credit cards or hire purchase.
John Mc Donagh, Head of Consumer Insurance, from QUINN-direct, said:
"It is impressive to see that first time drivers are paying for their cars out right, rather than turning to loans and credit cards. However, they should look carefully at the peripheral costs of running it before parting with any cash. Many first time drivers do not consider the additional cost of road tax, insurance, MOT, fuel costs, servicing and possible repairs.
"It is worth first time buyers considering a car with a low insurance band, which makes it cheaper to insure. To keep the cost of insurance down we would recommend a car with an engine no bigger than 1.6 litres, choosing a lower valued car without modifications, and keeping mileage low may also help reduce costs."
QUINN-direct has created a series of tips for young drivers looking to buy their first car:
- Check online for car customer satisfaction reports. These will give you an insight into what owners think of a car, and not just what the manufacturer would like you to think about it.
- Depreciation can really be a nasty side effect of buying a new car, so be warned that after year one your new run around might not be worth as much as before.
- Whether going down the new or used car route, be sure to haggle as there are always deals and discounts to be had. Check out one of the motoring websites to find out what sort of discounts you should be expecting.
- When viewing a second hand car, ensure that you see all the documentation, including the logbook (V5), the car’s service history, MOT details, registration number and vehicle identification number. Examine the logbook (V5C) carefully. Check the seller is the recorded keeper in the V5C. If not, they're not legally entitled to sell you the car.
- If you do one piece of research, get a vehicle data check completed. The check will reveal if the car has been reported stolen, has outstanding finance on it (if so, it's technically still the property of the finance house), has been written-off or scrapped and what the full spec of the vehicle should be. You'll also be able to see what the vehicle's identification number should be, so you can match it up to the numbers on the car itself. There are a number of providers of this service – type in ‘vehicle check’ to any search engine.
- There are lots manufacturers offering finance deals (more often associated with new cars) so shop around to get the best possible deal.
- Don’t forget to check out the running costs of the car, including tax, fuel costs and general repairs.
- Contact a few insurance companies to get quotes and look for those insurers who specialise in provisional insurance like Quinn-direct or try using a price comparison site.
- If buying a second hand car get the AA or RAC to carry out one of their comprehensive vehicle inspections. These will normally include a full inspection of the vehicle's body, paintwork, interior, visible mechanical and electrical components and equipment, a road test and a written and verbal report.
