One of the major mistakes that one do while buying a car is to buy a car that does not fit to one’s needs. Most of us go with the trend and buy a car, which is ‘in’, one that will suit our status and so on. Very few people give a thought to what exactly are their needs and buy a car accordingly. If such an exercise is made, a lot of wastage can be reduced – wastage of money and other resources.
Here are a few tips to that can help one to choose a car that fits his/her needs:
- Assess your needs – The first step is to assess the need for the new car. Many people confuse needs with wants. There is absolutely no end to the wants and it is unrealistic many a times. However, assessing the needs is more realistic and practical. A few questions to ask oneself would be:
- What is the proposed use of the car – daily commuting or off-roading or occasional trips?
- How many people will normally travel in the car – will it be for the use of one person alone, or the whole family?
- What should be the type of car – can a hatchback do the job for you? Do you really need the bigger sedan or SUV?
- What should be the engine type – go for diesel, petrol or CNG?
- Set the budget – As money will be the most important determinant, it is necessary to fix a budget for the car. Your calculations can help you to determine whether you can afford that big sedan you always wanted or if you will have to settle for the hatchback. One of the basic rules of budgeting for automobiles is – the EMI should not be more than 20% of the take home pay.
- Consider the Options – once the budget is drawn, you can consider the available options. You may buy a car or even lease one. Buying a car could be costlier than leasing. However, at the end of the loan term, the car will be yours. Leasing will be cheaper – but at the end of the term, you will have no car with you as the ownership is with the company itself, which leased you the car.
- Check out the Substitutes – Once the ownership pattern is decided upon, the next step is to compare the cars in the same category with each other. If possible, all vehicles in the same class/segment should be compared and the best one can be chosen.
If these steps are followed, you will end up with the best car that fit your needs.
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