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Buying a car is a big undertaking – so how can you pick the right car for your own situation? Given that even basic maintenance is beyond the majority of us – and nothing proves this point more succinctly than the statistic showing that nearly two-thirds of drivers don’t know how to check their car battery – it stands to reason that picking the ‘right’ car can feel nigh impossible for most. So this is a guide for those of you on the hunt for your next car.
In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a significant alternative to traditional petrol and diesel cars. Suitable for a range of lifestyles, the latest EVs are ideal for a wide variety of motorists ranging from urban commuters to environmentally-conscious drivers. With lower running costs and reduced environmental impact, they represent a forward-thinking choice for many prospective car buyers. People who haven’t driven an electric vehicle may think from stories in the media that EVs aren’t ideal for long journeys, but this isn’t the case for motorists who have driven EVs. For example, for many years Tesla drivers have been able to pull up at a charging station, simply plug in, and gain over 200 miles of range in less than half an hour.
Unfortunately, the very first consideration you need to reckon with is that of cost. Everyone has a budget, and every budget is individual to work situations, savings, and future potential costs. Price should be a constant thought throughout this process, and you should have some hard limits in place for how much you’re willing to put down. Where possible, try to avoid finance agreements or car leases; in the worst-case scenario of a write-off incident, you could find yourself continuing to pay for a car that doesn’t exist anymore.
Given the considerable costs associated with fuelling, insuring, and otherwise maintaining your vehicle, looking at used cars may make more sense for your budget. Cars lose value over time, but most of that value is lost in the first three years, after which the rate of depreciation slows; you could get a recently-released car in good condition for a considerable discount on its showroom value, just for having been on the road a little while already.
With the sticky subject of money out of the way, you can now focus on the nitty-gritty: your purposes for owning your car. Someone with multiple children will have vastly different priorities than an urban-dwelling university student; everyone’s needs are different, and different cars suit different needs.
As a family matriarch or patriarch, you’ll be looking for an MPV with collapsible rear seating and a high Euro NCAP rating. As a student, you’ll want a tight-handling hatchback with high fuel economy to keep costs down. Extrapolate this thinking to your own situation, and you’ll easily find the right car for you.
By now you’ll have a shortlist of eligible vehicles, which will need thinning down to your finalists. The way to do this is to look up reviews for each vehicle, whether car magazine reviews or simple user reviews. The more real-world info you can get, the better. With this info, you can build a clear picture of which cars are less likely to give you hassle, hence less likely to cost you money!
