Latest news with #firstcar
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How much does it cost to become a driver in the UK?
It's 90 years since the driving test became compulsory in the UK. Back then it cost just 37.5p to sit the test, and around two thirds of people passed. Now it costs £23 for the theory test, £62 for a practical test on a weekday and £75 at the weekend — and fewer than half of people pass. But the cost of multiple tests is far from the only cost of getting on the road. It starts pretty cheaply, with £34 for the provisional licence, but then the costs start mounting. On average you need 45 hours of driving lessons and 22 hours of practice before you're prepared for your practical test. Assuming you know somebody who is prepared to take you out, 45 hours of lessons at a typical cost of £45 will set you back £2,025. If you need more lessons or they're pricier in your area, it'll cost even more than that. Once you've passed, you need to buy the car. On average people's first cars cost £5,500. Then there's insurance — the cheapest models can be covered for about £1,500, but beware, because you can easily find yourself facing a bill of around £2,500 for something that doesn't feel particularly fast or risky. Read more: How getting ahead on your tax return can help cut your tax bill Add on £195 for the standard rate of car tax, and before you've driven a single mile — and accounted for petrol, servicing and the MOT — it will have set you back £10,352. It means you need to consider how to cut the costs. These are in such high demand that there's not much haggling to be had, but check whether you can get a discount for block bookings. It's also worth considering the balance of official lessons and private practice. If you have a friend or relative who is a calm and confident driver, they may be prepared to take you out more in order to save on lessons. There are a variety of techniques that can help you negotiate a good deal when buying a second-hand car. Research the going rate before you start, so you know what's reasonable. Check the car's condition — if there are dings and scratches you can use this as leverage for a lower cost. Consider the deal you'll accept, and be prepared to walk away if they won't go low enough. If you get within touching distance of what you consider to be fair, you can ask for them to throw in a service or MOT to make up the difference. Picking the right car is key, so take the time to check what it'll cost to insure before you buy. There's no point picking up a bargain that costs thousands of pounds extra every year in insurance. Check if you can save money by adding a second named driver. This is very different from insuring it in someone else's name and adding yourself second — that's called fronting and is illegal. Putting an older and more experienced person on the insurance as a second driver can still shave hundreds or even thousands of pounds off the cost. Including it in a multi-car policy with other reliable drivers in the same household can also help. You could also consider a telematics policy, where you have a "black box" in the car monitoring your driving. If you drive carefully at safer times of day this can lower your costs — although riskier driving could see your premiums rise significantly — and you could even have the policy more: Real cost of a 2025 summer holiday as families priced out or fined How to tell if you're rich Who wears the financial trousers in your relationship?Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How much does it cost to become a driver in the UK?
It's 90 years since the driving test became compulsory in the UK. Back then it cost just 37.5p to sit the test, and around two thirds of people passed. Now it costs £23 for the theory test, £62 for a practical test on a weekday and £75 at the weekend — and fewer than half of people pass. But the cost of multiple tests is far from the only cost of getting on the road. It starts pretty cheaply, with £34 for the provisional licence, but then the costs start mounting. On average you need 45 hours of driving lessons and 22 hours of practice before you're prepared for your practical test. Assuming you know somebody who is prepared to take you out, 45 hours of lessons at a typical cost of £45 will set you back £2,025. If you need more lessons or they're pricier in your area, it'll cost even more than that. Once you've passed, you need to buy the car. On average people's first cars cost £5,500. Then there's insurance — the cheapest models can be covered for about £1,500, but beware, because you can easily find yourself facing a bill of around £2,500 for something that doesn't feel particularly fast or risky. Read more: How getting ahead on your tax return can help cut your tax bill Add on £195 for the standard rate of car tax, and before you've driven a single mile — and accounted for petrol, servicing and the MOT — it will have set you back £10,352. It means you need to consider how to cut the costs. These are in such high demand that there's not much haggling to be had, but check whether you can get a discount for block bookings. It's also worth considering the balance of official lessons and private practice. If you have a friend or relative who is a calm and confident driver, they may be prepared to take you out more in order to save on lessons. There are a variety of techniques that can help you negotiate a good deal when buying a second-hand car. Research the going rate before you start, so you know what's reasonable. Check the car's condition — if there are dings and scratches you can use this as leverage for a lower cost. Consider the deal you'll accept, and be prepared to walk away if they won't go low enough. If you get within touching distance of what you consider to be fair, you can ask for them to throw in a service or MOT to make up the difference. Picking the right car is key, so take the time to check what it'll cost to insure before you buy. There's no point picking up a bargain that costs thousands of pounds extra every year in insurance. Check if you can save money by adding a second named driver. This is very different from insuring it in someone else's name and adding yourself second — that's called fronting and is illegal. Putting an older and more experienced person on the insurance as a second driver can still shave hundreds or even thousands of pounds off the cost. Including it in a multi-car policy with other reliable drivers in the same household can also help. You could also consider a telematics policy, where you have a "black box" in the car monitoring your driving. If you drive carefully at safer times of day this can lower your costs — although riskier driving could see your premiums rise significantly — and you could even have the policy more: Real cost of a 2025 summer holiday as families priced out or fined How to tell if you're rich Who wears the financial trousers in your relationship?Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How much does it cost to become a driver in the UK?
