Here’s everything you need to check when looking for your first car

Getting your first car is always exciting. The prospect of getting out under your own steam for the first time is something that nearly all people look forward to, but actually getting your new vehicle can pose a couple of challenges.

Whether it’s maintenance, repairs or general running costs, there are a lot of things to factor in before you make a purchase. Let’s go through some of the key things to remember before buying your first car.

One of the best things you can do at the start of any car buying journey is to set a budget. Ensuring that you’ve got a set amount of money that you’re happy to send will avoid any issues further down the line and will make sure that you’re prepared for what’s to come.

Always bundle costs together, too, rather than just the headline cost of the vehicle. So consider insurance, maintainence and replacing key components such as tyres.

It’s worth thinking about, too. Manuals tend to be less expensive to maintain and less like to go wrong, but automatics are easier to use and are more comfortable if you’re often in stop-start traffic.

The good news is that many car buying sites offer filters for various features, so you can tailor a search so that all of the vehicles you see have those key features fitted as standard.

There are third-party companies that offer inspection services for cars, too, so if you’re not comfortable doing these aspects yourself then you can get a trained professional involved to give you help.

It’s not just the condition of a car that you need to check, but its history too. One of the best tools is the government’s online MOT checker, which is free to use and can highlight the car’s MOT history including if it has previously failed and any advisories that it might have had.

An HPI check is also worth doing. These cost a small amount, but will flag whether the car has previously been written-off, or whether it still has any outstanding finance on it. If you purchase a vehicle which is still covered by a finance agreement, you could be liable for any payments – so it’s well worth running a check beforehand.

A test drive is a crucial part of the experience and will help flag any issues. It’s also a great opportunity to see if you ‘gel’ with a car and whether or not it’ll fit into your life easily.