How to Buy the Perfect Car
| Published: 2nd July 2008 00:08 |
Finding and buying the perfect car is no easy task. There are many decisions to make and many colours to choose from. The price of course, has to be a deciding factor, as well as how much you drive the car daily. After all, the price of fuel nowadays should make you decide perhaps on a smaller car. But will it?
Steps
- 1. Make a list of what you're looking for in a car. Some criteria include appearance, performance, safety, reliability, size, comfort, fuel efficiency, cost, and resale value, transmission type, engine size, kilometers/mileage (if buying a used car), as well as colour.
- 2. Organise the list in terms of how important the criteria are to you. For example, if you had a choice between a slick, cherry-red convertible that has questionable safety standards, and a solid, protective Volvo that would sacrifice its life to save yours - but looks like something your mother would drive - what would you choose?
- 3. Browse car books and judge models according your criteria. Make a list of the models that best fit what you're looking for.
- 4. Search for your favourite models at car dealerships, in classified ads, and on the Web.
- 5. Choose a dealership carefully. Once you find one you feel would fit your needs, select a salesperson. Visit the dealership, sit at the table and watch how they work with others, and how they talk on the phone to customers, and if they negotiate so that the customer gets a better deal. Make sure you check the care carefully for faults, or design problems.
Tips
- Check out Which Car?. It can be a good place to look for impartial reviews, ratings, crash tests, reliability forecasts, and pricing guidelines for new and used cars. Start with their list of recommended cars, research them, pick out a few you like, and then go to the dealer.
- When you go to a dealership, bring your spouse, or a friend.
Warnings
- Make sure you read the contract completely. Do not sign, unless you understand exactly what you are signing. Be careful
- Always test drive the car, check things like; the sound of the engine, whether the windscreen wipers work, air-conditioning (if applicable), heater, indicators, and lights. Check for cup holders, compartments, the rear boot, the seat quality (no rips or stains), look in the bonnet to make sure nothing funky is going on, Check the comfort of the seats( will this car be comfortable on long trips?), The visibility (is it easy to see other cars?), does it have seat belts, air bags, roof handles, Sun shades, radio (CD or tape), and whether it works.
- Always ask yourself if the car you are buying is worth the money they are asking. If not, make a lower offer, and if they refuse, don't worry - there are plenty more cars out there, the perfect one is just waiting for you to come along.