It's 90 years since the driving test became compulsory in the UK. Back then it cost just 37.5p to sit the test, and around two thirds of people passed. Now it costs £23 for the theory test, £62 for a practical test on a weekday and £75 at the weekend — and fewer than half of people pass. But the cost of multiple tests is far from the only cost of getting on the road. It starts pretty cheaply, with £34 for the provisional licence, but then the costs start mounting. On average you need 45 hours of driving lessons and 22 hours of practice before you're prepared for your practical test. Assuming you know somebody who is prepared to take you out, 45 hours of lessons at a typical cost of £45 will set you back £2,025. If you need more lessons or they're pricier in your area, it'll cost even more than that. Once you've passed, you need to buy the car. On average people's first cars cost £5,500. Then there's insurance — the cheapest models can be covered for about £1,500, but beware, because you can easily find yourself facing a bill of around £2,500 for something that doesn't feel particularly fast or risky. Read more: How getting ahead on your tax return can help cut your tax bill Add on £195 for the standard rate of car tax, and before you've driven a single mile — and accounted for petrol, servicing and the MOT — it will have set you back £10,352. It means you need to consider how to cut the costs. These are in such high demand that there's not much haggling to be had, but check whether you can get a discount for block bookings. It's also worth considering the balance of official lessons and private practice. If you have a friend or relative who is a calm and confident driver, they may be prepared to take you out more in order to save on lessons. There are a variety of techniques that can help you negotiate a good deal when buying a second-hand car. Research the going rate before you start, so you know what's reasonable. Check the car's condition — if there are dings and scratches you can use this as leverage for a lower cost. Consider the deal you'll accept, and be prepared to walk away if they won't go low enough. If you get within touching distance of what you consider to be fair, you can ask for them to throw in a service or MOT to make up the difference. Picking the right car is key, so take the time to check what it'll cost to insure before you buy. There's no point picking up a bargain that costs thousands of pounds extra every year in insurance. Check if you can save money by adding a second named driver. This is very different from insuring it in someone else's name and adding yourself second — that's called fronting and is illegal. Putting an older and more experienced person on the insurance as a second driver can still shave hundreds or even thousands of pounds off the cost. Including it in a multi-car policy with other reliable drivers in the same household can also help. You could also consider a telematics policy, where you have a "black box" in the car monitoring your driving. If you drive carefully at safer times of day this can lower your costs — although riskier driving could see your premiums rise significantly — and you could even have the policy more: Real cost of a 2025 summer holiday as families priced out or fined How to tell if you're rich Who wears the financial trousers in your relationship?Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Princess Andre, 17, reveals she's splashed out on her first car with personalised plates as she shows off the £10k motor two weeks after passing her driving test
Princess Andre has revealed she's bought her first car, two weeks after passing her driving test. The teen, 17, proudly shared snaps of her swanky new white Audi A1 on Instagram, along with personalised plates emblazoned with her name. Posing with her car keys in hand, Princess showed off her £10,000 car, which boasted fake plates that were likely placed on the vehicle for when she received it. She captioned the post: 'I bought my first car.' Two weeks ago, Princess, who is the daughter of singer Peter Andre and former glamour model Katie Price, revealed she'd passed her driving test. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Posting a snap of her driving test certificate, she captioned the snap: 'I passed... (smiley emoji).' Fans and friends quickly flooded the comment section with messages of congratulations for the teenager. The exciting news comes just a day after Princess enjoyed a day of shopping at Selfridges in London, wearing a £72 SKIMS bodysuit paired with low-rise, wide-leg jeans. The teenager shared a slew of Instagram snaps as she splashed out on a Louis Vuitton purchase. Princess kept comfortable for her shopping trip in a pair of black trainers and toted her belongings in a coordinated handbag. Styling her long blonde tresses loose in curls, the influencer completed her look by layering two necklaces. She