First car, fast car!!

‘Designer Envy’ is without doubt contributing to the increasing number of uninsured motorists on today’s roads!! Is peer pressure and designer car envy pushing up the number of ‘uninsured drivers’ currently on the UK’s roads today? In a culture where peer pressure drives the needs and the wants of the individual to acquire the next ‘hot’ item, is the car you drive on that list? Sadly, it is now all too commonplace for today’s youth to ‘mug’ another just to acquire the latest item on the HOT list of things to be seen with. In the past that shopping list has contained such items as: designer trainers, portable CD players, mobile phones and now the iPod. Is the next ‘cool’ thing to have, the right to drive the correct car? If it is, this may be a major contributing factor to the continued spiralling increase of car insurance abuse? Designer car envy is dictating what is cool and what is not. The young driver is aspiring to drive the latest ‘must have’ model, or the car that is currently in vogue. Sensibility should dictate that the young first time drive should set his or her sights on a more modest and affordable mode of transport, however, this may be seen as un-cool. Add to this the need for young drivers to modify their cars to look flashier, be quicker and sound louder that the next car and the requirement to look good is a top priority. This state of ‘envy’ will result in the driver being able to afford the car, but perhaps not the insurance. A real designer ‘catch 22’. And what the heck, if the driver risks it for 12 months and gets caught, the penalty is a wrap on the knuckles and a £200 fine. Saving on the insurance premium in year one will handsomely contribute towards the purchase of the cars. COOL cars Top ‘COOL’ cars to have – that are less affordable in terms of insurance but the cars that all under 18 year olds want. - Citroen Saxo - Seat Ibiza - Peugeot 106 - Renault Clio - Vauxhall Corsa - BMW 316 - Peugeot 206 - Fiat Punto - MGZR Naff cars Top ‘SENSIBLE’ cars not to have - that are more affordable in terms of insurance and are an acceptable form of transport to many over 20 year olds. - Nissan Micra - Kia Rio - Daewoo Matiz - SMART - Hyundai Getz - Daihatsu Sirion - Ford KA - Perouda Kelisa Cost of insurance Case A Average premiums: based on a 20 year old driver with 2 years no-claims, HD9 post code, third party fire & theft, on a car registered in 1998. Cool car £720.00 per year. Sensible car £680.00 per year Case B Average premiums: based on an 18 year old driver with I years no-claims, L37 post code, third party fire & theft, on a car registered in 2000. Cool car £2763.00 per year Sensible car £1100.00 per year This proves that the main problem is with the under 18 year olds. How young drivers choose their first car A recent survey of young insured drivers by leading on-line motor insurance broker InsureYourMotor.com revealed too many young first time drivers choose their first car for entirely the wrong reason, based primarily on peer pressure. With spring just around the corner, this is the time of year when newly qualified drivers get ready to purchase their first motor vehicle. In an alarming survey of ‘first time drivers’ InsureYourMotor.com found that peer pressure and aesthetics played more of a part in the decision making process than that of the mechanical soundness of the motor vehicle to be driven on the road. The survey of newly qualified drivers revealed: • 78% of drivers chose their first car because friends had the same make or model. • 81% of young women drivers chose their first car on colour alone. • 76% of young drivers ignored parental guidance when making the purchase. • 65% of drivers had no formal mechanical check of the vehicle before purchasing. With the media currently focusing heavily on uninsured drivers, David Harlow, Managing Director of InsureYourMotor.com urges all drivers not only to ensure their vehicle is insured, taxed and MOT’s, but also to check its roadworthiness. David Harlow comments: “I am a great campaigner on the current issue of un-insured motorists. As a result, I felt it prudent to investigate how young drivers choose their first motor vehicle. The survey InsureYourMotor.com carried out was highly revealing. Too many young drivers are ignoring standard safety and road worthy checks when purchase their first motor vehicle, basing the decision on aesthetics”. Buying a car When buying their first car, young drivers rarely consider any sensible guidelines. Follow the InsureYouMotor.com guide to buying a second hand car when buying your first motor vehicle. • People sell cars for one of a number of reasons. They have genuinely out grown them or there is something wrong. Make sure you know the correct reason. • Always try to take either a qualified mechanic with you or someone that has a good sound mechanical knowledge. • Conduct a brief all over inspection, covering: body work, wheels, tyres, interior trim, boot, engine bay, engine and any suspicious areas such as under carpets and boot linings. • Does the mileage match the condition? Be sceptical. • Check the car's paperwork and service history. If there are too many repair or service bills this may not necessarily reveal its been well looked after. Too much work will indicate the car may merit a more detailed inspection. If it does, contact the AA or RAC who will conduct this for you. • If you find something suspect, check it out. For instance, if you spot a new rear bumper, the car may have had a rear-end accident, so look for signs of damage buckling underneath the car, filled or badly re-sprayed panels, crumpled panels in the boot and so on. Also ask the owner about it. • Check all paperwork: Vehicle registration documents, MOT, Road Fund Licence and ensure the car has an HPI test. Your insurance company can do this for you. • Check the service manual. Has it had all its regular services at the correct intervals? If so, has it been serviced by a main dealer? • When test-driving the car get a second party who has mechanical knowledge to drive the car also. Do not go on your own euphoric gut feel alone. • If you are fixed on a particular model of motor vehicle, view several examples before you make your choice. After viewing a number of examples you will have a feel for what is acceptable condition and price for the year. • If the car looks too good for the money, the chances are it isn’t. Get a feel for the kind of car your money should buy. If you have any doubts at all don’t buy.

Date - 20/04/2004