Dec 17, 2019
Buying a new car is an exciting thing, but it can be hard to know what to do before handing over the money. A thorough test drive is vital, as it’s your best chance at making sure you’re comfortable and that you will enjoying driving the car for the foreseeable.
Main dealers nowadays let you take the car for 24 hours so don’t be shy to ask! A test drive is even more important when buying a second-hand car, it’s your opportunity to make sure everything’s in good working order. Check out our tips and tricks for buying a new car.
This step is often overlooked, and many people fall into the trap of buying from irreputable dealers. Take your time on a test drive, don’t let the salesperson put you under pressure. If you’re driving a model, you’re not familiar with or if this is your first car, test out a few different models, and this will give you a better idea of what that car should feel like to drive and may help you tell the difference between characteristics and possible faults.
Here are just some of the things you need to think about when testing your potential new car:
Steering and brakes should be responsive, make you feel confident and stop the car in a straight line.
The engine should be cold before you start, if you feel the bonnet and it’s warm, the seller could be trying to hide a starting problem. Check for signs of smoke when you start the car and when you’re driving. Are there any rattling noises from your suspension?
Are you able to engage all the gears smoothly? If the clutch doesn’t start biting until the pedal has nearly reached the top, it could be wearing and will need to be replaced before you purchase the car.
If you’re buying a car that needs to suit your family, it’s important to take your children with you.
Electric cars are now becoming more common in dealer showrooms, but should you do anything differently when testing out your new potential electric model? Here are our tips for buying an electric car:
There are two aspects that you need to be asking questions about before buying the car, what is the range and what is the charging time? You don’t want to purchase a car that could end up running out of battery a few miles from home. Many of the latest models are good for at least 200 miles between charges, but if you’re looking at a used electric car and think it’s going to be better than a petrol or diesel model, take it out for a day or two.
The car needs to suit your lifestyle, will it last long enough for you to get to and from work in one charge, once you get home have you enough battery left to do evening activities if you make shorter journeys all the time how often are you going to need to recharge. Are you going to be able to charge it overnight and if so, where?
The cold weather is going to have an impact on your range, carrying passengers, using your lights and heaters are all going to impact your range.
It can be an overwhelming process of buying a new car, but the important thing to remember is to take your time! Only purchase when you’re completely happy with everything, not because the salesperson said so!
