Hunting for a new car can be either a tiresome chore, or a whole lot of fun, depending on how much you enjoy driving. Whichever opinion you hold, it’s never easy making a decision, with so very many things to think about. This handy Exchange and Mart guide goes into some detail about the best ways of buying your next car, and they break things down into ten separate points; let’s look at those.
Styling
Probably the first thing that grabs your attention about a car will be the way it looks. If this is important to you, then that’s fine, but don’t let your heart get in the way of your head.
Handling
This is important for driver enjoyment. If you don’t like the way the car feels, then you’re going to get quickly worn out when driving. This is why test drives are very important indeed.
Comfort
If you do a lot of driving, then you’ll need something comfy. There may well need to be a trade-off if you also want something sporty. Take the time to play with the seats to see if you can get into a comfortable position.
Quality & Reliability
Quality on the inside is important if you hate the feel of a cheap build, and don’t want to deal with electrical gremlins. Under the bonnet, reliability will mean you don’t fork out a lot of cash too often for repair bills.
Performance
There are numerous performance metrics, including horsepower, 0-60 and top speed. These are readily available, and 0-60 is probably the one that tells you the most about how quick the car is in daily life.
Roominess
Space in the boot is important for carrying luggage around, and interior space if you’ve got a family.
Running Costs
This is a big one, and includes everything from potential repair bills, to fuel economy and depreciation. Do your research here, as everything needs to be taken into account.
Value for Money
This goes hand-in-hand with running costs – are you actually getting what you want for the car for the price you’re going to be paying? Is there a better option out there?
Stereo & Sat Nav
In-car entertainment is very important to many people these days, and in the used market, extras like built-in sat navs don’t actually add much to the price.
Environment
This wouldn’t have been a big issue 20 years ago, but nowadays everything is about being green. Check both fuel economy and emissions to get an idea of how eco-friendly the car is.
