What to look for in a first car?

HI there, I know nothing about cars but am looking for a first car. What shud I look out for and what kind of cars wud be best! thanks

Well, what do you plan on using the vehicle primarily for!

Obviously a first car should be safe, not overly powerful and forgiving in handling characteristics

just getting around, getting to work,

what is your budget!

get a corolla , go for ever and cheap as chips to run, got to remember insurance aswell and also get something no one wants to steal.

You should look for:

Cheap (against your budget) if / when you prang it you want to be able to get it repaired without too much drama. A car with a couple of dents also won't show up new dents.

Factor in the running costs (this is car dependant, you'll need to get a couple of options together then research them online / against the advice of other people)

Older - having a couple of basic problems come about will help you learn more about cars and help prevent more expensive problems in the future.

Get a book on basic car maintenance. Anyone driving should have a good idea of: What sort of fuel economy you should be getting from a tank, how to change a flat tire, how to jump start a manual car, how to check and top up oil, radiator, brake fluid and windsheild washers.

Front wheel drive (as opposed to rear wheel drive and all wheel drive) This will limit your power and is the easiest car to drive overall, meaning you won't get into as much trouble (its still easy to get into trouble in an FF, but not as much as an RWD) - examples - pretty much anything these days, but the Honda Civic, nearly all Toyota Corollas etc

Get something that suits your needs. No point having a two lane wide, 10 foot long sedan if you live in a city. You're going to need practise parking a car and you want to make it as easy as possible when you get started. Likewise, driving more than an hour in a half in a Toyota Echo across the country is stressful and more difficult than a reasonable sized sedan.

Less important these days, but it should be a manual car, just so you learn how to use a clutch and what not - in the not too distant future you won't find many cars with an old fashion manual transmission, but knowing how to drive in one is pretty important.

Pick something you like the look of as well. Driving should be something you enjoy, or at least don't mind doing. Just make sure you research the car first. IE, A Toyota Cavalier is a heap of shit and would make a terrible first choice, even though its called a Toyota etc. When I buy a car I've already learned how big its gas tank is, how much power it should have and what common problems can go wrong with it.

If you need to borrow money for it, go to your bank first, a car dealer won't offer you (generally) as good a rate in repayments

Call around for insurance details, and pay whatever it costs for full insurance. If you can't afford full insurance, you can't afford a car.

Brilliant! thanks foxdonut, one more thing. what price range wud be suitable for a cheap but good first car!

See post #4.

Some people its 3 grand, some people its 30.

There are P plate Mustangs, SS VE's and even a fkn Ferrari here in Sydney, so its really up to you how much you want to spend.

lol i was thinking cheap as chips 1-2 grand

nissan pulsar 1992 onwards. find the best one you can for your budget. try and extend it to $2500 and youll get a decent one. theses cars are reliable and CHEAP to fix.
theres a fiat punto in CHCH for 2500 which are good cars too apparently.

nissan pulsar 1992 onwards. find the best one you can for your budget. try and extend it to $2500 and youll get a decent one. theses cars are reliable and CHEAP to fix