Good first car for novice drivers

What you need:

• Tax calculator
• Premium comparison calculator
• ADAC crash test results
• Schwacke list

Good car for your personal needs

• Stay away from exotic models and tuned cars. As difficult as it is, choose volume models - that is, cars that are manufactured in large numbers. The chance of a bargain on the used market is greater here. In addition, you don't have to pay high costs pay for expensive items when repairs are required.
• A good first car is usually a small car, such as a Ford KA, Opel Corsa or VW Polo. Even as a novice driver, you can safely control these and park without any problems. In addition, these cars are usually equipped with all safety standards.
instagram viewer
• Once you have found a model that you like, you should inquire about environmental zones in your city. Would your dream car receive the required particulate matter sticker?
• As a novice driver, you should also attach great importance to safety aspects, as young drivers in particular cause more accidents. Obligatory should be: airbags, ABS and ESP. For this purpose, look at the crash test results that you can get from the ADAC, for example.

First model at an affordable price

• Calculate your budget. What is the maximum you can spend on the purchase? How much money do you have available per month for operating costs (tax, insurance, petrol)? For older models, you should also include a cushion for repairs.


Loss of value for one car per year - you have to pay attention to this

When you buy a car, you can often get high discounts at the beginning ...

• Decide if you want one New car or one used cars want to acquire. The following applies to used cars: the older they are, the higher the risk of repairs. Do you want to buy directly from the dealer or privately? You can get good financing from dealers so that you can pay off your car in monthly installments. In addition, you receive a multi-year warranty here, but private sellers usually offer better prices.
• Buy If you have a used car, have it checked by an independent appraiser - for example at TÜV or DEKRA - check for defects. In the Schwacke list you can find out which price is realistic for a used model.
• Before buying a car, check with various insurance companies about their prices. As a rule, novice drivers pay 230 percent of the contribution rate. The type classes are particularly decisive here. If one of your parents is already insured, you can register your car as a second car. Alternatively, the no-claims discount can be transferred to you. In any case, use the premium comparison calculator.
• For models that were sold before the 30th June 2009, the emission class is reflected directly on the vehicle tax. Check whether a soot particle filter is installed or can be retrofitted. Experts recommend a minimum emission standard of Euro 4. Cars with diesel engines are generally taxed more heavily than gasoline-powered ones.
• Compare the cost of ownership for your first car. On the ADAC homepage you can use the ADAC car cost calculator Compare 7500 current models.
• Choose low-consumption models.

The comparison is easier if you create a table with all the cost factors that you assign to each of your potential dream cars. So you can see very quickly which car is a good one and which one could be too expensive for you.