Making the decision to buy a car is difficult. People spend hours trying to find the right car, only to buy it and find it’s not right for them. That’s why I’ve compiled this guide, so you can find the right vehicle for all of your needs without having to spend hours trawling the internet.
Assess your Needs
I always say that the right car depends on who you are, and ultimately, what you expect from it. Some people like to make a statement with their car and that’s okay for some. I prefer something reliable that is going to get me from A to B, but either way, it’s completely up to you. I’m all for practicality, and if you feel the same then you need to work out how many passengers you need to carry. You also need to work out how economical you want your car to be as well. Safety should also be a consideration. Think about it, do you need a backup camera? Blind-spot monitoring? Lane departure signals.
Budget
Budgeting is a huge part of buying a car. Unless you are paying cash, you need to think about financing your purchase. I always like to work out how much I can afford before I go to a car dealership because it helps to make sure that I’m not overspending. Trust me, this is very easy to do when you are buying a car! It’s a good idea to put 15% of your monthly wage towards your new car. When you do this, you can then feel confident knowing that you can afford it, and you can also feel assured knowing that you will have plenty to cover your fuel and your insurance too.
Lease or Buy?
There are pros and cons to leasing or buying. You also need to look at the way you feel about either option too. I always say that a lease requires little to no deposit, and you also get way lower monthly repayments too. This is great if you are on a budget. The problem is that when your lease ends, you will have to go shopping again. Buying a car is more expensive, and the payments are higher, but when you pay off the car you will own the car for as long as you need. If you want to find something that puts you in the middle then I recommend getting a used Vauxhall Agila. They’re affordable, reliable and suitable for a huge range of purposes.
The Dealership
I never recommend going into a dealership without doing your research. If you do, then this is a recipe for disaster and you may even find that you end up wasting your money on something you don’t want. Find out the price of the car you want before you go, and always haggle. I know, this may be difficult at first, but trust me, it will really pay off when you save thousands on your purchase.
