Buying a car involves careful thought and consideration. There’s a lot to check, from service history to how economical it is, before handing any money over. Pushing all of the technical stuff aside though, colour, accessories and boot space are also what’s at the top of the list in this girl’s guide to car buying. Here, Isabelle, who writes car-based articles for PassSmart, has developed an alternative guide to car buying.
Space
Whether it’s the weekly shop or a shopping spree which you need a hiding place for, a big boot is essential. If there’s not enough room to hide your retail excesses in there, that may be a deal-breaker. A smaller boot isn’t the end of the world though. Make your space stretch further with some in-car storage units. You’ll be amazed at what a little organisation can do!
For mums, there’s more than just bag space to think about. You’re going to have to fit the kids in there somewhere! There are loads of family-friendly, deceptively spacious cars on the market which don’t resemble minivans. The new Ford Focus, for example, is one of the safest, most spacious and most popular new family cars on the market.
Colour
It may not be the first thing you should consider when looking for a new car, but you don’t want to end up with a lime green vehicle just because everything else about it ticks the boxes (unless, of course, you happen to like lime green!). Black and silver are both popular choices. They’re safe options, but you know they won’t go out of fashion. White cars are also becoming increasingly popular, but they do involve a great deal of cleaning. If you’re committed to the car wash, go for it.
Avoid impulse colour choices. You may think you want a bright yellow Seat at the time, but when it comes to doing the school run on a rainy Monday morning, you might find yourself regretting that decision. More importantly, if you ever decide to sell your car, you’ll find it a lot easier to find a buyer if your car is a conventional colour.
In-car gadgets
There are a number of gadgets built in to new cars, and, depending on your lifestyle, it could be worth finding out what’s on offer to you.
Reverse parking camera
Reverse parking cameras are great if you have a big car and reverse parking isn’t your strong point. These are built in to many modern cars, and could make your life a lot easier in the supermarket car park.
If you’re exceptionally bad at parking, there’s also self-parking technology built in to some cars. Eliminating parking issues all together, you just have to sit back and let the car do its thing. You can find self-parking technology in the Toyota Prius and many new Volkswagen models.
Keyless entry
If finding your keys in your handbag is similar to locating a needle in a haystack, keyless entry could be the saviour you’ve been searching for. Simply walk up to your car and, as if by magic, it opens. Just make sure you don’t lose your keys because then you really will be stranded.
The sensible stuff
Of course, these are all important things to look for, but we can’t bypass the sensible side of car buying completely. If you don’t know the first thing about engines or dipsticks, make sure you take somebody who does with you. After all, there’s no point in having a beautifully stylish car which parks itself if you’re going to be stuck on the side of the M25 with your hazards on!
This Girl’s Guide to Car Buying was brought to you by Isabelle from PassSmart.com; the service which helps learner drivers to get on the road.
Picture credit: OpenSkyMedia at Flickr
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