[pgarner]

no id agree that newer drivers are buying a lot newer cars. i started out in an 8 year old car, then a 6 year old then 16 year old before buying the bora as a 4 year old.
i live in the street and the amount of young drivers, mainly girls, are buying brand new cars not long after they pass their test. i think it was more Citroen that started this with the cashback and free insurance deals on the saxo.

the problem with buying a new or nearly new car for a first one is the fact it does rarely have problems with them ( that arent covered by warranties) so you gain less experience doing thing on them.

with the fiesta ( first car ) i learnt how to change oil, air filter, sparks, leads, dizzy cap, rotor arm, and coil. learnt a large amount of electrical as so many things were needing wired back up due to corrosion