While your absolute dream car might be closer to a speedy two-seater, your actual vehicle might need to be something more practical.
But practicality doesn’t mean that you have to skimp on any of the things that you want in your car. It is just as important to know the features you don’t need or want to know the ones you do.
So how do you choose your real-life dream car?
WHAT DO YOU NEED?
The right car for you might not be the car that you want, but that doesn’t mean you can quickly grow to love it. When we are looking at cars, we often want a car that says something about it.
This is even more true if you are a car lover!
But some things it is more important that the backseats have ISOfix points, and you have parking sensors.
Think about how many passengers you need to carry, both now and in the following year. Consider what type of driving you do most often – do you drive long-distance most often, or are you stuck in city traffic?
Do you need leather seats because you love the feel, or do you need them because they are the easiest to clean?
Get practical.
BUDGET
Budget can be one of the most limiting factors when trying to get any car, not just your dream car. If you have the unique ability to pay in cash, you can often get a better deal and negotiate something preferable for you.
However, auto loans are typically the next best option if you aren’t. Sometimes you can take a loan for a car without going directly through the dealership – which means you can get the same perks as if you were paying in cash.
Before you start making appointments to look at cars, make sure that you know what you can access in terms of credit.
Generally, you should look to spend no more than 15 percent of your monthly income on a car payment.
OWNERSHIP
An older model might be incredibly cheap to buy upfront, but the long-term costs might far exceed what you want to spend. Consider insurance, gas, maintenance, and depreciation.
Keep in mind that some older models are also less efficient when it comes to Co2, and in many places, these emissions are coming at a high cost.
TEST DRIVE
The test drive is one of the most important moments when choosing your car. Once you sit in the driver’s seat, you might realize that you actually don’t like the car at all.
Although there are many reasons you should test drive a car, this is one of the most important. It is essential that you enjoy driving the car that you have.
COMFORT
Having a car with seat warmers, AC, Bluetooth, and blindspot monitoring can make your drive more comfortable, and because of that, sometimes what the car has on the inside beats what it looks like on the outside.
In your quest to buy the right car for you, it is important that you use all of the possible avenues to make your list of possible options: The best ways to research before buying a new car – Carfanatics Blog.
Photo Credit: Acura
