When buying a new car, it’s easy to let yourself be
entrapped in the dream of cruising down the beach street while the sun sets
down. You can almost see it turning into reality with the keys in your hand and
the sales clerk telling you how much your life is going to change for the
better. However, if you don’t want to regret your decision later on, you should
never purchase a new car on impulse. Instead, it’s best to the following 10
principles:
1. Give it a spin
first
Going for a test drive will give you a better feel for
how well the car really sits with you. Maybe you like its looks, but after
driving it for a couple of blocks, you might find that it’s not really that
comfortable or just doesn’t feel right. Most, if not all car dealerships, will
let you do this without raising an objection.
If you’re planning on buying a used car, testing it out
becomes that much more important, as you want to make sure there are no
rattles, scratches, funny noises or anything out of the ordinary. Obviously,
this is not going to be a concern when buying new, but to put your mind at
ease, be sure to check how long the insurance you’re getting with it covers
you.
2. Compare prices
online
According to www.car-buying-strategies.com, comparing prices online is one of the
most important things you should be doing. You’d be surprised how often the
same model can be found at a more affordable pricing somewhere else.
Oftentimes, you’ll see online price comparison tools, which is what you should
be looking for; these have been designed to make your search as simple and
time-efficient as possible.
If you’re just scouting the marketplace, these types of
engines also make it incredibly easy to search for a specific brand, model,
year of production, etc. Furthermore, many sellers are willing to match the
prices if you can show them that another dealership is offering the same car
for way cheaper. Therefore, knowing the cheapest prices will give you a good
leverage when negotiating.
3. Discuss the
purchase with your insurance agent
Before making the purchase, you should probably discuss
it with your insurance agent first. The reason being is that no two cars are
the same and the costs are different when it comes to insuring each individual
one. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’ve already
purchased one, only to find out it costs much more to insure than others.
While you’re there, you can learn many useful things such
as knowing the options which car
insurance types are available to you, as well as vehicle service contracts.
Don’t forget to make some price comparisons here as well; only that way will
you be able to secure the best insurance deal possible.
4. Don’t get
pressured into buying what you don’t need
In order to make more money, the dealerships will often
try to sell you expensive add-ons you don’t really need. Despite being valuable
in their own merit, you shouldn’t just take everything bundled with your
purchase. Instead, evaluating everything they offer you separately is the right
way to go about it.
Ask yourself this: do you really need paint protection or
key insurance? Even if the answer is affirmative, you might not be offered the
best deal out there. In case you feel the salesman is trying to pressure you
into it, you should be varied – this is often a red flag. Some of them try to
hide the real cost of the product behind monthly payments; don’t get suckered
into it. Bring a calculator and determine how much it’s going to cost you in a
year or so.
5. Decide on the
type of transmission
What do you prefer – automatic or manual? If you’re
unfamiliar with how to drive a car with the latter, now might not be the best
time to make the switch (unless you’re willing to go the extra mile to learn
the ropes). Those who find themselves driving their car often might prefer the
automatic transmission, since it’s much less of a hassle to operate. In fact,
those who used to drive cars with manual transmission and upgraded to the
automatic ones, later on, are seldom willing to go back due to getting used to
the extra comfort.
There is a drawback, however; cars with automatic
transmission are known to consume more fuel, so if you’re traversing longer
distances often, they might not be the best choice. If you tend to get stuck in
traffic often, on the other hand, they can be a true life-saver. So always make
the choice based on your preferences, level of experience, and the intended
usage of your car.
6. Petrol or
diesel?
There are notable differences between these two main
types of cars. While covering every single detail is beyond the scope of this
article, knowing the main differences between them could potentially be the
single most important thing you’re going to learn today.
For starters, diesel cars are a more cost-effective
solution if you’re traversing long distances. If you’re driving for less than
50 kilometers a day, however, the opposite may be the case, especially since
diesel cars are more expensive to maintain in comparison. Also, try to keep in
mind that most people find petrol cars easier and more comfortable to drive;
their diesel counterparts feel a bit stiffer in comparison. Finally, diesel
cars produce more toxic emissions, which is detrimental to the environment.
7. Safety is a
consideration
In case you live in a dangerous area with a ton of
reckless drivers, it’s of utmost importance that your car is fitted with the
latest safety technology. This is also true if you often find yourself driving
on highways where the speed meter can reach mind-numbing heights. Having a good
safety system installed can be the difference between you surviving a potential
accident or not.
Make sure that the car you’re eying has a good safety
bag. If you want to take additional steps to guarantee your safety, make sure
that the car has rear set airbags installed as well. Modern safety systems like
ABS are also a must; luckily, the cars that
you can find nowadays pretty much have it installed by default.
8. Don’t succumb
to the sales consultant’s pressure
Yes, buying a new car is an experience packed full of
emotions and excitement. We get it. Allowing yourself to be emotional for a bit
is fine, as long as you don’t compromise your best judgment in the process. So
if you’re feeling pressured by the sales consultant, take a step back and
re-evaluate the situation, because chances are they’re trying to do what’s best
for the interest of the company they’re working for and not yours.
Don’t be too kind and submissive, but there’s no need to
be rude either. Simply walk a fine line between being kind and assertive. A
smile will get you quite far. Do know, however, that you always have the option
to walk away if you believe you’ve been offered a bad deal. Not being confident
enough to do so is the only way you can be defeated (but this can be prevented
as long as you keep your senses focused).
9. How strong does
the engine need to be?
Don’t believe that picking a car with a smaller engine
will lead to money savings. This is a myth! Yes, a smaller engine will consume
a smaller amount of fuel… in theory that is. The fact of the matter is that in
order to make them withstand the workload that’s being thrown at them, they
need to be heated more, which leads to not-so-economic fuel economy.
Higher displacement engines mostly remain idle, which
sort of averages out the fuel economy. In order to get them performing their
best, there is no need to put excess pressure on them. So what’s the takeaway?
Without making it too complicated, you should always pick the engine based on
what you’re going to be using the car for and what type of environment you’ll
most often encounter.
10. Check the
resale value
Generally speaking, new cars are not that great of an
investment, since their value quickly goes down after the initial purchase.
However, cars produced by certain manufacturers have higher resale value than
others. In the end, you need to be the judge – do you quickly get tired of your
vehicle and feel the need for some fresh air? Then this might be more relevant
to you than the other drivers.
In general, bear in mind that European cars are not the
best when it comes to preserving value. Japanese cars, on the other hand, are
the complete opposite. Those who cannot bear the notion of seeing their cars
lose so much value in so little time should consider buying a used car instead.
Conclusion
While this is by no means the end of the story, these 10
guidelines should be more than enough to cover the most important things you
need to know when buying a new car. And when you finally do, you’ll be able to
treat yourself to a good night’s sleep, knowing that you’ve made a choice that
you won’t regret anytime soon.