Are you about to buy another car for your household? Then there are a number of things you need to consider, from your initial outlay to the ongoing costs of running your car. We’ve put together a checklist for you to bear in mind when buying your third car, read on to find out more.
Costs
A key consideration for you will, of course, be the cost of your vehicle. There are some things you can do to save money on your next car purchase. Firstly, consider buying a nearly new model rather than a brand new model for as Money Saving Expert highlight, new cars lose around a quarter of their value within a year and half their value in two years. So look around for garages that sell nearly new cars or specialise in vehicles that have a low mileage. You might be lucky and find an ex-display model that has just a few miles on the clock. Also, be mindful of when you shop for your car, as dealers have targets to meet and you’re likely to find more discounts and special offers close to the end of each financial quarter – in March, June, September and December.
In addition to the price at the point of purchase, maintenance costs are key when considering the lifetime costs of your car, so look into them carefully before choosing your new car. Some makes and models cost much more than others to service, maintain and buy replacement parts for, so be mindful of this when choosing your car.
What do you need?
First and foremost consider what you need from your new car? Is there something that your current cars don’t offer that you need? Like a more spacious boot, more comfort or driving aids like reversing systems, camera systems and sat navs.
Your journeys
Consider the journeys you are most likely to be doing in your car and use this to inform your choice of vehicle. Is it a little run around you need or a more spacious car for longer journeys? What is your mileage each year? If you clock up a lot of miles, then consider a model that gives you more miles per gallon of petrol.
Fuel
When buying your next car, a key consideration is the type of fuel you’ll use. Is it petrol, diesel, an electric or a hybrid vehicle that would best suit your needs? If you’re likely to undertake lots of local journeys, then a hybrid vehicle may work out the most cost-effective for you. Conversely, if you mostly undertake long journeys on motorways, then a diesel model may work out to be the best car for you.
Tax
Tax is a key concern when choosing a car, and new car tax rates were introduced from this April, so make sure you’re up-to-date on the latest rates. You can avoid car tax altogether by choosing a car with no C02 emissions. Be mindful of buying a car with a list price of over £40,000 as you will incur a higher tax rate.
Insurance
Insurance costs are a significant cost for any driver, and if you own several vehicles, that’s, even more, the case. Carefully consider the options available to you regarding your insurance, and contact Call Wiser for a multi car insurance quote to ensure you get the best deal. Taking out a multi car insurance policy will allow you to insure several cars on one policy and ultimately help you to make savings.
Your work
Consider carefully whether you will be using your car for work purposes, as this will also affect your insurance. Make sure you inform your insurer if you will be using your new car for work purposes or you could find your insurance is invalid.
Parking
Do you have a secure place in which to park your new car? Parking your car off the road will help you to save on your insurance costs and contribute to keeping your car secure. So consider your parking options when choosing your car. It might be a smaller model would fit neatly into your driveway.
So there you have our eight-point checklist of factors to consider when buying a new car, we hope it will help you get the best deal when shopping around for your next vehicle.
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