Buying a New Car

June 21, 2023
DD Planet

Buying a car is a wonderful experience. If you get the best deal, nothing like that as it further enhances your happiness.

Here are the tips to help you buy the right car:

1. Buy a car only if you really need it.
2. Make a budget. You need to know exactly how much you can afford.
3. If you require a loan, choose a minimum tenure (that you can afford easily) and optimum interest rate, and get it pre-approved.
4. Define the purpose and usage of your car. This will help you decide whether you should go for a hatchback, sedan or SUV. Naturally, if the family is large, you may prefer a SUV over a sedan over a hatchback.
5. Make sure you’ve the right parking space. Avoid buying a bigger car if parking is an issue.
6. Depending on the usage, decide on the fuel: Petrol or CNG or Diesel.
7. If budget is not an issue and the car is going to be driven mostly by a woman, Automatic transmission (Auto-gear) might be a better option than the manual transmission.
8. Decide on the must-have features and the features you can live without.
9. Conduct a thorough online research to find out which models and brands suit your pocket as well as your taste.
10. While deciding on the model, analyse all the features that are there in a higher model. Ask yourself: Can those features be added at a lesser price from the open market without affecting the car aesthetics and performance? If the answer is yes, do not unnecessarily spend on a top model.
11. Shortlist three or four cars.
12. Take a test drive of all the cars you’ve shortlisted and finalise the one you’re willing to buy.
13. Buy a new car if you wish to buy it for more than eight years or if budget is not a problem. A used car is a good option only if you’re looking for a shorter period or budget is an issue.
14. The colour of your car should match what you love. Don’t compromise on it.
15. Negotiate the best price, avail all the discount offers and make sure no overhead cost is added to cover those discounts. Don’t open your cards at the dealer’s showroom. If some festival offer is nearing, wait for some time to get the best price.
16. Check for free maintenance offers, free accessories et cetera.
17. Ensure that there is proper and accessible after sales service for your car and it carries a sufficient warranty.
18. Exchange your old car only if the dealer is providing the sufficient discount benefit, more than the old car’s market value.
19. Prefer buying accessories from the open market than the dealer’s shop.
20. Avoid buying online. Make sure you’ve physically seen the vehicle and examined it thoroughly.
21. Do not forget to avail No Claim Bonus (NCB) on your existing insurance, if any. In case the dealer is providing you with free insurance, negotiate a discount instead.
22. Avoid buying in the last months of a calendar year unless the discount offers are huge and the price is under revision. This shall ensure that your car bears the stamp of the next year.