Top tips when buying your next vehicle

Whether you’re looking at upgrading to a family-friendly set of wheels or investing in something sportier, choosing a new car can be challenging, especially in the current economic climate. So, before you go and splurge on that new vehicle, read through these top tips to help you choose wisely.

1. A new car may not be the best investment to make as they lose up to a quarter of their value as soon as they are driven off the showroom floor. If you’d like a new car, look at getting a demo vehicle – these cars are used to demonstrate the make and model’s features, and often have low mileage and usage.  
2. If you’re looking at getting a second hand car, make sure you use a reputable dealer. If you’re buying a vehicle from a private seller, make sure you take the vehicle to an inspection centre before closing the deal.
3. Consider the area you will be driving through regularly – city or urban driving involves a lot of stop-go moments, and sometimes you’ll stay in one place for a long period of time. Idling and pulling off can use more fuel than coasting along on an open road, and many small cars are made for city travelling. Bigger cars, such as SUVs, maybe more comfortable for the family, but are also more fuel efficient on longer trips.
4. Refine and research – based on the above, put a short list together of the makes and models of the vehicles you would be interested in, then start the research:
5. Service costs – find out how much it will cost to service the vehicles on your list, where the parts will come from (i.e. if they will need to be imported or not) and how often will they need to be serviced.
6. Will there be a warranty and/or maintenance plan? If so, how much is it and will it provide for the needs of your car.
7. Insurance costs – some vehicles are more of a risk to insure than others, which means you could pay a higher premium for that dream car.
8. Once you have selected a vehicle, don’t just go to the first seller or dealer on the list. Again, do some research on the organisation e.g. via social media and consumer feedback forums to find out what their customer and after sales services is like.  
9. On-road costs – make sure that the seller, specifically if it’s a dealer has quoted you on the full amount payable, including the on-road costs such as licencing of the vehicle.

And, last but definitely not least, make sure your new car is fitted with a tracking device so that you’re always in control. Only Cartrack offers superior tracking and vehicle recovery services backed by a 92% success rate.