As we have covered recently, now is a great time to treat yourself to a brand new vehicle, upgrading your car or family vehicle to something better. However, that doesn’t mean you should just go out and pick any old car without some planning and thought!
After all, there are a number of things to consider when buying a new car. So, we wanted to take a moment and cover the main points that you need to keep in mind when looking for a new car.
The Main Considerations
Really, the search for a new car should include three main considerations that you work towards. Doing this will help to ensure that you get the best car for your requirements, rather than just the flashiest one that took your eye. These four considerations are;
-
Lifestyle Necessities
-
Extra features
-
Initial price
New Car Necessities
Every family or household has a different need for their car. Perhaps it needs to be big enough to carry younger children and their pushchairs. Or maybe you take regular long journeys by yourself and need something that is extremely comfortable for extended periods of time.
To work out what your New Car Necessities are, you need to sit down and really think about your lifestyle – what would make life easier for you?
List every challenge you face when driving and a potential solution. That list will then form the basis of your necessities list. From there, you should go back over it at least two more times and really make sure that the list only features the most quintessential necessities.
Fun Extras For Your New Car
With your list of necessities now sorted, the next step is a lot more fun! It’s time to think about all of the different little extras that you would like to have in your new car. Yes, that does mean another list, but at least this one is fun.
Look around online at all of the different added extras, features and peripherals that you can get for a car and work out which ones would be the most attractive to you. From there, you can have a target wish list of things to look out for. Just remember, though, that they are fun extras and not necessities. The necessities are always the top priority.
Price Points
Next up, we have to talk about money. I know that’s never a nice subject, but it is important, especially when buying a new car. The initial price point of a new car can vary wildly, from under £10,000 to astronomical figures. Therefore, you need to seriously consider what your maximum budget actually is.
Realistically, the most suitable way for most people to get a new car is through finance. So take a look at your monthly income and outgoing, determining how much you can actually afford whilst still having money available for emergencies. Then use that are the absolute maximum monthly budget for a car. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking “it’s only £200 more, I’ll find a way to cover it”. Find your maximum budget and keep to it.
Of course, this may end up making you feel disheartened due to the monthly cost of a lot of new cars. However, that really depends on the method you use to finance it. With a leased car, for example, you’ll often find that it is considerably more affordable than an outright purchase. We covered why that is in a previous article. So when you are looking around with your maximum budget, check out the various car lease deals available too!