How to Choose a New Car – Part 1
By AnewDriver
As much as it may sound like an easy task in general, shopping for a new car can be quite tricky if you are not so sure what to go for.
To start with, ask yourself what kind of car you want and what type of car you need. There is a huge different between the two options, as what you like might not necessarily be what you need. But according to car experts, considering what you like and dislike will make you happier long term, even if the car you are going for doesn’t necessarily fulfill your daily needs. But be careful here not to find yourself unable to perform your daily routine because of your car choice – for example: If you are a construction worker and need space to transport logs and huge pieces of wood and stuff, then a pickup truck will be the best option for you.
Moving on, ask yourself what you need by way of performance and space in the car. This is also the time to ask yourself who will be your passengers. This is especially important for those who have a big family with children and need to add on car seats. More space is needed if you are carrying your whole family with you, so a car with more space inside is preferable. If you have a large family and/or regularly transport about 5-6 people, get a van or minivan. A minivan can be safer in that it has a low center of gravity almost like a car.
But if only you are going to drive that car, and you are not going to transport more than one person somewhere, a two-seater should be fine. Consider, however, that a smallish back seat adds little or nothing to the cost and fuel consumption of the car, allows the passenger seat to recline more, and greatly increases cargo capacity (sometimes with the seats dropping and connecting to the trunk). A two-seater is more for extreme compactness, style and handling than lack of need of a rear seat.
If you usually transport 3-4 people but don’t need that much trunk space, a compact to mid-size should be fine. If you usually transport around 4 people and need lots of trunk space, then you should get a full-size sedan, a minivan, or an SUV. A minivan is roomiest of these and more efficient than the SUV – some have a stretched nose to look less minivan like. A full-size sedan is most comfortable, but an SUV often has four wheel drive and is good at low speed, for poor road conditions.
After you have a better idea which type of car you should go for, it is time to check your budget. Before going to the showrooms for test drives and car checks, have a primary budget in mind. This will help you to remain reasonable about the choices and not give in to a car you really cannot afford. If you’re on a Suzuki or Hyundai budget, it’ll help you not to tiptoe toward an Audi or Mercedes.
We will back with the second part of ‘How to Choose a New Car’ soon! We hope you found it helpful.
