Buying a car is often one of the bigger purchases you will make. You have to think about the cost of your car both now and in the long-run.
Your budget will determine if you are going to be able to buy new or look at something like the Vauxhall Network Q programme and buy a used car that has been certified as safe. However, you also need to make considerations for the running costs.
It is vital that you have a realistic budget. If you over-reach you may end up having problems in the future. Especially if you don’t have any savings or you lose your income.
Work out The Potential Running Costs
Once you have figured out how much you can afford to spend on your car, you need to make sure you will be ok to run it too. Remember that running costs don’t include the cost of depreciation. You will find that running a newer car costs less, but the older car costs less upfront. You should also think about things such as fuel, a larger engine will usually cost more to run, and often lose more of their value through depreciation.
How You Can Find The Right Car
Try not to allow your heart to rule your head. If you can’t afford a new dream car, think about buying nearly new or used. Unless you have a car in mind already, you should have a look online, in magazines, on motoring websites, and at your local dealer’s to get an idea of what you may like. It’s also great to ask family or friends about there cars and see if they have any recommendations or cars to avoid.
Make Sure You Ask Yourself
Once you have sat down and figured out your budget for your car and the running costs. You should ask yourself:
- Am I looking for one of the safest cars on the road?
- Will I need to tow anything such as a caravan or trailer?
- How much warranty am I after?
- Will the car I’m looking at hold it’s value?
- Have I done my research about reliable cars on the market?
- Will my new car fit in my garage?
- Will I drive long or short distance most often?
- Do I want my car to be environmentally-friendly and economical?
- How much space do I need in my new car? Will I be taking passengers? Children or perhaps a dog?
- Do I need to keep the running costs to a minimum? Insurance, Road tax, and repairs.
When You Are Comparing Cars
You need to make sure you compare the cars that you are considering. Especially if you are stuck with which one you should make your final decision on. Com[are the features, the fuel economy, the insurance costs, road tac costs, look at reviews, etc.
This guide should help you get started when looking for a car in your ideal budget. Have you started to look for your next car? What sort of things are you considering? Please share some of them in the comments.
