EVERYBODY remembers their first car.

Mine was a 1994 Ford Festiva, and it barely lasted a month without mechanical work to save it from death row.

Thankfully I've moved on from that, however memories have flooded back with the release of the RACQ's Used Car Safety Ratings Report.

The investigation found a number of popular models of first car as having very poor safety ratings, including my blueberry Festiva.

Mirror Finish Smash Repairs mechanic Dustin Robertson said it was essential to shop smartly when buying a used car.

"Japanese and Korean cars are a good choice," Mr Robertson said.

"Often they're more advanced, and a cheaper option.

"The lower the kilometres, the better.

"Anything under 10 years old is good, and it's important to check the safety ratings of the car."

Mr Robertson said during his 10 years as a mechanic, he had seen a few horror stories.

"We've had people purchase cars with a roadworthy certificate that didn't turn out to be too flash," he said.

"Then they're up for a couple of grand in repairs.

"Getting an RACQ or mechanic inspection before you buy is always a good idea."

RACQ Head of Technical and Safety Policy Steve Spalding said most smaller cars didn't offer the same protection as larger vehicles.

"We found heavier, larger cars like the Mazda CX-7 SUV and the Subaru Liberty sedan scored well," Mr Spalding said.

"While many of the smaller, older cars such as the Toyota Echo and Hyundai Getz had very low levels of protection for the driver.

"Most young drivers opt for a small car when they get their licence, but if they want the best protection in the event of a crash they need to swap for the safer family car."