What to consider when buying your first car

The thought of owning a car lingers on most people’s minds and excitement kicks in once you finally begin the process of buying one. However, it can be a hectic process.

For starters, even the few that may know of your plans, will have an opinion on the best car for you. Couple that with your own expectations, you end up with a dilemma that could cause you to buy the wrong car.

Buying your first car- Photo courtesy: Kenya Car Bazaar

The following factors will help guide your decision on the car to settle for:

Affordability

It is almost obvious that everyone’s dream car is luxurious. However, your first car is more like your practice car. Regardless of your budget capability start off with cheaper options for a smoother learning curve.

Fuel economy

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Cars with smaller engine sizes are more economical compared to larger engines. Consequently, they’ll also be less powerful performance-wise than the larger ones. The more power and speed you’ll expect from a car, the more the fuel the car will consume and vice versa.

ALSO READ https://parentsafrica.com/how-to-spend-that-little-amount/

Maintenance

Any car that you buy should be easy to maintain. This means that its spare parts should be readily available for times when you need repair. This is to minimise on extra costs for sourcing for spare parts abroad or from the car’s manufacturers.

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For caution, also consider the state of roads in your locality. This will help you decide whether to go for a small car or big car.

Use

This is a very essential factor to consider, as it narrows down your options on the type of car you need. Be it for daily commute, long journeys, carrying goods etc . This factor will also advise the size of car to buy.

Performance

Cars with moderate power output are most recommended for first-time buyers. Most first time buyers may be inexperienced, hence handling a powerful and fast car may be risky. Terrains and purpose will also dictate the power needed from a car.

Safety

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Safety should be a priority for first-time buyers. Your choice should at least have the latest standard safety features like safety belts, airbags and Anti lock Braking System(ABS) . Other items including first aid kit and emergency warning triangles should be part of the car package. These features will ensure safety for the driver, passengers and pedestrians.

Resale value

A first-time car buyer will most definitely want to upgrade from their first car, hence he/she should buy a car that will fetch a good amount of money in the second hand market.

Generally, all these factors add up to quality, cost of ownership and reliability of your choice of car. When buying your first car, take time to learn through the process. Once you get the car that suits you, take time to also understand your car and how it works and if possible, get to know how the car world is. Knowledge is power!