Having been a driver for over 20 years and the owner of more than a dozen cars, there have been a number of vehicles that I regretted. Some cars I only had for a few weeks and I thought “What have I done,” but this is all part of life. We have all been there at one time or another, and we fell that this knowledge should be passed on, so that you do not make the same car buying mistakes, as it all about educating yourself.
One of the most common issues when buying a car is not doing your research. There are those drivers who have their heart set on a car and will not waiver from that. The first thing you should always do is make certain that the car you want does not have reliability issues, and that the insurance is not expensive. A good suggestion for teenage drivers is to see what are the safest cars for you to drive, as this will keep insurance premiums lower.
Next up is price, how many times have you bought a car only to find that you have paid over-market value? There are a number of sources on the Internet that provide such a service, and will allow you to get a good deal. However, you will need to learn the art of haggling — something that I still struggle with.
Another mistake that we hear far too often is people buying cars that is not practical for them. This could mean buying a huge SUV when you only do town driving or an Electric Vehicle when you only do long journeys. Just do a little homework and see what you or your families needs are.
One of the most common mistakes when buying a car hits on something that we mentioned earlier, and that is not considering how much insurance you will pay. Some of us have our heart set on a car and when we do buy it that is when you are hit over the head with a huge premium. Some cars carry higher premiums than others, you just need to do your research first. If you do still go for your dream car, then do not forget to shop around, read our recent post for further advice on this.
We know that there are dozens more car buying mistakes, these are just a few of the most common. Please share with us some of the hassles you have had after buying a car.
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