Young People and Cars

[NorthernDave]

My sister got her new Citroen C1 on Friday, 3rd one on lease. Needs a small 2nd car and this is perfect.
She was charged £16 for a chewed wheel trim on the one being taken back.
Lots more folks at work leasing now and our own car is also leased.

That's why a lot of people take the wheel trims off lease cars as soon as they get them and keep them somewhere safe, then put the trims back on when it's time to return it....

 

[dim]

Honestly, I'd go for something like a brand spanking new Citroen C1 on Citroen Simply Drive.
Under £150 a month including insurance, nowt to pay on top but petrol.
Funky (check out the touchscreen on the dashboard), safe, reliable (will be under warranty throughout), no unexpected costs - what's not to like?

Or go for a straightforward lease or PCP deal and get the car for under £100 a month but then you'll have to pay for insurance and maintenance.

just showed your recomendation to my daughter .... she has a day off tomorow, likes these and is popping into Marshall's Cambridge to find out more

 

[NorthernDave]

Finance, leasing etc. are fine if you are in a very secure job, buying on the tick can be very stressful for some.

I agree, you cut your cloth accordingly.

That said , getting a bank loan for £3000 over 3 years and buying a 7 or 8 year old used car and having maintenance, etc on top doesn't seem too appealing if you can run a brand new car for similar money the same period.

 

[screenman]

That's why a lot of people take the wheel trims off lease cars as soon as they get them and keep them somewhere safe, then put the trims back on when it's time to return it....

Wheel trims, blimey that is a rarity nowadays. To be honest that is one I have never heard of, would anyone drive around in thier nice new car with it looking like the trims have been nicked just to save a few bob, well maybe Reiver

 

[screenman]

I agree, you cut your cloth accordingly.

That said , getting a bank loan for £3000 over 3 years and buying a 7 or 8 year old used car and having maintenance, etc on top doesn't seem too appealing if you can run a brand new car for similar money the same period.

I think there is a few big differences there that you may not have mentioned, one you can get out of the deal very easily should needs arise, two you still have some of your £3,000 left at the end.

 

[skudupnorth]

Most of the old bangers were taken off the road in a previous Government's scrappage scheme, but slowly the bangers are coming back..

The dealer I worked at hated that scheme because many perfectly good cars were sent to the crusher

 

[screenman]

The dealer I worked at hated that scheme because many perfectly good cars were sent to the crusher

I was a dealer who hated that scheme. The one thing you seldom saw coming in was the big old gas guzzlers.

 

[Profpointy]

I was a dealer who hated that scheme. The one thing you seldom saw coming in was the big old gas guzzlers.

Given they had to be traded in against new you would largely only get fairly good cars from the fairly well off people likely to buy new. Iny any case the greenest car is the one which has already been made, not using up a load of resources making a brand new one

 

[screenman]

Given they had to be traded in against new you would largely only get fairly good cars from the fairly well off people likely to buy new. Iny any case the greenest car is the one which has already been made, not using up a load of resources making a brand new one

Sorry but you are wrong on that one, there were lots of people buying cars with money they did not have. Scrappage, made a huge impact on brands like Kia, Hyundai, Suzuki and the like, sales rocketed. The one thing many dealers noticed is that people buying on this scheme often did not bring cars back in for servicing, they never had done in the past and were unlikely to change habits.

 

[Brains]

On the basis, as a new driver, he is going to smack it up within the next 18 months, I go for the banger.

As others have said, you are better off buying an older car that was well made in the beginning, than a new one that was cheap when it was made.
Check the insurance cost
Check the cost of spares
When can you get it fixed locally (railway arch, not dealers)

I'd not even look at anything less than 8 years old or a contact deal until he has at least 2 years and 15,000+ miles driving experience.
At which point the insurance cost will be half what it is today

 

[Tin Pot]

My youngest son recently passed his driving test at age 24 - second attempt.

He now wants to purchase a car. I am of the opinion he should go for new, quality used or contract. This should minimise running costs and insurance. When I was his age I had a beat up mini van held together with rope and kept running by a mate who could tinker.

Times change. I'd be interested to get opinions. Buy a quality small car or an old banger?

Young people should be prohibited from driving until they are thirty.

 

[gavroche]

Stay away from BMW's. They cost a fortune tu run/repair and are no better than much cheaper cars.

 

[MarkF]

I agree, you cut your cloth accordingly.

That said , getting a bank loan for £3000 over 3 years and buying a 7 or 8 year old used car and having maintenance, etc on top doesn't seem too appealing if you can run a brand new car for similar money the same period.

Isn't there the residual value to consider?

I was offered deal by my CC (Halifax) the other week, they'd put up to £10k in my bank with only a 3% fee if paid back in 24 months. £90 to borrow £3k paid back at £125 month seems very good to me.

Not sure about leasing, where do they make their money? Through repairs, designated prices/garages etc

I like to buy and & own and forget about stuff, I am buying a Fiat 500 on Saturday morning for my mum, less than 2 years old, FSH and 18k miles £5500. That was £11k new.

 

[screenman]

Young people should be prohibited from driving until they are thirty.

If that was the case there would have been very little chance of our local fire engine leaving the station over the last 4 years as my son who has driven it most of the times in that period is still only 27.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

The dealer I worked at hated that scheme because many perfectly good cars were sent to the crusher

My local indie said you'd cry if you saw the good condition cars with five or more years left in them that were scrapped. Thankfully we are now back to the situation where there are plenty of older cars around again.