Buying / Renting a car for Practice - Provisional License

Hello,

Look for a used car for a budget of 1500 €, that's more than enough to learn how to manage before receiving your company car.

phipiemar wrote:

Hello,

Look for a used car for a budget of 1500 €, that's more than enough to learn how to manage before receiving your company car.

Thanks a lot for the suggestion Phipiemar. If I don't use the car, only thing I would have paid for the year is road tax & insurance (which is roughly around 1000 EUR per year as far as I've seen) . Also selling it at later point in this price range is easy to do as well in Belgium , if I don't find a private seller ?

I'm also exploring the possibilities to maintain the car. Anything else I should specifically pay attention to apart from buying it  ,paying taxes / insurance , registering in commune ? Any key documents to double check or pay extra attention while buying ?

As of now I understood that below needs to be checked,

- Registration certificate
- Original Sales Invoice
- Conformity Certificate
-  Last Inspection Certificate
- Second Hand Inspection report
- Car Pass
- Copy of Maintenance Booklet

Thank you in advance !

Hi,

The real problem you are going to have to face is the cost of insurance.  Because as a "young Belgian driver", you will be impacted like a young person of 18 who has just obtained his driving license.  Therefore, in your place, I will ask someone to insure in their name an old used car, registered in my name.  Then as soon as you have the company car, you sell the ils one.

phipiemar wrote:

Hi,

The real problem you are going to have to face is the cost of insurance.  Because as a "young Belgian driver", you will be impacted like a young person of 18 who has just obtained his driving license.  Therefore, in your place, I will ask someone to insure in their name an old used car, registered in my name.  Then as soon as you have the company car, you sell the ils one.

I didn't know that there's such option. Thanks for pointing it out. At this moment, I've no family members who hold a Belgian License  

The problem with having insurance in my name (with provisional license) would be that I need to pay more for insurance or something like there are many exemptions in the claim , if I make any ? Any big drawbacks on having insurance in my name ?

Keep in mind that the driving examination is not to check if you are a good or bad driver, but if you can follow the rules/laws and you're not a pure danger on the road (really basic...).
Most of the people don't know how to handle their car in dangerous situations (emergency braking, slippery road, snow, ...). I hope that one day our government will finally force people to have, at least, a 1d stage on wet/snow circuit to get the driving license + difference between traction/propulsion and how to drive these cars...

I agree with Phipiemar that a end-of-life car, not too expensive, is an excellent idea for you to learn the real basics. You wouldn't loose too much money if you break it.
And if you can't sell it, you can cancel the number plate & the insurance. (but you'll have to park it in a private place/garage)


But yes, there's the issue of paying more for the insurance as a young driver... that you won't have once you've the company car.

AlexFromBelgium wrote:

Keep in mind that the driving examination is not to check if you are a good or bad driver, but if you can follow the rules/laws and you're not a pure danger on the road.
Most of the people don't know how to handle their car in dangerous situations (emergency braking, slippery road, snow, ...). I hope that one day our government will finally force people to have, at least, a 1d stage on wet/snow circuit to get the driving license + difference between traction/propulsion and how to drive these cars...

I agree with Phipiemar that a end-of-life car, not too expensive, is an excellent idea for you to learn the real basics. You wouldn't loose to much money if you break it.
And if you can't sell it, you can remove the number plate & cancel the insurance. (but you'll have to park it in a private place/garage)


But yes, there's the issue of paying more for the insurance as a young driver... that you won't have once you've the company car.

Thank you very much for the suggestion Alex ! I'm going to have a try with Old car then

I indeed agree that wet/snow circuit is kind of must have to get the license.

Only problem would be paying more for insurance with provisional license and nothing affects the insurance claims if I make any damage or accident with my insurance? Nothing else changes ?

I also read that if I cancel my insurance before 1 year , I'll get back the amount for remaining months & same for road tax. In very worst case, I'll take off my number plates & put my car in garage like you suggest.

You basically have 2 insurances choices in Belgium:
100% omnium (both your car and the damage are covered, except if alcohol, drugs, intentional crash, ...)
50% omnium (the external damage you do are covered, but you pay for your car / lose it)

+ the "RC - responsabilité civile", which is the only mandatory insurance you HAVE to pay.

100% omnium for an old car is always too expensive (unless you can afford it)
50% omnium means that tomorrow you can lose your "low-cost" car, but at least you don't have to pay for the "external" damage (other car, road damage, ...). That would be the most logical choice in your case with an old car.

You can simulate it on the web through the most known insurers in Belgium (Axa, Ethias, your bank, ...)



Now, be careful with old car too, especially with the CO2 emission standard + engine (Euro-X) if you live or often go in the biggest cities of Belgium (Brussels, Anvers, ...)!!!
Some engie (Euro-X) are banned / fee to go inside the cities.

Exact concerning the engine type with CO2 stuff. But it's mainly concern diesel engine. Not petrol one.

phipiemar wrote:

Exact concerning the engine type with CO2 stuff. But it's mainly concern diesel engine. Not petrol one.

The car which my colleague sells is a Diesel engine

https://www.moniteurautomobile.be/conse … s-lez.html

Accès autorisé = Access granted
Accès payant = need to pay

You should only consider euro-5 & euro-6 engine in diesel.

AlexFromBelgium wrote:

https://www.moniteurautomobile.be/conseils-auto/benelux/zone-basse-emission-bruxelles-lez.html

Accès autorisé = Access granted
Accès payant = need to pay

You should only consider euro-5 & euro-6 engine in diesel.

Thank you very much for this info Alex ! I've just checked and the car is euro-4 diesel.

According to the info, it's allowed till 2022.  So it's not a good idea to get Euro - 4 Diesel now for Brussels ?