10 Tips on Ways to Choose the Right Car That Reflects Your Lifestyle
Buying the car of their dreams is a big event for many, but zeroing down and selecting the “perfect” car out of the many available options can be intimidating. If you’re planning to purchase a brand new car in the coming days but cannot shortlist a few excellent choices depending on your requirement, this guide is here to help you. To ensure you get lucky by getting the ideal car you always wanted, we’ve listed down the best practical tips to help you choose the right vehicle that reflects your lifestyle.
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- Evaluate Your Needs
Before you visit any car dealership, note down your requirements on a piece of paper for better clarity. You can only explain what you want to the dealership agent when you know it yourself. Start with assessing your needs and purpose for buying a car. For example, if you want a car to make a statement among your acquaintances, go for a car in the luxury range, like a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW. But if you want a car for the daily commute, you may consider looking at options, like a Maruti Suzuki WagonR, Renault Kwid, Hyundai Santro, and others along the same line.
- Work on Your Budget
The vehicle market has no dearth of options. Whether you want to buy a car with a powerful engine or a vehicle with the best infotainment system, you can find it all, but it all boils down to your budget. If you cannot spend beyond a certain sum, it is best to filter out the options from the beginning. Note down the features you cannot compromise with, and then look for available options within your desired range.
If you still face a problem, consider visiting a dealership of your favorite car brand, and ask the sales representative for recommendations based on your budget and must-have features. It will make it easier for you to assess the different options suggested by them, as the recommended vehicles will be within your budget and equipped with all essential features.
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- Assess Your Need to Take a Car Loan
Getting a car is a significant event for many, so they don’t want to compromise with their car choices due to budget constraints. If this sounds like you, purchasing a car on loan can be a good option. When considering funding your purchase via a car loan, always take a loan amount whose premium amount won’t be hard to pay. If the premium amount per month is approximately 10%-15% of your take-home salary, it shouldn’t be a problem. You can use an online car loan EMI calculator to get a rough idea of the EMI amount you’ll be subjected to pay every month based on the loan amount.
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- Never Seal the Deal without a Test Drive
Every car comes with promising features, but is it wise to make the purchase without examining the claims? Even if you have shortlisted a car after a lot of consideration, never finalize it without taking a test drive. Taking a test drive will help you evaluate the comfort levels, smoothness with which the car moves, and you can also see the various available features at play. But don’t just sit at the driver’s seat to assess the different features.
Sit at the back seat, too, to ascertain if they are comfortable, and the area provides decent leg space. If you’ll be carrying many things in your vehicle, double-check the space to see how many elements the car can accommodate without any hassle. Similarly, you can inspect every feature for which you’ve selected the car and then take the final decision.
- Consider the Full Cost of Ownership
A common mistake many people potential car buyers make while purchasing a car is ignoring the overhead costs associated with the vehicle. The car cost you’re paying while buying the car is just a one-time payment to get its ownership. Once you put the vehicle to use, you’ll be subjected to various expenses. As a car owner, you’ll be responsible for paying the following expenses:
Maintenance Cost:
Whether you take out your car every day or drive it on special occasions, you will have to incur yearly maintenance expenses on the vehicle. Car owners who drive more than usual are subjected to various expenses, including repairs, changing parts, like tires, etc., so always consider this cost for smooth operation.
Insurance Cost:
While maintenance costs may be needed once a year or so, the insurance cost will be recurring. You cannot take your vehicle on roads without getting it registered under new car insurance. For maximum safety, you should take car insurance that provides maximum coverage. But it will have higher premiums.
Besides these two common expenses, you should consider the fuel or diesel prices, as they’ll also become part of your monthly expenses. If you want to keep unexpected and unpleasant surprises at bay, be sure to take these overhead costs into account before making any purchase decision.
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- Ask Yourself the Right Questions
Purchasing a car requires a big investment, so never take any vehicle buying decision in a hurry. Your purchase should bring you joy and happiness, not confusion and resentment. To ensure you’re buying the right car for you, always ask yourself the right questions. Though these questions will vary from person to person, the common questions that should always be considered are:
- How many people will you carry?
- What is the cargo space?
- How much parking space do you have?
- Will you be taking out the car every day or on special occasions?
- What safety features are a must-have for you?
- Why exactly are you buying the car?
You can add more questions to this list for better clarity. The clearer you are about your requirements and reasons, the better are your chances of finding the ideal car, matching your lifestyle.
- Take Help of Car Review Websites or Forums
Everyone needs an unbiased opinion while buying something expensive and you buying a car is no exception. Before you visit the dealership outlet, you should search for relevant online groups or forums based on cars. With so many car enthusiasts around the world, finding such online resources won’t be challenging. Join as many forums or groups as you find online, and post questions inviting suggestions.
You can ask about a particular car model, dealership outlet, car brand, or anything you want that can help you make a wise and informed purchase decision. Searching for car review websites or car comparison websites can be another great idea to gather more information.
- Enquire About the Car’s Mileage
Knowing about the car’s mileage can give you a quick view of how far along the vehicle is in its lifespan. While knowing the mileage helps, your purchase decision shouldn’t be entirely based on mileage, as not all high-mileage cars are a good option, and vice-versa. Every vehicle has an expected lifespan, and it can be calculated in terms of mileage and years. If you’re aware of the mileage, you’ll know the car will be entirely worn out after many years or miles.
But it can be changed slightly based on your driving conditions. If you drive a lot than usual, your car’s parts will experience wear and tear at a faster rate, impacting the vehicle’s lifespan. But if you commit to routine maintenance, changing car parts as and when needed, you wouldn’t have to worry much about the mileage.
- Petrol Car or Diesel Car: Which is Better?
Choosing between a petrol vehicle and a diesel vehicle can be difficult for many, but we aim to simplify things for you. A diesel car will usually be higher priced compared to its petrol vehicle counterpart. But the high price can be justified by the high mileage offered by diesel cars. A diesel engine is said to be more potent than a petrol car’s engine, and they also provide higher torque, enabling a smooth drive.
But diesel cars have their set of cons too. Their noise and vibrations can be unbearable for many, which is not the case with petrol cars. Both vehicles have pros and cons, but which one stays a notch higher will depend on your set of precise requirements and budget.
10 Tips on Ways to Choose the Right Car That Reflects Your Lifestyle
- Type of Car Based on Purpose
A vital consideration point is your buying purpose. To get the best car, you must choose one specific purpose. For example, if you want to buy a car for your big family, you might look at the available Sedan options, like- Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid TSI, etc. But if you want a car to simply match the high social status, the available coupe options deserve your attention. Cars like Ford Mustang, Jaguar F-Type, and Audi TT may fit your requirement, but they’ll cost a lot. You can also look for other viable options depending on the purpose of your purchase. Once your purpose is defined, finding the right type of car won’t be difficult.
To become a wise and informed buyer, you should always evaluate things from different aspects or parameters before coming to a conclusion. If you follow all the effective tips discussed above, you will never have any problem choosing the best car from the pack, no matter how many options you’re exposed to.
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