When you think about buying a car, your first impulse may be style. You may think in terms of something that’s attractive with a plush interior. Certain features may fascinate you, such as heated seats, a vast entertainment system, or keyless entry. You may even wish for a colorful screen display.
But when shopping for a car, you’ll need to think more of what’s practical. There are some features you should never compromise on, such as safety or efficiency. But the good news is that getting a vehicle that’s affordable and runs well may give you more pleasure than you think. You can still have the car you love at an affordable price. There are a few key items to keep in mind when shopping for a car.
Do Your Homework
The first critical item is to do your homework. This means you should check any records on your vehicle and get an idea of what it’s been through and why. Check for any dents and ask if any major work has been done. This could include a brand-new or rebuilt engine that’s been installed or any major transmission work that was done. This will help you know exactly what to expect when you make that purchase.
Any recent work that was done prior to sales should be noted. A good inspection can unearth any further issues related to previous work that was done. There’s nothing more taxing than being stuck with a bad car, so getting this done before buying it is best.
Look at Safety Features
Safety is one thing you should never be forced to compromise on. Your vehicle should have good headlights and taillights for nighttime visibility. However, there’s been a new wave of important safety features in recent years. They include backup cameras, passenger airbags, and anti-lock brakes.
Other technologies include blind-spot monitoring, which helps notify you of traffic prior to changing lanes. Although this is something you shouldn’t rely too much on, this handy alert system is an excellent safety feature every driver should have. When another vehicle travels in your blind spot, a yellow warning sign flashes. This tells you that it isn’t yet safe to change lanes. Once it’s off, you can merge into the other lane if safe.
Efficiency Takes Effort
Shopping for a vehicle that’s efficient also takes a lot of time and effort. There are four main factors to ponder, including fuel economy, engine type, emission levels, and aerodynamic design. This requires you to think about how often you plan to drive it. Will you be using your vehicle for the daily commute to work, or will you need it less often? If you’re going to drive every day, fuel economy can help you save on gas.
Your engine type says a lot about power and efficiency. A four-cylinder engine is considered fuel-efficient and will bring better cost savings than most other engine types. Plus, a four-cylinder engine now has more power than it used to. However, they still may not exert as much power, so if you want to go a little faster, a six-cylinder engine may help.
The good news about six-cylinder engines is that they exude a lot of power. Consequently, you’ll see them more in larger vehicles that require more juice. Six-cylinder engines are also used for most sports cars and luxury vehicles. In short, they are used for anything that requires more speed and torque power. However, they still rate low on fuel economy, so you might not save as much on gas.
Think Reliability
Before making that purchase, think about reliability. If you want a car that will last you in the years to come, you’ll need to do some serious research. It’s important to factor in your daily driving needs in terms of your location. What you decide depends on where you live and what the road conditions are throughout the year.
If you live in an area with steep hills and a lot of snow, then either four-wheel- or all-wheel drive is your best bet. Both transmission systems provide excellent traction in the ice and snow, which make your wintertime driving much safer. A two-wheel drive is better equipped for inner-city driving where the hills aren’t as steep and there is less snow.
However, there are some differences between four-wheel- and all-wheel-drive vehicles. One is that all-wheel drive can be used safely on paved roads but isn’t good for a lot of heavy off-road driving. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are better suited for steep country roads and rugged terrains. After all, how many Jeep Wranglers and Grand Cherokees do you see crossing a rocky road?
You can operate an AWD just like any normal car. There are no levers to pull, knobs to turn, or buttons to push, so that leaves you with a little less effort than if you were driving a 4WD system. But there’s good news for both types. Some vehicles listed as AWD come with the option to switch to 4WD. In any case, you may need to look at your money situation to see what you can afford.
Take Your Vehicle for a Spin
Nothing does it like a good, quality test drive. In fact, a test drive is the most fun part of all. Here you can get a feel for how your new vehicle operates and what you can expect next. It’s an opportunity for you to check out the interior and look for other safety features such as airbags and adjustable seat belts. You can decide for yourself if the front and rear seats offer ample room for a comfortable ride.
You should allow a good 30 minutes to do a test drive. During this time, you can test the brakes while stopping. You can get a feel for how well they work and how safe they are. Also, you can apply your knowledge and experiment with the various features on the vehicle you are planning to purchase.
During the test drive, you’ll learn how to maneuver the vehicle in traffic. You can practice merging and accelerating on the road. You can get a feel for how safe your vehicle is by changing lanes a couple of times. This allows you ample practice in checking for blind spots in a different car.
If the vehicle is a different size, you can learn how to work with it. A good test of the safety features and easy handling will help you determine if it is the right vehicle for you.
A test drive will also help you learn to drive a bigger vehicle. You can learn how to adjust your side mirrors to check for blind spots and use a backup camera. This new safety feature sounds an audible beep that tells you if someone is right behind you. You should back this up with an analog check just in case the camera misses something.
Wrapping It Up
Buying a vehicle is a serious decision, and there are options to weigh. Hopefully, the above information gives you a blueprint of what you want. Even though it takes a while to decide, safety and reliability are key. After so many choices and several test drives of different vehicles, you can decide on what’s best for you without compromising on the car you love.
