Options to Consider When Buying a New Car

When you're in the market for a new car, there are many things to consider other than where to buy your next car. Whether you buy it from a traditional car dealership, through the classified ads in the newspaper, you bid online on Detroit auctions, or you purchase the vehicle that's been sitting idly for months in your neighbor's driveway, here are a few of the important factors to consider before you put money down on your next car.

Budget

You ought to determine how much money you can spend before you take the time to shop for your new ride. Not only will you need to consider a down payment if you are financing the car, but you need to determine how much money you can afford for monthly payments. Other expenses include tags, a new title, taxes, and if you are buying online, transportation costs. Do not spend more than you have budgeted for the vehicle.

Need

Consider your daily driving needs, such as the number of people you drive, the amount of cargo space you need, and how far you drive. Choose the type of vehicle that fits your lifestyle and tastes, such as a sedan, SUV, truck, or sports car. If you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow, you might want to look at an AWD or 4WD vehicle (All-Wheel-Drive). It doesn't need to be a truck; there are plenty of SUV models that come equipped with AWD. No matter where you live, you will need a place to park it, so consider the size of the vehicle and where you will be storing it. Some of the bigger trucks may be a tight fit in a smaller garage.

Fuel Efficiency

Since all vehicles are different when it comes to fuel efficiency, consider your driving needs and determine how much you want to spend on gas each week. The cost of gas and car insurance alberta is often overlooked when people buy cars, so know that some vehicles will not be fuel efficient, and some vehicles will cost you more on insurance premiums. This could be a good time to look at the lineup of electric vehicles, too. Plenty of manufacturers are venturing into the EV market, meaning there are many cars and trucks that now have an electric equivalent. If you don't feel that EV is a good choice for you, but you're open to considering something similar in the future, you might want to look at a hybrid vehicle. The hybrids are partly electric and partly gasoline powered, so you can save some money on fuel while driving in the electric mode. Many of the top hybrids have great fuel ratings.

Safety Features

Safety is possibly the most important factor to consider when purchasing a vehicle you plan to drive anywhere and everywhere. The newer model vehicles have many safety features that you won't find in older model cars. You want a car that has the latest safety technology, such as blind spot monitoring, front-end collision monitoring, lane alert, and backup cameras. It hasn't been long since ABS brakes or even seat belts were a model upgrade feature that most of the basic cars and trucks didn't have installed. Today, those are standard equipment found in every car and truck. As technology advances, basic cars become safer and these more high-tech features are included in the price.

Brand Reputation

Research the brand and the particular model you are interested in, including its reliability, resale value, and customer satisfaction. You can find out more about the car or truck by doing an online search for some of the reviews and ratings that the vehicle has received. Kelley Blue Book, Car and Driver, and Edmunds websites are good places to start when it comes to getting real reviews of the vehicles. The writers for those sites test drive the vehicles and give a detailed breakdown of the pros and cons, giving you their most honest and thorough expert opinion.

Additionally, if you search online, you can find bulletin boards and newsgroups dedicated to the model of your choice. Most of the cars on the market have an ownership group that is independent of the manufacturer. This is where owners get together and talk about the cars and people can ask questions. This is a little different than a fan club because you will usually find people asking mechanical questions about their car or truck. A fan club is geared more towards modification and accessories for their favorite vehicle. If you want to know if the car has brake issues, check the owner's groups. If you want to find out the best top box to put on a CR-V, check with the fan clubs. Another good way to find out if the vehicle is reliable is to look at the cars and trucks you see around you every day. If you see something that has numerous generations on the road, it is a safe bet to say that those are reliable vehicles.

No matter where you decide to buy your new car, if you keep these things in mind, you should be able to get a good deal on a car that suits your lifestyle and meets your needs.