with the impending purchase of a first car for my eldest 😯 I Was looking at 2005/6 Citroen C1 or Fiat Panda … anything else I should be considering?

Cheers

I think the best way to do it is you insure the car as the main driver, and then just add your kid on as a named driver.

Get a small, slow, undesirable hatchback. 1.0L Nissan Micra would do it.

I got my lad a Clio insured for £1300 with me as named driver, please do not do what David is suggesting he will not build up an NCB and your insurance co will know what you are doing, it is worthwhile putting you or your wife down as named driver.

the best way to do it is you insure the car as the main driver, and then just add your kid on as a named driver

..as long as it’s true, otherwise you might as well save a load of money and not bother paying out for insurance that won’t be valid anyway.

Tiny engines, trackers, restricting miles and / or times of the day (night). And still a fortune.

Just bought my son a VW High up! and insured it via Direct Line for c£1k – telemetrics box needed to be fitted (supplied free by DL) but no major restrictions on when he can drive it. Insurance is for him only (17 yo just passed test) – premium a lot higher if I added myself even though I have years of NCB and no convictions!

Subaru Impreza Sti.

You’ll only need to insure it for a month, tops.

Rachel

^ bit tactless.

Advanced motoring lessons, smallest size engine possible and as mentioned his own policy.

The premiums will only come down as he gains experience.

I bought and insured this 1043cc beast for under £1500 as my first car when I was 18, £450 for the car and just over £900 for the insurance. Cheap enough car that it wouldn’t matter too much if I binned it and meant I built up my no claims which has led to me being able to insure a 250bhp 2005 Saab for the same price two years later, ideal! I’ve been with Elephant insurance (part of admiral) who have been the cheapest without being restricted with a telematics box.

Classics are worth a look at.

Fiat panda for a girl fine but for an 18 year old lad. he wont be happy.

Multi car insurance is the way to go. Try and get him/her insured as a learner for a couple of months before the test is passed.

As Edlong said insurance in the off-spring’s name with your good lady wife as a named driver will drive costs down a bit.

Think out the box. What cars do 18 yr olds drive ? Yes, Corsas, Polos, Fiestas. What do insurance companies look at ? Statistics that an 18yr old will crash the above cars and cost them money. One of our apprentices had a Volvo V40 estate 1.6 for a lot less than one of the cars above and could waft around comfortably and he didn’t look a prat, as his mates were quite impressed of leather seats and alloys wheels, than their beaten up older corsas with steel wheels and trashed threadbare seats.

I think the best way to do it is you insure the car as the main driver, and then just add your kid on as a named driver.

Fronting it’s called, & highly illegal.

As Thrustyjust said, steer clear of novas/ corsas, our best quote was for a 1.6 megane, 17 year old lad, 1st year £1200. Second year renewal has just come in at £730.

Right, we have been through this in the last year and it’s not what it seems. For James cheapest was a 1967 Beetle which was half of the next closest thing, this year, 106s, newer Polos, Corsas, even an Aygo we’re all over a K but a 1984 Polo was 500, Passat tdi 600, even a Merc Coupe 2002 is only 560. We have seen young lads buy cheap cars to pay three to four times the value of the car on insurance, a few have been more picky and managed to reverse this.
So check lots of different cars for insurance and pick the best combination.
One lad around here pays 1600 to drive a Hyudi i10 : ( which cost 1500 whilst one drives a Golf mk1 which cost 2 and 1 to insure. The i10 I going down in value and the Golf is going up!

go through a broker rather than go compared?

my brother at 21 (within a year of passing his test) got done for drink driving/driving with due care and attention in a 1.2 corsa, write off, including a BT telegraph pole (idiot child, lucky bastard)

13 month ban and he just got insured fully comp on a 1.6 golf for 1300 quid, with 0 voluntary excess. seemed cheap to me

As above, I knew a kid about four years ago whose parents sorted him with a 1.6 petrol Volvo V40 circa 2003.

Glacial, steady and slow, and the average driver dynamic works in your favour. Also the first car to attract Euro NCAP 4 stars from when 4 stars was the best you could get. Safer than a supermini from the same period.

Leather seats and room to boff in the back should make up for the pensioner image.

Don’t give your kids a classic to save on insurance when chances are it is going to get crashed at some point!

Likelihood of a crash is probably greater due to less refined handling and let’s be honest, there are few safety features worth mentioning after seat belts.

my first car was a volvo 440 1.7 GLT in beige.gold with beige interior.

It was quick enough, and safe, cost 700 to insure back then.

Didn’t pull any girls with it, but I loved it none the less.

Heated seats in winter, alloy wheels, 1.7 lump under there, it had high mileage it did the job fine.

V40 or s40 1.6 would be a good bet.

My daughter has her test next month and we are looking at around £750 on a 5yr old Fiat 500. Small engine and telematics box fitted. No curfew though.
The comparison websites are your friend just keep changing the criteria until you find a premium acceptable. Certain factors push up the costs significantly.

Edit: my first car was an Escort Mk1 hand painted van, £60 worth 😀

From the other day, wagon R or agila?… Put all thought of sexy motors out of his head.