A new car is a significant commitment. Not only does the vehicle you drive have a decent impact on your lifestyle (for example, 4x4s offer more opportunities for adventure, while hatchbacks can make navigating city driving easier), but you will also most likely be keeping the vehicle for years to come, so you’ll have to factor in changing needs. Plus, of course, the purchase is a significant outlay. To help ensure you have all the information you need to make the right decision for your lifestyle and requirements, there are some things that you should consider, so we’ve put together this guide to help you out.
What do you need from a new vehicle?
The first thing you’re going to want to consider is what you actually need from a new car. Someone looking to haul their tools, for example, will require a different kind of vehicle to a parent looking for a family car to get the kids safely from a to b. Although you may like the look or feel of a certain vehicle, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will tick all of your boxes, so it’s important to have a list of what your non-negotiables are. Think about things such as towing capacity, technology, comfort, and what you can actually put in the vehicle, and make a list ranking things from most important to least important to you.
What safety features are important to you?
While your mind probably goes straight to the ANCAP Safety Rating when considering whether a car is right for your needs in this aspect, there are other things to consider. The ANCAP Rating of a vehicle will give you an overview of how well it will protect your family, but if you’re wanting specific features, you’re going to have to dig a bit deeper. The number and location of airbags is a good thing to look into, but you’ll also want to consider features such as blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, reverse and/or 360 cameras and sensors, and the type of connection your new car has for child seats.
What are the running costs?
The upfront price isn’t the only thing you’ll need to consider when selecting which option is right for you. The running costs for your new car will be ongoing for the life of your vehicle, so it’s important to know what you’re going to be up for. Performance models, as a general rule, will cost a bit more than a standard version of a vehicle to run, but your Sales Specialist will be able to give you specifics for the cars that you’re considering.
Is it worth upgrading to the hybrid option?
Speaking of running costs, although purchasing a hybrid vehicle will cost more upfront, it can allow you to save in the long term, as your fuel economy will be improved. You will obviously need to consider whether you can get the features that you’re looking for, as the hybrid options for some vehicles do have differences, but if you can get this type of vehicle to tick all your boxes, it very well could be worth upgrading. The easiest way to ascertain this is to ask your Sales Specialist what the key differences are between the ICE and hybrid models of the vehicle you’re considering are, and be sure to consider whether a standard hybrid, or plug-in hybrid is better for your needs.
What entertainment and comfort inclusions are important to you?
Base model vehicles have plenty of entertainment and comfort inclusions these days, but if you’re wanting the best of the best, you’ll still need to consider purchasing the premium package version of a car. For this reason, it’s a good idea to know what features are important to you before you start looking too closely at any particular type of vehicle, so you don’t get your heart set on a particular model only to find out that you cannot get the features that you want.
Will you be keeping the car long term? Or looking to trade it in in a year or two?
This point may seem like an odd one, but it can actually have a decent impact on which vehicle you choose. This is because you can be more flexible in terms of whether you’re getting everything that you want if the vehicle is only going to be a short term solution. This can allow you to save significantly and potentially get your new car faster, as you may opt to have less inclusions or a colour that you weren’t originally considering if you’re not going to be keeping the vehicle long term. You may also find that a dealer demonstrator is available that suits all your needs, which can be a great option for both short and long term ownership.
What maintenance requirements are you comfortable with?
The maintenance requirements for your vehicle will depend heavily on the type that you select. While most new cars will have a pretty structured initial servicing schedule, there are other things that must be considered in terms of maintenance before committing to a vehicle. For example, 4×4 vehicles have additional components that will need extra care if you often take the vehicle off-road, while premium models may need a bit more attention if the added features that the car comes with require any kind of servicing.
Will you be paying cash or financing? If financing, what repayments are you comfortable with?
A new car is a significant financial commitment, so before deciding on which type of vehicle you’d like, it’s important to be sure of how much you can afford to spend. This helps prevent you from falling in love with a car that you can’t actually purchase due to budget constraints.
If you will be paying cash, you have a little more wiggle room than those who will be financing the vehicle, as you will be able to finance a portion of the cost if the car that you want falls outside of your budget, but this should be careful considered to ensure that you do not put strain on your finances.
What will insurance cost?
Another important cost to consider is insuring the vehicle. Costs will vary depending on the value of the car, how easy it is to source parts for, the location where you will be keeping the vehicle, and more, so it’s a good idea to get some quotes for insurance before making your final selection.
Does the car you’re considering make you happy?
Finally, once you’ve considered everything else in this blog and created a shortlist of the vehicles you might like to buy, you’ll want to think about whether the cars you’re considering make you happy. This is an item that you’ll be interacting with most days for a significant amount of time, so you want to be sure that your chosen vehicle is comfortable, convenient, and sparks joy.
Our friendly teams across our dealership network are always happy to help with any questions you may have. Discover your closest hub (Cranbourne, Frankston, Lilydale, or Mornington) in the menu at the top of this page, or find full details for each dealership in the footer.