Buying my first car! Advise please.

[SupaAbzyBall]

Hi ABers! AbzyBall has finally passed his driving test, yay! Now I am looking for a car! I have so many questions but I am afraid of looking like a fool. I am looking through auto trader and have selected a few cars. But now what!

Will I be able to take the car on a test drive? Or do I ask the 'current' driver to show me how it runs? I understand that I have to fill out a form (V5C) and send it to the DVLA? Is this right? Im guessing I couldnt drive the car straight away without any insurance?

Any other advice or a webpage/weblink that answers all this would be great. Sorry for asking these simple questions but I have noone to turn to.

Abz x

[naflharrison]

find out as much as you can about the car and make sure it is ligit, try and buy something with a long mot and good amount of tax and if you really like a particular car get insurance quotes most insurance companies will be able to cover you as soon as you buy the car via you phoning them to set it up before you drive away. try and find a friend who knows a bit about cars to come have a look at it with you. you will be able to test drive it but also depending on wht age of a car you are planning to buy there will be noises to look out for. make sure you know what sort of car you want and that its viable for you to run financially. there are loads of sites that tell you all the main info on car makes and models regarding cost of tax etc good luck

[ChuckFickens]

most people will let you take a car on a test drive round the block with them siting next to you, but as you won't have any insurance it is against the law so don't do it (for your second car if you have fully comp insurance on a current car you are insured to drive any car so can take it for a test drive... but not your first one!)

yep you will have to send the log book back to the DVLA to register the car in your name, but this doesn't stop you getting insurance on it, but you can't drive it until you have sorted out the insurance.


Find the car you want, take somebody with a bit of knowledge with you, agree to buy it then sort your insurance out and then you can go pick it up and drive it home and send the log book off to get it registered to you.