Imagine you’re buying a car for the first time. You want it to be safe and reliable, but you also want all the bells and whistles. It can all be a little overwhelming.
While going through the car shopping process, you might have a lot of questions. Some of those must be, “What would I look for when buying a new car?” or “How should I negotiate a good deal?” Car shopping can be a daunting process and it’s difficult to know what features are important and what you should keep an eye out for while negotiating.
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Buying A Car For The First Time?
There are so many options to consider, so we’ve rounded up the most important features you should look out for in a new car.
Engine: Make sure that the engine is powerful enough to ensure smooth rides
Every vehicle has a power rating. It’s usually expressed in horsepower (hp) or torque (tq). While horsepower is measured at the crankshaft, torque is measured at the flywheel.
But make sure that you look at the engine’s output. You might be worried about your budget, but a powerful engine can cost more than a less-powerful one. A car with an engine that produces 300 hp running on premium fuel can actually cost significantly more than one with 300 hp on regular gas.
If you want to save money, stick to smaller engines in lower-performance vehicles. This is because small engines are less expensive to produce and don’t require as much horsepower as larger ones to achieve their performance goals.
Safety features
There are plenty of safety features you should. Although firstly, ABS (anti-lock braking system) is a must in a car. It prevents the wheels from locking up during sudden braking. If your car doesn’t have this feature, it won’t stop properly on slippery roads or in wet weather, increasing the risk of an accident. Think of ABS as a safety feature that increases your car’s stopping power.
The speed limit alert is another feature that can help you maintain safe driving speeds. This feature alerts you when you’re driving at unsafe speeds so that you can control your speed and drive safely. Sometimes it’s not even the case of adrenaline rush, people are just distracted.
Electronic stability program (ESP) is another important safety feature to have in your car. ESP helps to maintain directional stability and handling of the vehicle while cornering, accelerating or braking by reducing engine torque and applying braking forces automatically to each wheel individually.
Mileage
Unless you have a company car, your car is going to be your second most expensive financial decision. You can’t afford to make the wrong one!
You need to balance the cost of the car and its running costs against what it will do for you. Is it going to help you earn more? Is it going to save you time? Will it keep you safer and healthier?
Unless you’re buying a car that’s going to help you earn more money or save you on expenses, think about how much driving you do compared with the purchase price and running costs of your dream car.
If you’re doing less than 15,000 miles a year, then there’s no point in investing in a super high-mileage vehicle. A good mileage figure is anything over 35mpg. If you’re doing a lot of driving, try to find a car that offers better fuel efficiency so that you don’t end up spending huge bucks on fuel every month.
Ease of driving and sitting comfort
Is the steering wheel turning effortless? The steering should not be too heavy at low speeds, which makes manoeuvring in traffic and parking challenging. Similarly, it should not be too light at high speeds, which could make the vehicle difficult to control. The ideal situation is when the steering becomes heavier as speed increases.
Are all controls (accelerator, brake pedal, indicator switches and wiper/horn stalks) within reach?
Is there sufficient leg room for all passengers? Make sure everyone in your family gets comfortable before finalising a vehicle. Does the headroom suffice for tall passengers? You don’t want to strain your neck every time you sit in the passenger seat. Is the car easy to get in and out of? This is especially important if you have elderly people in your family. Do seats provide enough lumbar support? For long drives, you don’t want back pain pulling you down.
But before you think of anything else, is your car insured?
So you’ve bought a new car, and now you’re wondering how to protect your investment.
It turns out that finding reliable insurance when buying a new car can be tricky. On one hand, you’ll want comprehensive coverage to guard against potential dings, theft and even total loss. On the other hand, you may have already paid a lot of money up front for the car, so you wouldn’t want to let go of that investment.
New cars depreciate in value quickly in their first few years on the road. Your ideal insurance policy might depend on how much you’ve already paid for your vehicle.
Remember, after an accident or incident with your car, your insurance company will pay out only the fair market value of your car at the time of the incident. That means that if you lost your car in an accident a week after purchase and hadn’t made any payments on it yet, you would still only get enough from the insurance company to pay off the remaining balance owed on your loan or lease — not what you originally paid for it.
In Conclusion
You have decided to buy your first car. Congrats! You are about to experience freedom of movement and no more riding the crowded public transport. Plus, you’ll never again suffer through the boredom of traveling alone with strangers on a bus or metro. But this all would be possible if you buy the right car. But we’re sure this article has your back.
