If you’re thinking about buying a new car and can’t decide on what to get, I think I might be able to help. First off, there are are a few simple things you need to keep in mind when choosing the best kind of car for you. There are numerous factors that come into play when choosing a car, such as price, mileage, pickup, manufacturer/ brand preference, maintenance, reviews, prior experiences, and other personal preferences. However, here are a few absolute necessities or need-to-knows when it comes to choosing the perfect new car.
Choosing the Right type of car
If you’re a gearhead or a car lover, you definitely have a preference when it comes to the ‘types’ of car you like. By type of car I don’t just mean petrol, diesel or electric, however, this does play a key role in narrowing down your options. If you’re a ‘green’ person, trying to make a difference by reducing your carbon footprint, choosing an electric car just might be the way to go. Although electric cars would definitely make your consumption of electricity increase, significantly. Back to car types, you can either choose from hatchbacks, SUVs, off-road 4x4’s, sports cars, luxury cars, family cars and minivans, economy cars, smart cars, classic cars and muscles cars. There are other types of cars like crossovers, sedans, and convertibles but you get the point. Once you figure out what kind of car you want or need, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Budget and Prices
Yes, shopping on a budget isn’t exactly ideal; but when push comes to shove and you ‘need’ to get a new car, you probably need to figure out how much dough you have to spend. After calculating how much you can spend, you need to visit manufacturer, private and multi-brand dealerships to get an estimate of the costs of cars, payment plans, benefits, discounts and so on. If dealerships do not have the car you’re looking for, looking at a plan B might not be a bad idea. Various car dealerships offer annual or occasional discounts, different payment options like EMI or bank loans, and also bonuses and promotional offers like accessories and add-ons free with certain cars.
Negotiating and choosing your extras
Sticker prices don’t fool anyone! In most cases, you definitely can negotiate your way through a deal and get the sales manager to sell you the car for a better price. Although negotiating doesn’t always work, when it does it does. Also, DO NOT let dealerships know that you are desperately in need of a car (even if you are), staying collected and looking at your options can help you get a ‘good deal’. Another important to remember, buy the vehicle, not the deal; just because a salesman offers you a good deal on a vehicle, does not mean you have to take it. This is important especially if the car does not fit your criteria and requirements. When it comes to choosing extras, many add-ons aren’t requirements and only add to the amount you have to pay. Choose your extras wisely and save some money on your purchase.
Knowing if your car is worth its price
If you’ve done your research properly, you should know if the deal on the table is a good deal. Moreover, ALWAYS check customer reviews for after-sales services, maintenance requirements, long-term costs - servicing, parts, and replacements- and so on. Every seller’s goal is to sell you the car, regardless of whether on not it's exactly what you want (with the exception of some cases). You should also remember that prices of the same car at different dealerships vary, so do the benefits and additional services. Researching dealer reviews can help understand if the dealer is reliable, and if so, how reliable.
Warranty maintenance and servicing
All new cars come with a warranty, all with *conditional qualifications to claim the benefits of the warranty. One major concern is if servicing a vehicle at another service station of preference, as opposed to the dealership service station, voids one’s warranty. It usually does not, unless stated so in the agreement; which is why a thorough check of the purchase agreement and t&c of the warranty is a must.
Apart from all these must do's and must-knows, personal taste and preference trumps all other factors. So if you see a car you like that’s a little out of budget or net exactly what you were looking for, the ultimate decision is up to you. You can also check websites that provide customer reviews and ratings to help you choose from a list of new car dealers.
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