by Joanna Canning

Created on: January 02, 2009

Factors that should be considered when buying your first car are most of all price and safety.

The majority of young drivers surely do not have a sufficient budget to buy a very good brand new car but a careful thorough research into a used cars market will do the job. Besides, lots of companies nowadays come up with producing cars specifically intended for younger people, that is affordable, with a wide array of safety features, not to expensive to maintain and with cool design that will appeal to first time drivers.

The most important factor, and the most underestimated by the young buyers, is obviously the vehicle's safety. However talented and good the young driver thinks he or she is, the truth is that it's people with the least road experience that are the reason for motor accidents and crashes. As with every activity, driving too requires years of practice and even after a significant amount of time has passed, no person can really master it. The crucial thing to realise is that driving irresponsibly and too fast, sitting behind a wheel of an overused, not tested or not equipped in safety features car puts in jeopardy not only our life, but the lives of other passengers and pedestrians too. That's why I would discourage you from buying a sports car or convertible as your first car. When purchasing your first vehicle you should make sure that the vehicle is equipped with: alarm, anti-lock brakes (ABS), driver and passenger airbags, immobiliser, rear seat belts, safety belt pretensions, side airbags, electronic stability program (ESP) if possible.

There's no denying that young buyers care about the looks of their possessions and a car constitutes the same fashion accessory as mobile phone or laptop. It's also a representation of their social status so they do not want to be seen with a vehicle that is outdated or doesn't match their personality. Therefore, young drivers should be permitted to personalise their cars as much as their budget allows it. Obviously, the choice of a car is everybody's individual thing but the first buyer's car shouldn't be too big. You have to be able to do the necessary manoeuvres and park the car without additional problems. I believe that a small/medium coupe, but with plenty of room in the back seat to haul your friends, will be the perfect one for a youngster. It's worth rememebering that as far as design and accessories still need to be cool, first car should serve a young driver as a sort of introduction to driving. Thus, ought to find it not complicated to drive and economical.

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