How To Decide on Your Next Car
How To Decide on Your Next Car
Buying a new car can be a stressful, daunting experience. Like it or not, a new car is likely to be one of the biggest purchases you’ll ever make so it’s important you get it right. Many of us look forward to the process, but others may feel out of their depth, especially given the huge amount of choice on offer to potential buyers.
Either way, we’re here to help. We show you exactly what to expect, from initial car comparison choices like those between new or used, petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric power and even a choice of your purchase options. We’ll not only help you find the best car, we’ll help you secure the best way of paying for it too.
Car Condition: New or used?
Deciding to buy new or used is almost always the first major decision someone makes when considering a car purchase. Your budget is likely to impact your decision, but it’s worth remembering that both methods are worth exploring before making your final choice. Buying new means you’ll fall under the umbrella of a manufacturer’s warranty, which should last for at least three years. This additional incentive may be the decider for some buyers. You’ll also get to specify your car exactly to your specific requirements, colours and gadgets. However, remember that you’re almost always likely to lose more money in the long run than if you bought used, due to depreciation. In other words, a used car will almost always hold its value much closer to the value you paid than a new car.
Used cars also have further positives towards them. A used car will almost always be cheaper than its new equivalent and its first owner is likely to have taken the initial hit of depreciation so you don’t have to.
Unless you’re buying an older second-hand car, you should also expect some kind of warranty, and aftermarket policies can offer extra peace of mind – though be sure to check what is and isn’t covered. Used cars that are between one and three years old can offer serious savings together with some remaining manufacturer’s warranty, while pre-registered cars offer something of a middle man between the new and used market and are also a viable option to consider.
What Can’t You Live Without?
If you’ve got a rough idea of the size and shape of car you’re after, think carefully about what your purposes for the vehicle is. Be specific, If you have small children, a family SUV is a good bet for their raised seats and good safety features. If you’re using your vehicle for work, carrying capacity may be important. If you like to go on often adventures into various environments, you might want to look into a four by four, for example.
If you need your car to have certain features, such as sat-nav, parking sensors and heated seats, try to go for a trim level that includes them all together, as this is a usually better value than adding items individually as options. Needing specific features may often leave you searching for a long time between models. An alternative to this might work out better value for money to go for a new model, where features are often interchangeable. You can view our stock here to see if our models have the features you are particularly looking for.
How are you going to pay?
With over 75% of new cars bought using some form of finance, and with dealers encouraged to sell cars via this method, cash is not necessarily now the best option. You’re as likely to get a discount or deal by buying a car on finance. Here at Car Finance Genie, you can use our car finance calculator to turn the information we have provided in this article into an actual figure you can work with going forward.
Once you have a solid budget to work around, you can begin to assess your options properly based on the decisions you have made going forward. If you have decided to pursue our recommended finance option, you can fill in all your information and apply here.
You could be on the road sooner than you think!
