What to know before buying a car

Buying a car is one of the biggest investments anyone can do. There are many things to consider when thinking about switching your vehicle, and they are all equally important. Here are a few things you should know before buying a car.

Take a test drive

Liking a design is a good thing, liking the way it feels to drive the car is another. Many vehicles look great but when you hit the road, they can be stuffy, heavy, uncomfortable, small, or lacking basic technology. Before you even ask for any other information, request a test drive, take it for a ride and think about how it would feel to be stuck in traffic, go to work or drive your kids to school every day for the next couple of years. If you like the way it feels, then you can move on to the next step.

Do some research

When it comes to cars, there is no shortage of brands, models and price ranges to pick from. Shopping for a car without information can lead to a lot of problems. Today you can find just about anything you need to know before you even set foot in a dealership. Search for expert reviews, safety ratings, model variations, prices for parts, release dates for new models, technology, and accessories that might interest you. You can even find groups that share their experience with a particular model to ask them for advice. Whatever you do, never go shopping without doing some research.

Make sure you can afford it

It’s very tempting to spend a little bit of extra money and get a car that seems a lot better than the one you originally wanted. After all, what’s the big deal about getting a better vehicle? Well… before you swipe that credit card you might want to ask about all those extra costs that will certainly show up the minute you start the engine. The first one is insurance. Some cars pay a lot more insurance than others, and sometimes the gap can be ridiculously high. You should also consider gas, parts, accessories, maintenance costs, and taxes. While some of them may not seem like such a big deal, they will almost certainly pile up and increase your budget. Always make sure you can pay before you say yes.

Consider used cars

If you were thinking about buying a brand new car, a used one might not sound like a tempting proposition, but there are lots of arguments in favor to consider. First of all, new cars lose a portion of their value as soon as you take them out of the dealership, making them a less profitable investment. Then there is the matter of costs, used cars are cheaper but that doesn’t mean they are the worst. You can find used cars in excellent conditions and with just a couple of hundred miles for a fraction of what it costs to buy a new one. So don't discard used vehicles before you start browsing.