Shopping for a new car is always a thrilling occasion. Cars are not inexpensive things, and there’s something freeing about knowing you have to spend a not-insignificant amount of money on something big, useful, and sometimes even fun.
But the thrill of looking at cars can wear off quickly, as can the novelty of dropping so much money on something necessary, bulky and potentially costly to run. This is especially true if you don’t already have an interest in cars and how they tick – something many of us can relate to, particularly as over half of motorists can’t fit a spare tyre…
Still, needs must, and your needs put you on the path to purchasing your next car. How should you go about picking from a crowded field? And what should you be considering along the way?
Know Your Needs
To make the shrewdest possible decision, you first need to know as much as you can about your own wants and needs. There’s no use visiting dealerships and looking at car listings if you don’t know what you’re after in the first place! Here are two key considerations for you in this regard:
Lifestyle
First off, we’ll leave the car behind for a moment and focus on you as a driver – or, more specifically, what you need from a car to begin with. Are you a daily work commuter, regular road-trip adventurer, or football mum with a flotilla of sporty kids to shuttle around on the weekends?
Each different shape of lifestyle will require different things of your eventual car choice. The morning school run may necessitate additional seats and boot space; regular rural travel may require rugged suspension and off-road capabilities; nipping around the city to make appointments might mean a nimble little hatchback.
Each different shape of lifestyle will require different things for your eventual car choice. The morning school run may necessitate additional seats and boot space; regular rural travel may require rugged suspension and off-road capabilities; nipping around the city to make appointments might mean a nimble little hatchback. Only plan to use it for weekend drives? Then you will need a durable all-weather car cover to protect your car until it’s time to go.
Budget
Budget is the next important consideration – after all, you can’t buy what you can’t afford. How much do you have to hand, and how much expendable income do you have for running your car each month? This goes to running costs and fuel economy, and also to whether or not you can expand your budget through financing.
Explore Different Car Types
With a better idea of your budget and needs, you can now familiarise yourself with the various types of cars available to you on the market.
Hatchbacks: Small, nimble and fuel-efficient, these are ideal for urban travel and inner-city parking. They can also be very cheap!
MPVs: These are designed specifically for passengers, often with seven or nine seats and the option to fold them down for a ridiculous amount of boot space.
SUVs: SUVs are hugely popular on account of their height off the road, and have become the car of choice for many families looking for a balance between space and performance. Not as fuel-efficient and generally over-featured for urban roads, these should only really be chosen where necessary.
Electric Vehicles (EVs): All of the above are now available in EV format, as the technology continues to improve in the mainstream. EVs are great environmentally, and also cost-effective in the long run – but can be difficult to run on account of charging infrastructure being yet to catch up.
Research Makes Perfect
The last step is to put your knowledge into practice! First, you should decide whether you’re buying new or used, and hence where you’ll be buying your car from. Consider local dealerships if you want to get some help looking at cars; living in south-west London, you’ll naturally want to seek out used car dealers in Wimbledon.
In narrowing down your shortlist of car types and models, you should be spending ample time online reading through car reviews and forum opinions. Sites like Reddit are a great resource for finding out what long-time car users think of a given model.
When you’re in front of a car and ready to buy, your research should extend to first-hand experience! Schedule test drives at dealerships to get behind the wheel and get a picture of the car’s performance.