How salary sacrifice helped Jordon drive a brand-new Jeep Avenger as a first-time driver

Passing your driving test is exciting. But for many new drivers, the reality of buying and insuring a car can quickly take the shine off. If you’re a first-time driver looking for an electric car, the upfront costs can make it feel even further out of reach.

That’s exactly what Nottingham-based Jordon Peach, Social Lettings Officer at Nottingham City Council, discovered after passing his test earlier this year.

“I was looking at buying a car outright and checking insurance amounts,” said Jordon. “But insurance for new drivers these days is ridiculously expensive.”

After adding up how much it’d be for a second-hand car alongside monthly insurance costs, Jordon realised the overall amount simply didn’t make sense for him. And that’s without petrol.

“I’d have spent around £2,000 on an old banger and then about £180 a month just for insurance,” he explained. “Then I saw the Tusker scheme and thought – hang on – for around £400 a month I could get a brand-new car, insurance included and it came with maintenance, servicing, and replacement tyres – the whole package for that monthly amount. No questions about it really, is there?”

Finding the right electric car for first-time drivers

Jordon chose a fully electric Jeep Avenger in bright yellow through Tusker’s salary sacrifice car scheme.

“I wouldn’t lose it in a car park,” he joked.

The Avenger was available through Tusker’s stock page on the driver portal, which appealed to Jordon as he was keen to get on the road sooner rather than later.

“I was looking at ‘build your car’ options too, but I wanted something quicker,” he said. “The Jeep was in stock and, honestly, one of the main selling points for me was that I wanted something that felt a bit fun and silly while still looking good as well.”

Jordon had his eye on the Alpine A290 but practicality was his decision maker.

“The Jeep was a bit bigger, I can fit more in the boot, and the lead time was shorter. It just ticked all the right boxes.”

First-time EV driver impressions

Although the Jeep Avenger is Jordon’s first car, he says making the move straight into electric has been surprisingly easy and much more affordable than expected.

“I charged it for the first time at a Tesla charger during off-peak hours and it cost me less than a tenner to fully charge,” he said. “Compared to seeing my friends spending £50 filling up with petrol, it’s brilliant.”

Jordon has already planned to get his free home charger installed from Jeep once he moves house, and after some research, he’s figured out it’ll be even more affordable than off-peak public charging.

Charging at home with an off-peak tariff is one of the best ways and the most affordable option for recharging your cars batteries.

“You’re not driving the car whilst you’re at home or asleep anyways,” he said. “So, you can just plug it in overnight and forget about it.”

Smooth, quiet and enjoyable to drive

Jordon regularly uses his electric car for longer journeys, including a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Nottingham to visit family.

“I had to stop once halfway to top up the car, but the drive itself was really nice, especially compared to a petrol car” he explained. “It’s smooth, quiet, responsive and it pulls away faster than everyone else. It’s just really enjoyable to drive.”

The car has also made a big difference to his working day.

“In my job I sometimes have to visit properties and go to viewings,” he said. “Before, I relied on public transport which takes up a lot more of your day, plus it can be really stressful and busy, especially when the weather gets warmer. I did it for 29 years of my life, I’m not doing it anymore. Having the car just makes everything so much easier.”

Affordable driving without the stress

For Jordon, one of the biggest benefits of salary sacrifice has been how accessible it’s made driving a brand-new car.

“I’m not on a massive salary,” he explained. “But even on my wage, this is the most affordable way for me to get a car.”

The all-inclusive nature of the scheme was a major advantage too, especially as a first-time driver where other options can be a lot more expensive due to experience on the road.

“There were no credit checks, no big upfront deposit and everything’s bundled together,” he said. “That made a huge difference.”

Jordon says he’s already recommended the scheme to colleagues at work.

“I haven’t shut up about it at work! If anyone mentions their current car’s having problems, I tell them to look at Tusker’s salary sacrifice,” he said. “For what you get, it’s affordable and straightforward.”

A positive experience from start to finish

“The service has been brilliant,” he said. “I was kept informed the whole way through and everything was really easy to sort out.”

Even after experiencing minor damage when another driver reversed into his parked car, Jordon said the support process was much simpler than expected.

“The insurance side was a lot easier than I thought it would be,” he said. “They’ve been really good with it.”

Do you want to get a brand-new car in the most affordable way? With no upfront payments or deposits,  insurance, road tax, replacement tyres, routine servicing and maintenance, as well as full breakdown cover – like Jordon said, there’s no questions about it really, is there?

Take a closer look into the Jeep Avenger with Alastair’s tour at Tusker HQ.