seemed in high spirits as she posed for a mirror selfie in the department store and also shared a snap posing on an escalator. Princess wrote: 'Being impulsive and going shopping…' It comes after it was also revealed that Princess has opted against featuring her mum Katie in her upcoming ITV reality show. MailOnline revealed that Katie, 46, will not appear on the fly-on-the-wall programme which will see influencer Princess, who turns 18 next month, become a celebrity in her own right but her dad Peter, step-mum Emily and older brother Junior are all to have parts in the series. The programme will follow her work and home life as she prepares to reach the milestone age and last week, the popular teenager - whose father is Peter Andre - was spotted with a camera crew outside the London offices of hair styling brand GHD. A television insider told MailOnline: 'Katie will not be in Princess's show, the decision has been made and it's final. 'Princess loves her mum, and they have a great relationship, but the show is all about her work and home life. 'Television bosses were adamant that nothing was to be 'staged' to include Katie as it would not be a real and truthful insight into her life.' Princess has already signed big money deals with clothing and beauty brands including being an ambassador for high street chain Superdrug, Studio London, Morphe and Revolution. Cameras will be following her around as she continues to make waves in the highly lucrative influencer world up until she turns 18 at the end of June. But television executives have been so impressed with the teenager that it looks set to be the start of her television career and clearly don't want her controversial mother to muddy her chances at becoming a household name. Back in 2020 dad Peter launched the family's YouTube channel, The Andres, which gave viewers a glimpse into their lives. The source added: 'Princess is a complete natural, which isn't surprising considering she grew up on her parents' reality TV shows. 'Everyone working on the show has been really impressed with her attitude and professionalism. She's got a lot going on so there's plenty of great stuff for them to film. 'It's a really exciting time for Princess.' She hopes the series will help launch her catwalk career.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Top 5 Best used cars for new drivers from a used motors expert
JUST passed your driving test? It's time to get a car. We all know buying your first used car can be nerve-wracking, especially if you're doing it on your own. 6 FIND HERE Don't worry! At Sun Motors, we're going to take you through our selection of some of the best-used cars for first-time drivers. When comparing the best used first cars, we've weighed up a range of factors, including safety and security, insurance, running costs and repairs. The models here are tried and trusted and should perform well as safe, secure and reliable runarounds. You want to hit the road, so let's start with finding five fantastic car deals for new drivers. Top 5 best used cars for new drivers Here are 5 tried and tested cars that are ideal for first-time buyers. We've selected small cars with solid engines and engineering. They may not be the fastest or most attractive motors, but they're a great place to start on your car owning career. 6 MODEL: Ford KA FIND HERE Insurance for new drivers is, quite frankly, bonkers – but not if you buy a Ford Ka. This popular city car is in the lowest insurance group (group 1-10, says Parkers), which means it's the lowest risk. Low risk = low premium. It's cheap to insure, but is it any good? Absolutely! The reliable, affordable and quirky Ford Ka is a great first car. It's economical to run, and the no-frills exterior and interior are perfect as you're highly likely to add a few dents, scratches and damage yourself. You can pick up a good quality 10-year-old Ford Ka for around £5k. Dull but functional: Skoda Fabia FIND HERE The Skoda brand name has been revitalised since its VW ownership, with the brand now known for dull but functional cars that last. The Skoda Fabia is a basic motor that's also in a low insurance group, meaning it's cheap to insure. Driving is more fun than you'd imagine, with a strong and solid engine and a leisurely ride. We recommend new drivers go for third-generation models (2014-2021) with the 1.0 litre engine if possible. Prices for a bog-standard, 10-year old Skoda Fabia are around £3.5k and rising to £23,000 for a nearly new model. German precision: VW Polo 6 FIND HERE OK, so the older (2014-21) VW Polos and the Skoda Fabias share a common platform (PQ26) which makes them similar, but they're not identical twins. The Polo is a bit more refined, with better handling and a finer finish. The driving experience is similar to a Fabia, with reviewers loving the 2009-17 version, praising its comfortable ride and classy looks. You might expect to pay a