We all know that being a driver isn't exactly the cheapest. Even on top of the price of the car, there's the cost of lessons, a test (or five, for some of us), insurance, tax, petrol and more.
But one new driver from Ireland has found that life on the road could be even more expensive than we'd all thought - having been quoted nearly £15,000 for insurance, which was eight times the value of his car.
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Eighteen-year-old Nathan Guilfoyle, who hails from Claremorris, Co Mayo, undertandably felt pretty miffed when he received the estimate on his 2004 Ford Fiesta.
"My original reaction was that it was really unfair rather than being shocked," he told the Irish Mirror.
"You do expect high enough prices but when it came to that one, I thought, 'OK, €6,000, €5000, I can see why they might go high enough'.
"But when I saw €16,785.01 (£14,701), which is eight times what the car is worth, I just thought it was unfair."
Nathan added: "I think that's definitely the case. I don't think they're being proper with that figure.
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"I think there's an element they don't want to insure young drivers.
"I know there's a stigma around us but I think it's just unfair for everybody involved because most of the lads I know just want to have a car and drive around.
"We're a victim of other people; we don't get a fresh start. We don't get a clean slate. I think it's unfair the way the whole system works really."
Nathan's mum, Irene, said that she felt she could 'only laugh' at the situation.
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Irene spoke to the Tommy Marren show on MidWest Radio yesterday after Irish Fianna Fáil politican Dara Calleary discussed how the sector needs to exercise more transparency.
Irene said: "We wanted Nathan on his own policy because it'd be there and it'd be handy and he could bring himself and Dean to school and drop my other daughter to school."
When asked about the Allianz Insurance quote, she added: "You could only laugh because what planet are they on?
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"They don't want to insure young drivers I think and that's their way of not taking them on.
"A lot of them [insurance firms] won't even quote young drivers now. Some of them did give us quotations and they were about €5,500 or €6,000 but even at that it was mental.
"He's insured now. My renewal came up in April so I insured Nathan and his younger brother, who's on a provisional.
"They're both insured now for €1,500 as named drivers. And we're happy with that."
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LADbible has contact Allianz Insurance for a comment.
Featured Image Credit: Nathan Guilfoyle
Topics: Ireland, UK News, News, Driving, Driver, Cars