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| Choosing the right car |
| Decisions, decisions... When it comes to choosing the vehicle that's right for you, nothing mucks up the decision-making process like emotion. You know what you need, and you probably know your financial limits, but geez... lust and desire are hard to dismiss.
It's simple. Or at least it should be. You need personal transport, and it has to meet your particular set of circumstances. These buying criteria will help you narrow down the choices, quantifying everything from the number of seats to the car's onroad/offroad ability and engine size. We all know a vehicle is a predominantely practical purchase, but let's be honest about this too, we all want to enjoy our car, want to feel good driving it. And this is where emotion wanders in, muddying once clear waters. So, before you give in to the dark side, ask yourself the following questions: WHAT AM I CARRYING? Will the vehicle be a first or second car? Will it be charged with transporting you to the office/shopping/friend's place and back, or are there family/friends/freeloaders who'll be joining you? Two seats or four, or maybe even eight? Don't forget the luggage, just because it doesn't have a voice. whether bags to the airport or rubble to the tip, or anything in-between, the loads you carry will dictate the type of car that's practical for you. Ever tried putting a jetski on the roof of a Mitsubishi Lancer? Much easier to slide it into the tray of a ute, or onto a trailer to tow, but that's another story. POWER OR ECONOMY? This one's almost a straight trade-off: the more power you have the more fuel you'll burn and the more money the car will cost per kilometre. Here's what we mean. Take a Holden Commodore V8 and a Honda Accord four-cylinder, both of which will move four adults and luggage in comfort, and with decent performance. The more powerful Commodore will use nearly 50 percent more fuel than the Accord, which adds up to nearly $700 in 12 months. That's an extra $14 every week to cover the same distance... WHAT TERRAIN WILL I CONQUER? It's no secret that the majority of 4WDs are bought more for their 'command' driving position and carrying capacity. Anecdotal evidence suggests less than one in 10 go offroad with any regularity. So do you need to be lugging such a big vehicle around and paying for the extra fuel, wear on tyres, etc? There are alternatives: What about a passenger car wagon, like a Mazda 6 or bigger Ford Falcon? Or, if people moving is your trade, then buy a people mover. Sometimes size has benefits, the most obvious example is for towing applications. And, of course, some people actually do go offroad in their 4WDs. WHICH BRAND FOR ME? Brand loyalties run deep, and shouldn't be ignored at purchase time. If you've had a good ownership experience with a brand once, chances are it'll happen the next time. The same goes for bad experiences, though there's really no such thing as a bad new car any more -- and three-year warranties are a good safety net. But don't let brand ownership swindle you out of thousands of dollars. A big BMW, for example, is not likely to get you to your destination any quicker than a Holden Statesman, and both will do it in similar style -- but the BMW does carry a lot of extra features and technology that the locally built car doesn't. How much is that extra BMW stuff really worth to you? Then, of course, there's resale values -- how much a vehicle is worth when the time comes to sell. As a very rough rule of thumb, European models or low volume sports cars generally hold their value better. EMOTION IN MOTION Yes, emotion does play a necessary role in every purchase, but how much is up to you. It's a delicate balancing act that should be carefully considered if you don't want to regret the decision later. Sometimes, rarely, the type of car you desire is the same type your lifestyle demands, and that's great. But more often than not, desire and demand are diametrically opposed. That doesn't mean you should abandon all dreams. Just decide how much you're prepared to sacrifice from your car's practical abilities to meet your heart's desire. After all, statistics show that we spend anywhere from eight to eighteen hours on average in our car each week, so we should enjoy the experience, shouldn't we? POINTS, MAN, GIMME POINTS So, let's distill that into a simple, quickfire list of points you should consider before deciding on your next vehicle. 1. PRACTICAL: Can it do what you need it to do? 2. SUITABLE: Does it meet your transport needs? 3. AFFORDABLE: Can you afford to buy and insure it? These points are also worth considering: 4. If it has to live on the street, is it a high theft or vandalism risk? 5. Are parts readily available and affordable? 6. Can you afford the repair costs? Does it require specialist servicing? 7. Can you live with the fuel economy? 8. Is it safe? Check out various safety websites if crash safety is important. 9. Does it require expensive everyday parts such as tyres, filters, brakes, shock absorbers, windscreen, cam belts, etc? |
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