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Top 5 Things to Look Out for When Car Shopping as a New Driver

Purchasing a car is a big decision that requires a great amount of care and consideration to ensure you’re making the right choice. The process can be all the more intimidating if you’re a new driver and your knowledge of cars as well as your experience behind the wheel are limited. 

So, if you’re in the market for a new or used car and you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole situation, here are five important aspects to consider if you want to strike the best deal.  

Your needs 

There’s certainly no shortage of car options on the market to fit all preferences and budgets, so before you start researching different makes and models, you should first figure out what type of car suits your lifestyle if you want to spend your money wisely. Being aware of your needs will make it easier to narrow down your options and choose a vehicle that’s going to become an asset to you.

So, start thinking about your driving needs and what you’ll be using your car for in the future. You may want a car that’s suitable for daily commute, or one that will fit your entire family and can withstand long-distance drives. Once you’ve got that figured out, you can start looking at the models that match your personal requirements. 

Reliability 

When you’re making such a big purchase, you want to make sure your car will perform as expected for a long period of time and won’t break down unexpectedly, leaving you in the middle of the road. That’s why reliability is a crucial factor when it comes to choosing a car. 

All car models are designed with reliability in mind, but it’s pretty obvious that certain vehicles are superior in terms of durability and performance to others. A car that’s known for its sturdiness and durability provides peace of mind as the chances of running into unexpected problems are slim, so you probably won’t have to deal with any major inconveniences or big repair bills. 

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Safety 

Safety should be the number one priority in purchasing a car for every driver out there, but it’s particularly important for new drivers to focus on this aspect as their lack of driving experience puts them at a greater risk of crashing. 

The good news is that most vehicles these days are a lot safer than older models, featuring a range of advanced safety features such as adaptive cruise control, night vision, safe exit assist, diver fatigue assist, automatic emergency braking, or forward-collision warning. If you want to find out how safe a car is, you can easily do that by checking its NCAP safety rating.   

Cost 

Whether brand new or pre-owned, cars don’t come cheap. However, prices vary widely across the board, depending on a variety of factors such as make and model, age and mileage, location, add-ons, and so on. So, apart from all the aspects we have listed so far, you also have to take the affordability factor into account and look for a car that’s within your price range. Before you begin your car search journey, you might want to build your credit and then start exploring your financing options. Also, you have to factor in the car ownership costs, not just the vehicle’s price tag when calculating your budget. 

Dealerships 

It’s not just the car that matters, but also where you buy it from. Car quotes might differ from dealer to dealer, as well as the entire purchasing experience, so you’ll want to do a bit of research to find a good dealership. Recommendations from family and friends as well as online reviews from former customers can help a lot in this respect. Once you’ve decided what vehicle you want to purchase, you can visit different dealerships and take your chosen car for a test drive.