Buying a car is an investment that most of us will make at some point, and as such, it is worth having as much advice and information as possible. Therefore, knowing how to go through the process of buying your first car and ensuring that you don’t end up with a lemon is a skill that can be learnt, and the following article will provide a great start.
1. What is it needed for?
In a sense, this will determine what car you will buy. Think about whether the main usage will be motorway or inner-city driving, and how this will affect the type of car that you need to buy. A daily drive will present slightly different needs to a car that is needed just for the termly commute back to school or college.
2. Fuel efficiency
Regardless of how far or how much you intend to drive, having an awareness of the fuel efficiency of the vehicle you want to buy has to be one of the most critical pieces of information in this day and age. Whether you want to save money or save the planet, one of the must-know pieces of information is your carbon footprint and the amount of fuel you use to drive on a daily basis will be a major component to consider.
3. Availability
If you’re interested in a vehicle that is as rare as hens’teeth then you should be prepared to both pay above the odds and possibly wait for it to become available. Knowing which vehicles are the most popular in your area and then establishing if they are readily available as used vehicles (and whether they meet any of your other criteria) is a great way to go about finding a suitable vehicle. So if for example, you’re in Wales you will need to be searching for used cars Wales to find the best range of available vehicles in your specific area.
4. Your street cred
It may sound ridiculous, but the truth of the matter is that your car is very much part of your image, and as such, you should consider this and make choices that allow you to keep some street cred and maintain your image. No one wants a mode of transport that makes you a constant joke among your peers. However, you should never allow this aspect to drive the purchase entirely and force you to go above your budget for bells and whistles that you don’t actually need.
5. Reliability
The vehicle needs to be reliable enough to use. Not only should it be safe, but “mechanically sound” and “in good working order” are the specific terms that you need to investigate further.It’s not just about looking under the bonnet and inspecting for any oil leaks—you need to have someone who knows what to look for (or what to listen out for) that you can rely on to be with you when you look over or test drive the vehicle.
These are five simple aspects of buying a vehicle that will allow you to make as few mistakes as possible and hopefully get the best deal that you can. Think each of them through and try to do as much planning as you can well before the time you want to purchase.