Your first car is exciting, and it is also the easiest one to get wrong. The most common mistake is spending the entire budget on the car and nothing on the cost of owning it.
Budget for the whole thing
The purchase price is the beginning. You also need registration, CTP, stamp duty, insurance, fuel, servicing, tyres and a buffer for repairs. A good approach is to hold back a portion of your total budget so that an unexpected bill in the first year does not put the car off the road.
Get insurance quotes before you buy
This is the step that saves first-time buyers the most money. Premiums for young and inexperienced drivers can be very high, and they vary enormously between models — a sporty hatch can cost several times more to insure than a sensible one with a similar price tag. Get quotes on the specific cars you are considering while you are still choosing.
Check the P-plate rules
Most states restrict provisional drivers from driving certain high-powered vehicles. The definitions differ by state and are based on things like power-to-weight ratio, turbochargers or engine size. Check your own state's list before you buy, not after — plenty of new drivers have bought a car they legally cannot drive.
Prioritise safety
Look for a good ANCAP rating, but note the year it was tested, because standards get tougher over time — a five-star rating from a decade ago is not the same as one earned recently. Curtain airbags, electronic stability control and, on newer cars, autonomous emergency braking are the features worth having.
Boring is good
A well-maintained, common, mainstream car is the smart first purchase. Parts are cheap and available, any mechanic can work on it, and it will not punish you for a small mistake. Save the interesting car for when you are not paying learner-level insurance.
Do not skip the inspection
Get a PPSR check and an independent mechanical inspection on any used car, no matter who is selling it. If it is a friend's car, do it anyway — it is not personal, it is just sensible.
Learn the basics
Know how to check your oil, coolant and tyre pressures, and how to change a tyre. Those three skills will look after you for the rest of your driving life.