Cars don’t last forever. At least once in your life, you’ll have to buy a new one to replace your old one. However, buying a new car can be very difficult, especially if you aren’t an automotive expert (or if you haven’t ever had to buy a new car before because your current one was gifted to you).
If you don’t take steps to protect yourself when you are buying a new car, then you could end up buying one that doesn’t work properly or could end up overpaying. Thankfully, this post is here to stop either of those things from happening. Here are some things you need to know, and what you need to do when buying a new car:
Buying Insurance
One of the first things that you need to think about when you are intending on buying a new car is insurance. If the vehicle’s insurance costs are too high, then even if you can afford to buy the car itself, you might not be able to pay for insurance. More often than not, insurance gets higher the more powerful the car is. if you are a new driver, then trying to buy anything more powerful than 2.0 will probably cost you a lot of money. Get a quote on insurance before buying a car, so you can be sure that it’s affordable for you.
Your Needs
The next thing you need to think about is your needs: What are they? Do you have a family? Do you live alone? Do you have to travel to work? All of these are questions that you need to ask yourself. If you do not think through your needs, how you live your life, and how often you will be using your new car, then you could end up buying one that is inefficient or uneconomical.
Car Manufacturer
Is there a specific car manufacturer whose vehicles you like? If so, then can you afford to buy a car from them? These are another set of questions that you need to ask yourself and work through. If you do want a car from a specific manufacturer but do not have enough money to buy one outright from an approved dealership, then instead consider buying one that’s used. When buying a used car, make sure the dealer has good reviews, and be sure to check the car over extensively before paying.
Storage Place
Where are you going to be storing your new car? If you live in a high-crime area, then buying a luxury vehicle is probably a bad idea (presuming that you don’t have a garage). The area that you intend on storing your car needs to be factored into your decision-making process when buying a new one. Buying a luxury car is great, but if cars regularly get stolen, vandalised, and broken into in your area, then it is an unnecessary expense, and could even be dangerous. Make sure your car is fitted with a tracker if you are going to go ahead and store it on the side of the road in a high-crime area.
Consider Cost
Cost is something else that needs to be considered. If you are on a budget, then you might not be able to buy a new car, you might have to be one that’s used. Again, buying a used car is something that needs to be planned out. You need to find a reliable dealer to work with, and inspect any car you want to buy, before putting down a deposit or paying for it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of unscrupulous, criminal even, used car dealers running dealerships.
Use Frequency
How often do you intend on using the car that you are buying? If the answer’s ‘not a lot’ then there is no real point in buying a luxury car or an expensive one. Instead, you should just buy a car that you can use to go to the supermarket or to pick up the kids from school. However, you still need to find a car that’s durable and that runs well, even if you won’t be using it a lot. The car you buy should be something you are able to hold onto for many years to come.
Weather Conditions
Consider weather conditions in the place where you live, too. If it rains constantly, then there’s no point in buying a convertible, is there? Again, if you are buying a luxury car, then consider storage, too. If it rains all of the time where you live, then you could end up buying a luxury car that rusts. Your car rusting is a very bad sign. If a car begins to rust, which it will if it’s exposed to rain for long enough, then it can begin deteriorating, and can become no longer usable.
Finance Plan
How will you pay for your new car? If you are on a tight budget, then you might want to consider buying it on finance. Finance is when you break down the total cost of your car into more affordable monthly installments. More often than not, finance plans run for a few years. Then, at the end of finance periods, car owners have the opportunity to trade in, buy their car outright, or pull out and give the car back to the dealership that they bought it from. Finance is only available to people with good credit scores, so check yours before applying.
Used Car
The last thing to consider is buying a used car, something that has been referenced throughout this article. Buying a used car is something that should always be done with care. Again, find a reliable dealer to buy from, and read reviews. You should ideally have an independent mechanic inspect the car first. Never buy a car from an unapproved dealership, or from one that does not offer warranty plans on purchases. A warranty ensures you get your money back if the car is damaged (and the damage was not caused by you).
It’s not easy buying a new car. However, it’s something everybody has to do at least once. If the time’s come for you to buy a new car, then consider the points outlined here so that you get the best deal possible.
Photo via Unsplash
.
.
