You’ve Passed your Test: Here’s What you need to Think About when you Buy Your First Car
Posted in: Car Insurance, Driving Courses, Driving Tips, News.
Nothing can quite compare to the feeling of buying a car for the first time. After all, you have to think about the colour of car you are going to buy, the budget that you have and so much more. If you want to get some help with choosing your very first car then you have nothing to worry about because you can find out whatever you need to know, right here.
Financing
Before you go to any dealership to look at cars, you need to work out how much of a deposit you can put down. You also need to think about how much you can afford every single month as well. If you can, you should also do some research to find out what kind of loan you can afford as well as this will help you to get an idea of what you can afford realistically. If the number comes out lower than what you thought then you may be disappointed but at least you know that you are being sensible in terms of your finances. If your number comes out higher then you may be able to get a car that is better than the one that you were thinking of. A car finance broker will be able to help you with this as well, and when you do go through them you know that you can get all of the financial support you need along the way.
Checking your Credit Score
It is so important that you know your credit score. When you have a good idea of whether or not you have good or bad credit, you can then work out what interest rate you have and you can also work out how to get a good deal as well. This may give you the chance to save hundreds, or in some instances thousands, so you should certainly look into this if possible. Of course, if you have never looked at your credit score before then you will soon find that it is free to do and it is very easy to sign up as well. If you are a young driver then there is a high chance that you don’t have much of a credit score yet and this can translate as being negative but if you do take out a loan and if you pay it on time then you should have no problem at all in getting a better loan on your next car.
Always Shop Around
If you don’t shop around then you are really hindering your own investment. You have to do research on the cars that you are interested in before you go into your local dealership. If you go in unprepared then you may be talked into buying a car that is just not suited to your needs and this is the last thing that you need. If you want to determine what car is right for you then look up the best cars for new drivers and even put the work in to look up the safest cars as well. Remember that when buying your first car, you want something that is very easy to drive and you also want something that is easy to handle as well. If you invest in a car that is stiffer or older then this may increase your chances of having an accident and this is the last thing that you need when you are new and on the road.
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Trade-in Value
There is a chance that the car that you are buying right now is going to suit you for the next few years but after this time you may want to think about an upgrade. You may be a more confident driver and you may also be able to spend more on a car as well. For this reason, you need to make sure that the car that you are buying is going to have a good trade-in value for the future. The best way for you to do this would be for you to look at the price of the car brand new and the price of it used. If you feel as though you can get a good return on your car then this is great, but if the cars are just not selling or if they are going for ridiculously cheap prices then this can have a serious impact on your finances in the future.
Test Drive
If you are stuck between two different cars then you may want to try and do a test-drive. This is especially the case if you have a particular make or model in mind. It is a good idea for you to inspect the car and to also make sure that it is all working properly. When you do this, you can then make sure that there aren’t any rattles, squeaks or anything else that you should be aware of. If there is, you then have the chance to get this checked out before you make your purchase.
Of course, a lot of people think that because they are buying a new car, that they don’t need to test-drive at all but this is not the case. Even new cars can come with their fair share of faults and if you are not careful then you may end up losing out on way more money than what you’d first think.
Look at the History
Choosing your dealership is just as important as choosing your car. Before you choose which dealership you are going to visit, it helps to look up some user reviews. When you do this, you can then avoid giving yourself a bad experience. If you know that the dealership in your area has a bad reputation or if they just don’t seem to be giving their customers much support then you will want to avoid them, even if they do happen to have the car you want. The main reason
for this is because if something goes wrong, you will instantly regret it and you may even end up losing out on thousands.
Repair Records
If you are buying a used car then you need to do your research so that you can find out if there are any repairs that need to be done. You also need to look up the make and model of your car to make sure that there aren’t any manufacture faults that you need to be aware of. After all, some cars are more prone to faults when compared to others and the last thing that you need is to spend thousands on a car that is just not going to last for more than a few years. On top of this, if you know that the manufacturer fault tends to be with the engine then you know that this is going to be very expensive to replace and you may even find that it’s not worth it when the time comes. Doing your research can help you to avoid all of this.
Have an Inspection
A lot of car experts will tell you to get an inspection done before you go out and purchase your car. This will help you to know if there are any problems with the car and it will also help you to know if there is anything that you can do to try and save money as well. This is especially the case if you plan on buying a used car because the seller could be trying to cover something up. On top of this, a test drive may not be able to uncover the problem and the last thing that you need is to take a car out on a road trip, only to find that it breaks down on you at the time. Of course, an inspection can help you to avoid all of this and it could help you to make the right decision with your car as well. Sure, an inspection will cost you money but it could save you thousands so it is well worth doing.
Know your Rights
It doesn’t matter if you are buying a used car or a new car because it is a good idea for you to understand the return policy inside and out. When you do this, you can easily find out if you can return your car if something is wrong and you can also be clear about the refund policy as well. some dealers will try and hide this information from you, or they will state in their policy that there are no returns. This is a clear violation of your own rights, so it is important that you are able to put the work in to make sure that this is not going to be the case early on. When you do this, you can then feel much more confident in your purchase and you can also rest assured knowing that you have made the right decision with your as well.
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