How much should you spend on your first car?

By Christina Jones

Buying your first ever car can be incredibly exciting, but you might also find it very stressful and a little bit scary. This is because you’ll probably be parting with more money than ever before when investing in a single purchase and you’ll need to choose a car that you’ll still be happy to use a few years down the line. There are a million and one things you need to take into account when choosing your vehicle, from its general appearance to its inner workings.

The full amount that you spend on your vehicle will entirely depend on how much money you actually have available. So, in order to make sure you don’t accidentally overspend on your first ever car, here are a few pointers when it comes to setting your budget:

1.   Be realistic

When you’re going into your budgeting process, always be realistic with yourself. If you know for a fact that you haven’t got a lot of money to spend, don’t go looking at cars that are worth thousands and thousands of pounds, you’ll only be taunting yourself. You should always figure out the logistics of buying your first car before you actually go to look at any, as this will ensure you don't get your heart set on anything that's out of the question.

2.   Plan everything

You should sit down and examine your finances carefully before buying your first car. Find out exactly how much 'spare' money you have every month and see how much you have in the way of savings. This will allow you to come up with a suitable budget for your first car. Generally, though, you don't want to spend too much on your first car as there will be a higher chance of you being involved in a car accident when you’re a new driver and aren't that confident out on the roads yet.

3.   Consider finance

Having said that, if you take finance options into consideration you might be able to get a car that wouldn't usually be available to you. This is because you will be able to spread the cost over a number of months, and you can often find finance deals that offer interest free periods. If you were able to pay off your loan before this period ended, you wouldn't need to pay for any added interest.

4.   Go second-hand

In this day and age, buying a brand new vehicle makes little sense for most people. New vehicles cost so much more than second hand or used cars, and you can get some amazing models that are just a few years old when buying second hand.

5.   Research fuel consumption

Once you've found a car you like the look of you should always look into its fuel consumption before buying it. This will give you an idea of how much you'll need to spend on petrol or diesel each month. Cars with higher fuel consumptions will obviously end up costing more to run, which can run up your bills every month even with an interest free finance option.

6.   Look into insurance costs

Certain cars will cost more to insure than others, so don't allow this to take you by surprise after purchasing a vehicle. It may be worth consulting a number of different insurance companies as well so that you can find out what the best price for your insurance would be with such a car.

How much will you be spending?

Christina Jones is a freelance writer, focusing on the finance and motor industries with particular interest in UK car credit and finding the best car loans.