BUYING A CAR - MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE

When it comes to the purchase of a car there is always a million different things to consider. Just thinking about getting a new car can give you a headache, so allow Motorkwik to simplify the whole process for you with a straightforward guide to the dos and don'ts of purchasing your next vehicle.

When it comes to the purchase of a car there is always a million different things to consider. Just thinking about getting a new car can give you a headache, so allow Motorkwik to simplify the whole process for you with a straightforward guide to the dos and don'ts of purchasing your next vehicle.
WILL IT BE A NEW CAR OR A USED CAR?
Be honest with yourself. Are you thinking about getting a new car because you need a new car, or is it because you just want a new car – will a used car suit you just fine? Here are some things that may help you to make that decision:
The newer a car is, the more it depreciates in value. In the first year a car suffers the biggest loss in relation to its value. Buying a year-old version of the car you have your eye on could save you some serious money. 
You may be in a position whereby your sums bring you to the conclusion that you have enough money for a brand new, entry level model of a certain car. If this is the case then you'd do well to consider the advantages of buying a better equipped, used version of the same car, which comes with a number of upgrades and shows much better value.
Do not assume that a car which is three or more years old will not be covered by any sort of warranty.  A lot of good used car dealers will provide you with 12 months of cover on a vehicle that is more than three years old, and you also have the option of purchasing a policy with an independent provider.
Do not assume that you cannot haggle with new car dealers. They are as open to negotiation as a private seller, and you'd be surprised at just how much you can get them to take off the price of a new vehicle.
New car dealers are more likely to entice you with offers such as interest free credit, and this can really seal the deal if you are thinking of purchasing a vehicle over a number of years.
There is always an element of compromise when it comes to buying a used vehicle, whereas you  will be able to purchase a new car to your own, personal specifications.   
WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS?
It is essential that the car you choose is fit for purpose. If it's going to be the main family car then a two-seater roadster is probably not going to cut the mustard, just like a 5.0 litre Range Rover is probably not a great idea if you have to commute a couple of hundred miles to work every week. Here is some advice to make sure that your next choice of vehicle is the result of an informed decision.      
You should be asking yourself about the amount of cabin space that you are going to require. If the kids are growing then that Volkswagen Fox might not be suitable in a years time, and if you don't have kids then that people carrier might not be the coolest of choices. The size of the car you choose should be essentially dictated by your everyday needs.  
Think about the amount of space that you require in the boot. Do you use your car to go on holiday, or to get to the golf course a couple of times a week? If this is the case then you are going to have to make sure your car has adequate room in the boot. 
If you use your car for nipping around the shops and going to visit friends and relatives then the engine capacity is not really an issue – you will want to get something that is as economical as possible; however, more power and comfort is pretty much a necessity if you do a lot of motorway driving.
If you are going to be spending a great deal of time driving, and really clocking up a lot of miles, then you're going to get a lot of benefit from purchasing a diesel-engined vehicle. Even though they may cost a little bit more initially, you will soon make your money back on the reduced cost of fuel.   
How important to you is safety? Whilst some people consider nothing that has anything less than five Euro NCAP stars, others are more concerned with the performance of a car, or the way that it looks. 
SETTING YOURSELF A BUDGET
If you don't sit down and work out exactly what you can and what you can't afford then you could end up being undone by some smooth-talking salesman, and before you know it you'll be having to go over your limit or making monthly payments that you simply cannot afford. Here are some pointers that will help to ensure that you stay within your means.
Work out what your budget is and stick to it. Finance companies and salesmen will tell you that you could probably afford something slightly more expensive, and it seems funny how they will never tell you how you can also afford something slightly less expensive – only go by your figures, and not those of anyone else.
Make sure you account for everything else when arriving at your budget figure. It can be easy to forget about how much tax is going to cost you, along with fuel and insurance. Remember, you have to account for more than just the cost of the vehicle itself.
Think about getting a used vehicle, as opposed to a new vehicle. Getting a vehicle that is one year old means that you are not losing out on the first year's worth of depreciation on a vehicle, which is when it loses by far the biggest percentage of its overall value. Also, you will still have two years worth of warranty left.    

WILL IT BE A NEW CAR OR A USED CAR?

Be honest with yourself. Are you thinking about getting a new car because you need a new car, or is it because you just want a new car – will a used car suit you just fine? Here are some things that may help you to make that decision.

The newer a car is, the more it depreciates in value. In the first year a car suffers the biggest loss in relation to its value. Buying a year-old version of the car you have your eye on could save you some serious money. 

You may be in a position whereby your sums bring you to the conclusion that you have enough money for a brand new, entry level model of a certain car. If this is the case then you'd do well to consider the advantages of buying a better equipped, used version of the same car, which comes with a number of upgrades and shows much better value.

Do not assume that a car which is three or more years old will not be covered by any sort of warranty.  A lot of good used car dealers will provide you with 12 months of cover on a vehicle that is more than three years old, and you also have the option of purchasing a policy with an independent provider.

Do not assume that you cannot haggle with new car dealers. They are as open to negotiation as a private seller, and you'd be surprised at just how much you can get them to take off the price of a new vehicle.

