Car Buying can be an amazing experience and you’ve decided to buy a car. Do you go for an electric car or a self-driving one? Is it better to get a sedan or an SUV? Do you want to buy or lease it? Would you choose automatic over manual transmission? What model and brand are you even thinking of? With an infinite list of questions, choosing the right car can be an overwhelming task. Luckily for you, we’re here to help you narrow down your options. Here’s what you need to do.
List Down Wants Vs. Needs
Let’s be realistic; with car buying you won’t need most of the features in the latest brands or the most luxurious cars, even if you can afford them. A car should, first and foremost, fulfill your needs over your wants and desires. So you’ll need to plan accordingly, starting with all the reasons why you need to buy a car. Do you travel long distances or commute to a distant workplace daily? If so, you’ll need a fuel-efficient car that can endure the distance. If you cross bumpy roads often, you’ll need a car that’s higher than the bumps in the road as opposed to low cars. Moreover, take into account if you’ll be sharing the car with others, which will narrow down the size of the car and take the other drivers’ preferences into account. Once you list down your needs, you can add the features you’d enjoy using, keeping in mind that they’re just an extra and not a vital point in decision making.
Do Your Research
With your needs clear in mind, you’ll do your research regarding your options. You’ll quickly discard the options that don’t fulfill your needs, focusing on shortlisting the cars you will actually consider. During your research, be sure to investigate the following points:
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Car Type and Features
You can either get a sedan, an SUV, or a truck. It all depends on your usage, style preferences, and the number of passengers you expect to accommodate. Once you settle on the car type, you’ll explore all the different features present in a car. Understanding the specs of a car will require a certain level of technical knowledge, so the best way to know the full features of any car is to watch detailed car reviews made by expert drivers and mechanics. Throughout your research, you may reach one of two crossroads: either limit your options to a certain brand or a certain collection of features. Write down everything you’ve reached so far and moved onto the car vendors.
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Car Vendors
Once you list down the features and make a comparison between different models and brands, it’s time to research the vendors of each car. Let’s say you’ve concluded that you’ll be car buying a Mazda, you’ll still need to compare different models and settle on one. Instead of spending days going around various car vendors to check their inventory out, the experts at Red Land Mazda at redlandsmazda.com.au suggest doing your research from the comfort of your home. Most vendors now have online outlets and websites through which you can investigate brands, compare features, and get pricing plans. Many online vendors even connect you to other financing options and outlets to make your job all the merrier.
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New Vs. Used Car
Ah, here comes the good old question: used or new cars? In all honesty, it depends on your financial situation and your options. In case you have the opportunity to buy a used car at a remarkable price, ensuring that it’s in top condition, it can definitely be the better option. However, the issue with used cars is that you can never be sure about the extent of the damage. Buying new cars is more guaranteed, if for nothing else other than it’s guarantee and insurance.
Identify Financing Options
With your options laid down in front of you, now you have a tangible place to start planning your budget. Surely, you’ll have a starting budget in mind once you start looking for a car, but now you’ll need to conclude a solid plan. Ultimately, paying with cash is hands down the best option. Since this option is not always available, you’ll want to explore other auto-financing options, like getting an auto loan from your bank or getting an installment plan from the car vendor. You’ll also want to consider the idea of leasing a car instead of buying it.
Test Drive
Finally, your final step would be to take the car for a test drive. You can’t finalize such a huge deal without at least trying the product you’re buying. During the test drive, you’ll want to experiment with the driving experience across different roads, the comfort of the car, the brakes efficiency, cargo space, and any other features you’d like to evaluate the car upon.
Deciding to buy a car can be thrilling – if only you managed to narrow down your options. With all of the options laid down in front of you, you may never reach a final consensus on the car you want to buy. To be sure you’re making the best rational decision, be sure to do your research, shortlist your options, set your budget, and take the car for a test drive.