Most car buyers prefer to opt for a new car purchase rather than a used one. There are various reasons why many make that choice, which include, warranty, reliability, availability of spare parts and of course, that new car smell.

However, there are certain things to consider when buying a new car and today, we will try to provide some tips to help you choose the right vehicle for your needs.

Tip 1: Identify your budget

Before attempting to step into any dealership, a car buyer needs to assess his or her budget to gauge how much he or she has to invest in a new vehicle. Once you have a clearer picture of how much you have to spend, then you should be able to make a shortlist of the vehicles that are within your reach.

Tip 2: Maintenance Costs

Many new car buyers make the mistake of assuming that monthly payments is all they need worry about when it comes to vehicle ownership. This isn’t true, you need to consider maintenance and running costs as well. Granted, many automakers do take care of most of your new vehicle’s maintenance requirements for a number of years. But eventually, when the warranty expires, you will be on your own.

Tip 3: Insurance and road tax

It’s an inescapable fact that all vehicle owners will need to renew their insurance and road tax annually. The costs depend on vehicle price and engine capacity. The more expensive a vehicle is, the higher the insurance costs. And the larger the engine displacement, the more you will need to pay for road tax, anything above 2.0-litres starts to become quite pricey.

Tip 4: Fuel Consumption

More powerful cars are fun to drive but that too comes at a cost. Larger engines or turbocharged ones, when pushed hard, tend to consume a lot of petrol. That means the more fun you have, the more often you will need to visit petrol stations. As such, the general rule of thumb is, get a vehicle with modest displacement and power if all you want is a general purpose one to lug the family around. In the long term, rising fuel prices will be less of an issue for you than those who opted for ones with more power.

Tip 5: Spare parts availability

Parts for cars that are currently on sale are easily accessible and are available in large numbers. However, over the course of a few years, accessibility to parts and quantities will dwindle depending on how popular a vehicle is. Spare parts facilities are more inclined to stock parts for vehicles that were sold in large numbers than those enjoyed by a select few.

Keep these tips in mind and you should have a good idea of what to expect when purchasing a new car and hopefully, will allow you to enjoy years of trouble-free motoring.