[dropcap]Y[/dropcap]ou see cars for sale everywhere, but the question is which one is the best one for you. After all, you are going to be spending a significant amount of money, so the last thing you want is to end up buying the wrong type of vehicle.
Buy with your head not your heart
Unfortunately, when it comes to buying a car an awful lot of us buy with our heart. This is partly because the vehicle you drive says a lot about you.
If you can afford to buy a big, fast and expensive car, you will usually make a good impression. However, that soon changes when you cannot afford to keep the vehicle on the road and end having to go back to using the bus.
It is always best to buy a small car that you know you can afford to run. Provided you make sure it is an economical model, you will have no problem saving up so that you can buy a bigger and better car the next time.
Research is essential
Before you go out to buy, it is always wise to do some research. It is important to work out exactly how much you can afford to pay and stick to that budget.
Many buyers forget to factor the cost of maintenance into their calculations. The cost of servicing a car varies greatly. It is never wise to assume that because a car is good for fuel economy that it will also be cheap to service and buy parts for that vehicle.
You also need to bear in mind that your tyres have to be replaced regularly, so you need to find out how much these would cost as well. The last thing you need is to discover, too late, that you have to buy expensive specialist tyres for it.
Is it practical?
As well as understanding the costs involved in buying and running the type of car you are interested in buying, you need to think about how practical it will be for you. It is important to think about how you are likely to want to use your car both now and in the future.
For example, if you are planning to start a family soon, buying a two-seater would not be the best long-term decision. Of course, you can sell it, but doing so is a hassle and it will also cost you money to do so. In that situation, you would be better off buying a family car.
Is it a good car?
In South Africa every time a car changes hands, it has to undergo a roadworthiness test. However, it is important to understand that this test only covers the basics. Therefore, it is usually worth having one of the more comprehensive tests that are available from this page carried out. Doing this will help to make sure that you buy a car that will not let you down or cost you a lot of money to keep on the road during the first year, or so.
As you can see, buying the right car for you is not difficult to do. All you need to do is to give yourself enough time to gather all of the relevant information, analysis it and make a decision.
