Investing in a new car is a big decision, so it’s hardly surprising that most people will carry out some research before committing to a purchase. But with so many cars and specifications available, it can be hard knowing where to start. To help, here is a guide to some of the things you may want to consider before buying a new car.
Buying a New Car: Car Type
Possibly one of the easiest decisions you’ll make is deciding on which type of car is right for your requirements. Let’s face it, a massive SUV is unlikely to be ideal if you spend most of your time in the car alone or travelling through tight city streets.
Features
This can be where things start to get trickier, as there are so many choices when it comes to different features and technology. Thinking about what features you are likely to use daily is a good place to start. From there you can start thinking about the features and technology you’d like.
Buying a New or Used Car
If you’re on a tight budget, you might think that buying a used car is your only option, but, there’s a bit more to it than that. If buying outright, a used car is likely to be cheaper than a brand new one. However, since the introduction of finance, buying a new car can actually be more cost-effective. That’s because not only do car manufacturers often offer their best deals on new cars, but new cars usually come with a warranty and don’t need an MOT for the first three years. This can significantly reduce maintenance costs.
Finance
Car finance is now the most common way to buy a car, regardless of whether it is new or used. With that in mind, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the different types of car finance.
For those who know they want to own the vehicle then Hire Purchase (HP) is the way to go. The cost of the car is broken down into an agreed number of monthly payments. At the end of this period, you are the official owner of the car.
Some people aren’t bothered about ownership and like the idea of lower monthly payments and increased flexibility. For these people, Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is a great option. With PCP, you only pay towards a portion of the cars full cost over an agreed number of months. At the end of this, you can choose to pay the outstanding balance to own the car, hand the car back or swap it for a new car on a fresh PCP deal.
Part Exchange
If you already own a car, part-exchanging is a good way to finance your deposit. While you’re unlikely to get the best price by part-exchanging through a main dealer, you don’t have the worry or hassle of trying to sell the vehicle yourself.
For more tips and an in-depth look at the car-buying process, check out our car-buying guide at Stoneacre.
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