10 Things to Think About When Investing in Your First Car
When the time in your life comes for you to buy your first car, it can be really exciting. It doesn’t matter if you have just passed your test and you are ready to get on the road, or you have been saving for a little while and you are now in a position where you can make your purchase. It also doesn’t matter if you are 17 years old and you have just passed your test, or if you have tried and failed a few times and you’re well into adulthood. Investing in your first car is a big step to take, and it needs to be right. In this blog post, we’re going to take a look at some of the key things to keep in mind when purchasing your first car.
1. How Much You Want to Spend
Unsurprisingly, the first thing that you need to do is focus on how much you want to spend. If you have been saving for a while, you may have a set amount of money to work with. However, it is important to be aware of the overall cost of car ownership and how much you need to spend outright on your car or put down a deposit, as well as the additional expenses that come with it. You can then focus on an overall budget or start to research cards and focus on how much you need to have.
2. The Type of Cars You Like
It’s also important to know what type of cars you like. We all have our own individual preferences and tastes, so it’s important to consider the different cars that are available and focus on what you like. Maybe you like hatchbacks, it could be more of a saloon, or it could even be an SUV. It’s important to do your research and decide.
3. The Transmission and Fuel Type
Another thing to keep in mind here is the idea of the transmission type, as well as the fuel that a car runs on. If you have a full driving licence, you may be able to drive both manual and automatic cars. However, you still have the choice as to which one you’d like to go for. For example, many SUVs will only come in automatic. There’s also the idea of the fuel type, as you may prefer to go with a hybrid car or even consider electric in comparison to traditional fuels.
4. How Much You Want to Pay for Insurance
Then there is the idea of your car insurance costs as well. We all have to pay for insurance, but the actual sum we pay each month or each year will very much depend on the type of car you choose. If you are young and you have just passed your test, you may find that your insurance is likely to be much more expensive, so choosing a cheaper car to insure may be useful.
5. Different Ways You Can Personalise It
You may also want to think about personalising your car. It doesn’t matter what car you get, you can add your own stamp on things by choosing a private plate from somewhere like PlateHunter and adding it to your car. It may give you that finishing touch that you are looking for.
6. How Long You Plan On Having it For
You may also want to be mindful of how long you intend to have your car for. This won’t always matter for everybody, as you may be excited to get a particular car, but if you are older or you’re planning on having a family, you may need to focus on the idea of choosing a car that is suitable.
7. Whether to Buy Outright or Finance It
Another thing to think about is whether you plan to buy your car for cash and pay for it outright, or if you want to finance it. There’s also the idea of leasing. It’s important to consider the pros and cons of every purchase option that you have and go for something that feels right for your situation.
8. What You’ll Be Using It For
This question may seem a little bit silly, but it’s also useful for you to think about. It doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager buying your first car or you’re older and you’re looking to get on the road, it’s really important for you to think about exactly how you’ll be using your car. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the way a car looks or going by badge alone, but when you focus on how you use the car, you can then start to think about what type of body shape you need and whether there’s enough space. For example, if you know that you’ll be carrying a lot of stuff in the boot, you need to check that it’s going to be big enough.
9. The Non-Negotiable Features You Want
With that in mind, it’s also important for you to have a non-negotiable list if you can budget for that. Of course, if you are working with a set budget and you feel like your options are limited, you may have to keep this as short as possible, but if there are certain features, such as safety features or driving comfort features, that you really want to have. Make sure that you know what they are before you start looking, so you can ensure the car you go for has it.
10. How Far You’re Willing to Travel
Lastly, it’s also important to think about how far you are willing to travel to pick up your car. Gone are the days when you would head to your local garage and pick up any car. We are all much more specific and picky about what we’re looking for, and that’s okay. If there is a certain car that you have your heart set on and you can afford it, you may as well go for it. But at the same time, you may need to travel that little bit further to find it because you can choose from cars from all around the country. It’s just important to be aware of the distance you may need to travel to pick it up or the delivery costs that may come with getting it sent to you.
