We take a look at the four key things to consider when buying your first car.
Age
New cars tend to be expensive to insure while old cars can lack the sophisticated safety features required to keep your teenager safe in an accident.
Opting for a mid-range car gives you the best of both worlds; modern safety features, not overly expensive to insure and there are parts available should it need to be repaired.
Cost
The sticker price is the first price you see. Teenagers who have never owned a car before may not realise there are costs associated with insurance, warranty, repairs and fuel.
Safety features
Do some research and know what safety features are built into your car. Modern vehicles have air bags, anti-lock brakes, hands-free control, navigation systems, electronic stability control and so on. Check ANCAP to see what the safety rating is on your car. The safer the car, the better. This is one area not to skimp out on.
Power
First-time drivers don’t need cars that are turbo charged or V8s. Opting for cars with less power, like a four cylinder vehicle will be easier to control and curb the temptation to speed.
Provisional drivers are banned by law to drive certain types of cars so it’s worthwhile checking this out before purchasing.
The
NSW government has the following restrictions in place P1 and P2 drivers are banned from driving high-performance vehicles that have:
- Power to tare mass ratios of greater than 130kW per tonne or,
- Modified engines that need to be approved by an engineer or,
- Other vehicles classified as high performance.
16 Apr