Tips for Buying a Car

Even the thought of buying a new car is exciting. You immediately think of your favorites, half of which are way too expensive for your budget. Then, after a minute, you get a clearer idea about what your choices can be. Most of us have three segments in mind. These are the hatchback, sedan and the Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). While you may have a few favored choices in all categories, comparing all the options and selecting one can be quite a challenge. Here are some tips in selecting and buying an automobile you can enjoy for years to come.

The right car

Selecting the right car has a lot to do with your needs and requirements. Take into consideration factors like your age, your marital status, immediate future plans, financial situation, mileage per month, profession, driving hours, excursions, interests, location, etc. This is why. Your age will tell you what segment of car you should be looking at. You don’t want to be a 24 year old driving a mini-van to college, do you? Well, not unless you are a mom too. The marital status and future plans will allow you to think ahead. Usually buyers end up using a car for 4 to 5 years. This means that if you are married and thinking about kids in the next few years, you car decision needs to reflect that, unless you want to suffer a loss and are okay with spending another substantial amount when you need a MUV for the kids. For those who enjoy long road-trips and excursions like camping or biking, SUVs are the best option. No sedan or hatchback can carry all the stuff you need. Location is also an important factor to consider. For example, buying a diesel SUV in India is clever for two reasons. Diesel is subsidized and the road conditions are ideal for a SUV. But the same car may not work in New York city, for obvious reasons. Taking into consideration all these factors can help you in selecting at least the car segment, if not zeroing in on the exact make and model.

New or old

When you are young, buying a new car can be a huge deal. We all don’t hail from well-off homes, nor are we born with any silver spoon. Most of us have to save-up for the car by waiting tables or doing meager jobs. Thus, this question is quite important for us; new car or old car? The answer is pre-owned. New cars are nice to show-off, but pre-owned vehicles are just as nice. Plus, with your newly acquired driving skills, pre-owned cars are the financially better bet. Not only can you find the car of your choice in good condition (if you take the time and effort to look around a bit), but also get a sweeter deal than you had hoped. All you need to do is be prepared to try out your bargaining skills. Unlike showroom prices that are fixed, pre-owned car dealers are used to a little haggle. Plus, insurance on pre-owned cars cost lesser too. Since, insurance is mandatory in most countries, be sure to get a good deal on that by looking through online insurance quotes. Many car dealers have tie-ups with insurance providers, so ask your dealer for recommendations.

You must also keep in mind that regardless of whether you are buying a diesel SUV in India or a sedan in California, car dealer showroom traffic varies according to season. Many dealers have special discounts for the holiday season, so if you want to drive around on new wheels in 2013, now may be a perfect time to start you hunt.

Bio

Liz is a freelance writer for the Internet. She often covers topics such as 10 things to buy this holiday season, best diesel SUV in India, how to travel to Maldives on a backpacker’s budget, when to buy a new car, etc. In her free time Liz runs a daycare center for children under the age of 9. She also writes children’s stories and hopes to publish them in the near future.