Quick insurance question

[Nick F]

I'm coming up to buying my first car. I'm thinking about going for a used Ford Focus. My mate has one and I want to give it a good test drive, if he has comprehensive insurance am I allowed to drive it?

[Guy]

Erm afaik Im gonna say no, fully comp insurance only covers him to drive other peoples cars with there permission (if his fully comp policy lets him do that, im fully comp and am only allowed to drive my own car).

So basically unless your friends got trade plates, I think legally you wouldnt be insured, go down to a local independant car place, they usually let you go out for quite a good test drive.

You looking at petrol or diesel?

[Gr44]

No you won't be. If you're over 21 and insured fully comp on another car, you _May_ be. But from your post I assume you aren't.

Trade plates only cover TAX I believe, they do not cover insurance as well. Garages ( should ) have a 'blanket' insurance policy to allow test drives, normally requiring a employee of the garage to be in the car to act as a witness in case of an acident.

[Nick F]

Looking at a Petrol 1.4 I've noticed some good bargains on Autotrader recently.

It's either this of a Fiat Punto...

[Guy]

No you won't be. If you're over 21 and insured fully comp on another car, you _May_ be. But from your post I assume you aren't.

Trade plates only cover TAX I believe, they do not cover insurance as well. Garages ( should ) have a 'blanket' insurance policy to allow test drives, normally requiring a employee of the garage to be in the car to act as a witness in case of an acident.

ahh ok, I was under the impression that trade plates were for tax and insurance, but that sounds more like plausable.

Looking at a Petrol 1.4 I've noticed some good bargains on Autotrader recently.

It's either this of a Fiat Punto...

I know it would be quite a step up but have you looked at any of the tdci focuses?

[Nick F]

ahh ok, I was under the impression that trade plates were for tax and insurance, but that sounds more like plausable.



I know it would be quite a step up but have you looked at any of the tdci focuses?

It's my first car, I've got a budget of £3k but would be willing to push it to £3.5 if I thought what I was getting was worth it.

I'm very keen on the new style Focus' but there are out of my price range.

[Guy]

Ah fair enough, the only reason I bought up a diesel focus was, there quite nippy for a diesel and chuck out alot of torque, plus how many extra mpg's you will be getting, and finally they hold onto there value much better.

Im affraid that as you've said a new style focus is out of budget unless you want it to have gone round the clock a few times!

A few alternatives Vw passat?
Astra?
Golf?
Leon?

Personal preference really

[Nick F]

Ah fair enough, the only reason I bought up a diesel focus was, there quite nippy for a diesel and chuck out alot of torque, plus how many extra mpg's you will be getting, and finally they hold onto there value much better.

Im affraid that as you've said a new style focus is out of budget unless you want it to have gone round the clock a few times!

A few alternatives Vw passat?
Astra?
Golf?
Leon?

Personal preference really

All good cars, don't forget this is my first car so insurance needs to be a massive consideration. I've set aside money for insurance and other costs already.

[TiG]

Nick let me suggest one thing on your first car, don't make the decision on paper, cars all drive different and you'll find that you may enjoy driving something better than another.

It may influence your choice much more than you might imagine.

It will certainly help that you've made the right choice if you've had some things to compare against

TiG

[McMav]

You wont be insured but why not head down local LARGE carpark at night when its quiet and have a "wee shot" there?

[chriswood_7]

Give greenlight or noel dazely a call, im sure they do really good short term insurance cover (prolly £10 a day or something similar) which would be worth it if it was the difference between buying and not buying

[kalniel]

Go to a car supermarket and find the same model car, ask to test drive it

[unrealrocks]

Slight thread steal although on the same lines ... Are there any short term insurers that will insure drivers under 21?

[Howard]

Most will, if you pay them. It cost me circa £15 or so to insure my old car for a week

[PEN]

AFAIAA, most comprehensive insurance policies will let others drive it with the owner's permission - but only 3rd party.

That was certainly the case with mine - although DO check his policy or give the insurer a quick call.

As others have said, you can add people to your insurance temporarily - provided they're not in a high-risk categroy then sometimes its free.

PEN

[Barakka]

You could always try somewhere like:
http://www.insuredaily.co.uk/
who specialise in Daily Insurance policies.

Get him to phone his insurance and ask their advice, they may do it for free as PEN said, or may offer to do it for a tenner or similar. Otherwise try and get a one day policy.