premium, but you can pick up a 2015 VW Polo for £3,500. Tiny tearaway: Fiat 500 6 FIND HERE When it was launched, the Fiat 500 blew us all away. The micro-car is a 60s-inspired piece of design that's as evocative as the Italian job. Slide inside (if you can fit) and it's a surprisingly good drive. The short wheelbase and small overall size make it feel fast on the road. There's not much luggage space and carrying passengers will be a problem, but it's an ideal first car for urban motorists on a budget. Its popularity keeps prices down. Basic models of the Fiat 500 can be picked up for a little over £3,000. Small price and perfect for small driers. Money-no-object: Mini 6 Who doesn't want a Mini? The BMW reboot of the Mini has created a brand new icon, and we love it. The 'modern' MINI is every bit as popular as the previous version, with almost 3000 for sale today on Sun Motors. When the car looks this good, who cares what it drives like? (Take our word for it, it's a fantastic car to drive and own.) There are so many models to choose from, you could get lost for a long time. We recommend first-time drivers go for an older model, like this 2015 MINI Hatch 1.5 Cooper for a few litres of fuel under £5,000. MINIs will wrack up a lot of miles, so don't be put off by a model that's done over 100k. Instead, check the MOT history and service history, that's a better indication of how a car has been cared for and will perform. What is the best car for a new driver? Personally, I'd go for a Dacia Sandero - because that's what I drive. But I'm old. If I were a first time car buyer, I'd try and find the perfect middle ground. That's going to be a great looking car that's fun to drive but cheap to insure and fill up. My personal choice for the best used car for a first time buyer would be the Skoda Fabia. If you can, take one out for a drive. It's surprisingly spacious, stylish to look at and well built. Go for one with low-mileage and a full service history. Why Sun Motors makes first-time buying easy Sun Motors makes buying a new car easy. The AI feature and sophisticated search function enable anyone to find the right car for them at the right price. When buying from Sun Motors, you're dealing with dealers you can trust. All cars for sale have been checked over, with any faults or problems fixed. Dealers will also offer a warranty, giving you peace of mind for thousands of miles. Why would you buy from anywhere else? New driver car buying FAQs Car finance for new drivers: Can I get a used car on finance if I'm a first-time driver? Of course first time drivers can access finance – but only if you're over 18. If you are, the amount you can borrow and the terms (including interest rate) will depend on your individual circumstances, including income, outgoings and credit history. Sun Motors makes it simple to check eligibility and affordability of finance. Our advice is to always read the small print and make sure you can manage all motoring costs, including car repayments, insurance, tax and (of course) fuel! How much is insurance for a new driver? New drivers can expect to pay £1500 or more for insurance, say finance experts Moneyshake. The exact cost of car insurance depends on a huge range of factors, including your age and location, driving history, car make, model, age and value. Before buying a car, you can use comparison sites to compare insurance prices. Don't ever buy a car without knowing how much it'll cost to insure, or you could face a nasty surprise. What size engine can a new driver drive uk? If you've passed your test, you can drive anything you want – as long as you can afford to insure it. Our advice is to start with a small and safe car, then work your way up. Stats about new driver accidents are scary, so be safe and get a smaller car. What to look for when buying a used car for the first time Check out our guide on what to look out for when buying a used car here. Safety – Always buy a car from a trusted dealer. Check out old MOTs and ask the seller if the car has been written off and returned to the road. Walk away if a dealer won't share this information. Reliability – Being stranded by the roadside is no fun, so ensure the car has a full service history and all essential work has been done. Economy – Smaller cars use less fuel, so start small. Size – Don't get a big car. New drivers are much more likely to get into accidents. Cost of ownership – Consider the purchase price of the car and all running costs. Make a budget before buying a car. Are used cars as safe as new cars? Yes, used cars are as safe as new cars. Always check the MOT record and service history and, if possible, buy from a dealer. This will ensure your new used car is in the best condition it can be. Buying a used car? Check out Sun Motors and find your next vehicle today. Whether you're looking for automatic, manual or electric, use Sun Motors to decide on your next model.
