Collaborative post:
Choosing a new car is a lot of fun, but from time to time, it can feel incredibly overwhelming too. There are thousands of models on the market, and while some look fantastic, they have more gizmos and gadgets than you need. While others have had a rough life, and the smell inside isn’t going to be going anywhere any time soon.
Buying a new car should be as enjoyable as possible. Here are a couple of tips to make sure that the experience is always great – and that you get the car you want at the end of it.
Photo by Michael Fousert on Unsplash
New or used?
Choosing between a new or a used car can be a tricky decision. Often used cars have a better price point, and when you get them from a dealer like Hyundai Manchester, they have undergone many checks and are like new.
If you have the budget and want to be the first person to drive a car, then new makes sense. But if you’d like to save some money and don’t mind who has driven the car before you, so long as it works – go used.
Fuel Type
Where you can, it is a good idea to avoid opting for a diesel car. In the next few years, there will be some bans that will impact diesel cars specifically. They have been incredibly popular for many years, petrol, electric or hybrid might be the best option.
Hybrid and electric cars are great if you do a lot of city driving. Petrol is the standard.
When it comes to economic value, although diesel is being phased out (slowly), they are more economical for long drives, while petrol and electric are great for short runs.
Finance
Most people can’t pay for a new car in cash upfront, nor the newer used cars – so if you are going to be applying and using finance, make sure that you have studied your budget in advance. If you have bad credit, there are still options, but it is a good idea to know how you stand before you start applying.
Monthly costs can be affordable, but the final payments might be ballooned and be much higher.
Shortlist
Once you have a shortlist of cars that you like, try to avoid getting too carried away with just one of the models. Instead, make sure you take all of them for a test drive because you might find that one that was at the bottom of your list of ‘must have’ cars bumps to the top because it drives beautifully.
And the one you thought was a surefire winner isn’t as comfortable. Test driving is an essential part of making sure that the car you think you want really is the right one for you.
Haggle
You don’t need to haggle, and if you aren’t comfortable doing it but do want a better price, then take a friend with you who isn’t afraid to drive a hard bargain. Typically haggling is much easier if you are paying in cash, though – so keep that in mind.
If the car you are buying is your child’s first car, driving safely after buying is essential: Be safe when driving.
Sarah x