New car dealers are more likely to entice you with offers such as interest free credit, and this can really seal the deal if you are thinking of purchasing a vehicle over a number of years.There is always an element of compromise when it comes to buying a used vehicle, whereas you  will be able to purchase a new car to your own, personal specifications.   

WHAT ARE YOUR NEEDS?

It is essential that the car you choose is fit for purpose. If it's going to be the main family car then a two-seater roadster is probably not going to cut the mustard, just like a 5.0 litre Range Rover is probably not a great idea if you have to commute a couple of hundred miles to work every week. Here is some advice to make sure that your next choice of vehicle is the result of an informed decision.      

You should be asking yourself about the amount of cabin space that you are going to require. If the kids are growing then that Volkswagen Fox might not be suitable in a years time, and if you don't have kids then that people carrier might not be the coolest of choices. The size of the car you choose should be essentially dictated by your everyday needs.  

Think about the amount of space that you require in the boot. Do you use your car to go on holiday, or to get to the golf course a couple of times a week? If this is the case then you are going to have to make sure your car has adequate room in the boot. 

If you use your car for nipping around the shops and going to visit friends and relatives then the engine capacity is not really an issue – you will want to get something that is as economical as possible; however, more power and comfort is pretty much a necessity if you do a lot of motorway driving.

If you are going to be spending a great deal of time driving, and really clocking up a lot of miles, then you're going to get a lot of benefit from purchasing a diesel-engined vehicle. Even though they may cost a little bit more initially, you will soon make your money back on the reduced cost of fuel.   How important to you is safety? Whilst some people consider nothing that has anything less than five Euro NCAP stars, others are more concerned with the performance of a car, or the way that it looks. 

SETTING YOURSELF A BUDGET

If you don't sit down and work out exactly what you can and what you can't afford then you could end up being undone by some smooth-talking salesman, and before you know it you'll be having to go over your limit or making monthly payments that you simply cannot afford. Here are some pointers that will help to ensure that you stay within your means.

Work out what your budget is and stick to it. Finance companies and salesmen will tell you that you could probably afford something slightly more expensive, and it seems funny how they will never tell you how you can also afford something slightly less expensive – only go by your figures, and not those of anyone else.

Make sure you account for everything else when arriving at your budget figure. It can be easy to forget about how much tax is going to cost you, along with fuel and insurance. Remember, you have to account for more than just the cost of the vehicle itself.

Think about getting a used vehicle, as opposed to a new vehicle. Getting a vehicle that is one year old means that you are not losing out on the first year's worth of depreciation on a vehicle, which is when it loses by far the biggest percentage of its overall value. Also, you will still have two years worth of warranty left.    

THINKING OF GETTING FINANCE?

Not all finance schemes are as transparent as a salesperson may try to make out. Indeed, some of the variables may put you right in the middle of a financial mire if you are not careful.

There are dealers out there who are just waiting for a customer who has not done their homework. Do not be one of these. Make sure you find out about the rates that various dealers are offering, and be prepared to haggle with a dealer to get a rate that means paying back less. The APR on car finance can vary a great deal.

It is important to do your research because at any one time any number of manufacturers might be running some sort of offer. Popular offers include interest-free credit, low APR rates and even deposit contributions.

Be sure to look at the bigger picture. Dealers like to talk about a low monthly repayment, but look at how much you will be repaying over the whole course of the finance deal: it could be costing you a lot more than you think.

Make sure you get a written quote from dealers, as you will be able to refer to this if they try to change their offer at any point further on down the line.

Be aware of all the options that are available to you. Certain dealers may be unyielding with the APR that they offer, in which case it may work out cheaper if you opt for a personal loan.

WHERE TO BUY A CAR

There are a multitude of options when it comes to deciding where to buy a car from, and the choice you make will be the main factor in terms of the type of car you buy, as well as the level of service that you receive.

If you choose to go to a main dealer then it stands to reason that you are going to potentially pay the highest rate for a vehicle – the amount that they display on the windscreen of each car. Just because it is a main dealers and it looks all official, this does not mean that you cannot haggle. Also, be aware that a main dealer should be offering you the best service possible, so do not settle for anything less than great service.

If you use a company on the internet then the process of searching for the car on their site can often be a great deal easier than actually getting the car that you have found. Be aware that many websites are operating as advertisers, and your purchasing experience will be down to the third party that you end up dealing with.

Car supermarkets are often a very good place to go if you want to get a car that's a year or two old. They tend to stock a variety of makes and models, in order to cater for as wide a range of customers as possible; therefore they are not the best places to go if you are looking for anything a little bit different.

It can be possible, depending on exchange rates, to import a car and pay less for it in the process. This way you might be able to get a vehicle that is on a UK waiting list. Be aware of the fact that the vehicle might not have the correct specification for the UK market, and that you might end up paying extra in order to have this rectified.

If you are not that concerned about the make or colour of the car that you get then you may benefit from visiting a small independent dealer – one that is relatively local to you. Be aware that this often means paying more than you would for the same sort of vehicle from a private seller. 

 


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