Since we’re approaching the end of the year, a lot of people are considering buying the new car models coming out. But, before you make that commitment, there are a few things you should consider first. It’s understandable that buying a new car makes you jump in excitement, and you wouldn’t want anything impacting your decision, but there are a few steps to take first.
- Your needs
Since you’re already reading this article, you are probably someone who has a few options in mind. But have you considered what you actually need in a car? Depending on your lifestyle, some models might better fit your needs than others. For instance, if you have a big family, you will need a bigger car. If you have a long work commute, you might need a car that saves more fuel (or even an electric car) and is comfortable to drive for long durations, etc.…
Another important factor that is often overlooked is the safety specifications of a car: what is the safety score of the car? How many airbags does it have? Make sure you consider the car’s safety measures first thing since it’s the most important.
“Even the safest drivers risk getting into a vehicle accident. According to the Pennsylvania Transportation Department PennDOT), in 2020, there were 104,475 reported car crashes”, says a car accident lawyer in Philadelphia.
- Intensive research
One mistake people do is that they get caught up in the excitement and do not take enough time to research. Cars are doomed to be replaced just like any other machine that has a lifetime, but that doesn’t mean that doing some research will help you in choosing one that might have a longer lifespan than others.
So, it’s not enough to simply check the specifications and technical stuff on the brochure and website since of course the company will do its best to market its car–you want to get deeper. Consider looking for Facebook groups of this car model’s owners, they usually have groups to help each other. Go on Quora to see if anyone is discussing issues with the car. Check the resale prices, ask someone you know who owns the same model, check YouTube videos, etc.… look for reviews from people who have no incentive to market the car–those are honest reviews.
- Financing options
Before you ask for financing options, make sure you do your own calculations: how much are you willing to pay as a deposit, the loan payments, etc.… You want to go there and hear out every financing option there is, even if you were decided on one, make sure that you hear the others and weigh your alternatives.
Maybe even go to other car dealers they might have better options. And as a rule of thumb, there’s nothing as a contract that cannot be negotiated. If you let a car dealer know that you have a better deal somewhere else, there’s a high chance that they will give you a better deal.
- Test drive
Even if the car specifications indicate that it has specific characteristics, it is a better idea to test out these characteristics yourself. After all, it is a big investment and one that will likely stay with you for a long time.
Testing driving gives you a better opportunity to assess acceleration, how comfortable the car is, and test out all the technology. Maybe you will feel that the car is too stiff, or there isn’t enough noise ceiling. So, test driving is an absolute must.
- Look at insurance quotes
Now that you have made a decision on the car of your dreams, it’s time to see if you are able to afford the car’s expenses because a car is not only its buying price, there are many other expenses, including insurance.
Find out the insurance quotes for this vehicle, the different companies, the insurance rate, and the impact of the condition of the car in the insurance because if you buy a used car, the insurance quotes are different than if you buy a brand-new cart since it’s riskier for insurance companies.
- Rebates
Ask if the car dealer provides incentives because there are many buyers that are eligible for rebates, and they don’t even know it. Make sure that you ask if you are eligible for one because it’s uncommon that the car dealer will let you know since they want to keep part of it as extra profit. You can even do some extra research yourself to make sure you have all the incentives you could get.