“Don’t buy that car” – my top five red flags when friends are buying cars
If I had to come up with the most asked question I get from my friends it is probably, “What car should I buy?” It is not an easy question to answer. There are so many factors that come in to play such as, “What is your budget?”, “What are your requirements in terms of space?” and so on. But there are a few things that need to be considered over anything else. So here are my top five red flags to consider when buying a car.
- Work out your budget correctly
One of the biggest problems with buying a car is people tend to overspend. If you have a budget of R200 000, make sure you have considered ALL the costs involved in owning that particular car. Can you afford to change a tyre if it bursts? Can you afford the fuel consumption? There is a lot more than just the hard cost of the car you need to consider.
- Don’t buy for ‘image’
We all have our favourite brands and it can be really hard to look at anything else. I always tell friends of mine to look at all their options. Just because you love Volkswagen doesn’t mean you can only drive a Volkswagen. You might find something that better suits your price range and your specific needs from another manufacturer. Take your heart out of it and buy with your head.
- Test drive all of your options
Following on from my previous point, don’t buy a car based purely on its looks. You won’t be the one looking at it while you are driving. You want to be comfortable! Make a list of all the cars within your price range and then go and test drive every single one of them. You might surprise yourself by enjoying a car you might never have considered before.
- New is not necessarily better
There is nothing quite like the smell of a brand new car, but that smell costs you more essentially. If you are on a tight budget but want a car with all the bells and whistles, consider a second hand car within that price range that might be a few years old, but that has everything your heart desires.
- Don’t add unnecessary optional extras
You might think that a sunroof is a must-have. It is not. Neither is rear electric windows, sat nav, or bigger wheels. These all cost money. Stick to what is completely necessary such as safety options (airbags, smash and grab windows etc), Bluetooth, even air conditioning for those long summers. The rest you can live without and your wallet will thank you for it. You don’t get your money back on options!
What are your car buying experiences? Is there anything you would have done differently? Have you realized you could have done without certain things that would have saved you money? Tell us about your do’s and don’t’s when it comes to buying a car, email us at [email protected] and we might publish your story.