Buying your first car is an incredibly exciting feeling. You will be able to travel without having to get a lift-off someone, and you will have a new sense of freedom. However, buying a new car is not something you should underestimate. It will be a relatively expensive purchase depending on what sort of car you are getting, and you need to make sure you are informed about both the car and the buying process.
If you are thinking about buying a new car, here are some things you need to expect and things you should prepare for.
Questions to Ask When Buying a Car
Here are some serious questions you need to ask yourself before you buy your first car:
- Can I afford it? Make sure you know your budget before you go car shopping. You don’t want to run into financial trouble by buying a car you can’t afford.
- What sort of car do I need? You need to consider the size of the car you need, what type of engine will be big enough for you and if you want any extras.
- What fees will I have to pay? You will never pay just the listed price. There may be dealership fees, taxes, etc.
You should also make sure to ask the dealer important questions about the car, such as:
- What kind of financing can you provide for me?
- What is the warranty coverage?
- Are there any features that I will have to pay extra for?
Car Buying Tips to Follow and Mistakes to Avoid
When it comes to buying a car, there are a lot of dos and don’ts.
Do:
- Set yourself a budget and make sure you don’t go over it! Making and sticking to a budget is a great way to learn how to be responsible with your money and work on saving for a new car.
- Decide whether you want to buy or lease: do you want your car until it is physically impossible to drive it? Then buying is the way to go. However, if you want a new car every three years, you should consider leasing. Leasing means you might get a more upscale car for your money, but you won’t own the car outright and will need to be careful about the lease terms to avoid hefty penalties.
- Before you buy, make sure you have done your research: a dealership might say it is offering you the best deal on your first car, but it is worth checking other dealerships/online to see if you could be getting a discount somewhere else. You should also consider haggling with the dealer so that you get a bigger discount.
Don’ts:
- Don’t rush the process: rushing may lead you to purchase a car that doesn’t really suit your needs, or is too expensive for you.
- Don’t believe everything you read online: if you are researching a particular vehicle/dealership, keep in mind that a lot of reviews are just opinion, not fact.
Save for your dream car with these simple tips
- Create a separate savings account: create a savings account that has a decent interest rate and place any money you want to put towards a car in here. If you want to be really strict with yourself, make sure you get a savings account where you won’t be able to access your funds for a set amount of months.
- Cut down on your bills: Beside renting your utility bills are most likely one of the more significant monthly expenses so it is important to be mindful of your energy usage in order to keep your Constellation Energy bill down. Never underestimate the amount of savings you can have by simply practicing energy efficiency
Conclusion
Buying your first car is an exciting milestone. However, you need to make sure you are fully prepared before you make this big purchase.
