What should i do???

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I am going to start driving in one year, and i am just thinking ahead at the moment to see what i can do...

My mum has suggested that i simpily get insured on her car as the second driver- (it is a solid 1.3 Fiesta MKIII, N reg) but as far as i can work out (correct me if i am wrong) but i will not get any 'no claims bonuses' when i get my own car.
OR
I could buy an old banger and go down those routes, so i will start to build up no claims ASAP.

Just so you know, i intend to take pass plus, and the IAM Advanced Driver courses 6-8 months after i pass.

What are YOUR opinions on the subject?

[tiggerai]

get your own insurance ASAP as being insured on your mums won't get you the NCB (correct!)

No claims bonus really makes a hefty difference.

[eUphoria]

I guess it comes down to how much you'll be paying to insure your old banger at 17 (i imagine its going to be major ouch) compared to being on your mums policy for a couple of years. Then once you're not assumed to be a total liability by the insurance companies and have a couple of years driving experience, how much cheaper insurance would actually be - oh, and of course who pays for your insurance!!

I got my 1st policy aged 22 on a fiesta like the one you mention and it cost me about £600tpft (ouch!) with 0ncb, now 4 years later im paying £490 odd FC for my modded jap import MR2! But i have heard of all sorts of crazy 4 figure quotes for 17 YO on cars that are 1 mot away from the scrap heap and worth about £50. Guess its all down to you then!!

[schmunk]

At 17 it's pretty much not worth trying to build up NCB - it's just reducing a massive sum by a small amount, so you'd be better staying a named driver on a parent's insurance.

[Konan555]

I went named driver for a few years. There was no way I was stumping up the insurance bill.

At 21 I went for my first policy. The company I went with gave me a 25% discount an account of having had no motoring convictions or accidents since I'd started driving despite me not having an NCB from an insruance company.

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Thanks for the advice, i suppose it makes sense to only pay for insurance intead of a car, MOT, Tax, all the fuel AND the insurance.

[XTR]

At 17 it's pretty much not worth trying to build up NCB - it's just reducing a massive sum by a small amount, so you'd be better staying a named driver on a parent's insurance.

I totally agree....

this is what i done... and when i came to get my own car.... "how long have you held your licence for?" I could answer 3 years > which is a big rating factor and also reduces ya premium a hell of a lot.

Even though i had no NCD for the 1st year... with holding a licence for more than 3 years and telling them i was only doing i.e. 7k miles a year brought the price down to a sensible realistic figure.

2 years down the line and im only paying £500 for my car insurance now.... compared to just shy of £1000 2 years ago. This puts into perspective how important it is to build up NCD... but also driving experience is very important.

[Fox]

The only problem is that you could have problems by insuring under your Mums name if its not your Mums car and you drive it all the time.

Even if you register your car in your Mums name its still your car - and insurance companies won't take kindly to you pretending you are an occasional driver on your mums car when really its your own car you drive all the time - this is witholding material facts which is technically fraud.

Some insurers DO allow it so do check with them first - basically, explain the entire situation to them - if they say yes, its legal. If they say no, it isn't.

[Rave]

I insured my first car at 19, it cost £700 TPFT for an old banger (admittedly it was a 1.8 Prarie, so quite a big car). I reckon it would cost a lot more for today's 19 year olds. I read a couple of years ago that there's something like a 50% chance that drivers under the age of 21 will cause an accident in their first two years of driving, and the average claim is £3500 so that's why insurance is so stupidly high.

[Konan555]

When I first looked (for a laugh) to insure my 2L at 18 3rd party was £1500 and FC was £2700.

Value of the car at the time was £1200

so..... the insurance company appeared to have it down as a near 100% change I'd write it off!

[Fox]

Or a 10% chance you'd smack it into a £100k Merc?

[Konan555]

Or a 10% chance you'd smack it into a £100k Merc?

I aim for those

[Nox]

£800 a year here, 1 year NCD

not bad for what I would consider a 'highly modified' car

Nox

[schmunk]

Yes, but you're 32...

[Tumble]

I'm not... and I'm paying £249 FC

[Lowe]

Pass plus for the win, then own insurance on a banger.

Don't make it a 1.1 Fiesta though, since everyone and their dog has one as a first car. Since most people prang their first car, insurance on "small" cars is often more than slightly bigger engined models... Hell, in most cases you can insurance a 1.4 Clio for the same money or cheaper as a 1.1 Fiesta!