A lot of young people when they pass their test just don’t have the funds to buy their own car straight away, but this doesn’t mean you can’t get behind the wheel of someone else’s car. Many young drivers decide to get insured on their parents’ car, either being added as a named driver onto their policy or taking advantage of an alternative like our Named young Driver Insurance. Whatever way you choose to do it, it’s a great way to make sure you continue to drive after passing your test, I mean let’s be honest – that’s what we do it for! Now no one said sharing a car would be easy but it sure isn’t impossible! Here are 5 ways to make it a lot easier!
It's all in the planning
If you know you’re going to need to use the car next Thursday, it would make sense to plan this in advance. Syncing up your diaries will be crucial and it will avoid the car ever being double booked. You can download calendar sharing apps, or simply put it up on the calendar in the kitchen – but let your parents know (and them, you) when you need the car, at least a few weeks in advance.
Keep them sweet
Using your parents' car isn’t a given, and if they do let you use it – then you’ve got to keep them happy – and here are some ways you can do it:
- Offer to wash the car, inside and out
- Pick them up from the pub
- General day to day taxi service
- Buy them a gift to say thank you
- Run the errands they don’t want to
- Remind them that with our Named Young Driver Insurance if you need to make a claim, their No Claims Discount will remain intact!
Might not all sound like fun, but we’re sure the offer of these will keep you in their good books and more importantly, behind the wheel!
Fuel it up
Probably the biggest one when it comes to sharing a car is who is using what in fuel. Now if your parents’ are the type to not bother you for fuel money (also known as angels), then you can skip this point completely – but for those of us who have got to put in our own fuel, it’s a good idea to organise how you both want to manage filling up, whether it’s you contributing money or simply filling the tank up to where it way when you got in. How you work it out is up to you and your folks!
Straighten out the bugbears
We all have those annoying habits in our cars – don’t we? For me, I leave an excessive amount of water bottles laying around. Whilst this doesn’t bother me too much whilst I’m behind the wheel, I know it drives my Dad insane! It’s good to set some time out once in a while to share your annoyance with each other and nip them in the bud as soon as possible. Better that, than popping your top when there are one too many bottles in the passenger's footwell.
Sharing is caring
Let’s face it, it would be a whole lot easier for everyone to have their own car at their disposal – but it doesn’t always happen like that. Sharing a car can be a bit of a pain, but it’s sure a lot better than having no car at all – don’t you think?
We hope these top tips help you and your parents’ to share one car in perfect harmony (or as close to perfect harmony as you can get!)
