Questions a car shopper must consider |Things to know before buying a car

The questions you must deal with before buying a car

Whether you are a personal car shopper or a professional car shopper, there are a number of questions that you should ask yourself and to the car dealers. Generally, people prefer to avoid making huge financial mistakes. Therefore, go through these questions and think about them carefully.

Do you need a new car?

Why do you want a new car?  What’s wrong with the car you have? Is it too old? Not big enough for the family? Or can’t it handle the rough roads being using nowadays?  Is your client too busy to do the buying himself? Identify why you need a new car first, before moving on to the next question.

Which type of car to go for?

Do you want a car for an urban or a rural area? Do you want a sports car or a heavy duty 4-wheel drive? A professional car shopper must know his client’s preferences.

What am I going to use it for?

Do you want to use it for commercial purposes? Or for very long highway drives between states? Pin point how do you intend to use the car.

Can I afford to buy a car? What’s my budget?

People generally set a budget for a car and think they can afford it. Think again. There is a sales tax fee, the manufacturer’s fee, the dealer’s fee for processing the sales and maybe freight charges too. The overall price will be higher. Getting it on instalments will further shoot up the final price.

What kinds of gadgets and features should it have?

The shopper may be after a lot of electronic gadgets in the car. Ask the dealer or manufacturer to share details about the electronic and safety features the car has. How it compares with other models in its price range. A professional car shopper has to consider these angles. To a personal car shopper, it might mean everything.

How much fuel does it use per mile?

The latest models travel about 25 miles a gallon or 100 kilometers for every 10 liters. So before you decide on the car to buy, ask the dealer about the average fuel consumption rate. During this pandemic situation, a car shopper should remain as economical as possible with the fuel.

How much for tire replacements?

Rough terrains and inclement weathers affect the tires.  What kind of tires does this car use? What will be the cost of the new tires? We don’t want heavy future expenses.

What does the warranty cover and for how long?

Can you handle a major repair cost after 3 years or after driving the car about 36,000 miles? Usually warranties expire around that time. Would you want an extended warranty coverage? What does the warranty cover? Think about this in advance and note down how you would want to handle the repair cost.

What will be its trade-in value?

Question the dealer. This might lower down the car’s price or cut the dealer’s fee in halve if the trade-in value is low.

Am I comfortable driving the car?

You have to check the driver’s seating area well. Can you get in easily? Is it too tight? Is the sealing low? And the most important one, can you get to all the controls of the car easily? Check the level of comfort the car offers.

How does it feel driving it?

Feel the car as it starts. Do you like how it starts moving? Do the brakes responds to your expectations? Do you feel in control behind the steering wheel? Are you comfortable turning it or backing it up? Drive the car on roads you usually drive on. This will help you understand how the driving feels like.

Will my passengers be comfortable?

Can all your family members get in and seat themselves comfortably. Especially if you might be taking them for long drives. Even maybe over rough roads now and then. Not only your comfort matters, but the comfort of your family members/passengers is equally important.

Can you put enough of your things in it?

Does this car accommodate all my things? My gear for camping. My essential travelling luggage? Can I fasten things on top of the car? Does it have a trunk to hold a spare tire? Assess your needs in order to avoid any problems in the future.

Will it fit in your lifestyle?

Is it for office use? Is it for constant construction site inspections? It must fit the job and it must fit your style. Does it look good next to you? The professional car shopper should think about his client’s way of life and do the necessary deductions.

The question you must face?

Would you buy the car even if it was more expensive than you could comfortably afford? That’s the final question. This means that we have covered all the questions a car shopper should ask before buying a car. As for a professional car shopper, you have now some insights into how a passenger of a taxi or a customer might feel renting one of your cars.

Conclusion

We hope these questions will open your eyes to the different considerations that should be thought of before a making a purchase. Good hunting.