- A simple set of questions you should ask the salesperson so you're aware of all costs
- Why 'getting real' is your best insurance against buyer's remorse
- Technology under the hood that can dramatically reduce your maintenance costs and preserve the value of your car (this technology is hard to spot even by the car sales person
Tip #1: Questions to ask the sales person
Next time you're shopping for a new car it helps to know when the next bunch of expenses are due so before you buy you need to find out a few important things from the sales person, like:
Does this price include on-road costs?
- Has it recently been serviced? When will the next service need to be done?
- When was the cambelt changed? This needs to be replaced every 100,000kms on vehicles that have cambelts, rather than cam chains
- Check to see how much registration is left
- How long do you have on the Warrant of Fitness? All cars sold by law should have a WOF that has been done within the last 30 days
- Obviously, these expenses are going to happen at some point but it's helpful to get clear on when they're going to happen so you know the exact investment of the vehicle and can also be a useful bargaining tool when you are negotiating a deal.
Tip #2: The secret to preventing buyer's remorse: Getting real
That's right. Get real.
When you're buying a car you need to have a clear understanding of what it is you want based on your actual lifestyle (not the one you think you have).
If you'd like to take trips out of town frequently but in reality you only travel out of town once or twice per year then do you really need an out of town vehicle?
Personally, I'd rather be uncomfortable once or twice per year than buy something that's totally impractical the other 360 or so days in which my car fits my lifestyle perfectly.
So take a look at your lifestyle:
- Do you have a family? Then you may want more air bags, better economy performance and more seating
- Do you play sport or play in a band? Then you'll probably need more boot space or the ability to fold down something
- How often do you travel out of town? Then you may want more safety features, more comfort and a vehicle that's economical over long distance
- Do you need to tow? What size vehicle do you need for your towing requirements?
- Do you have mobility challenges? Then you may need a vehicle that has easy access
- Getting clear about your situation will help you make much better car buying decisions and you're more likely to love your new vehicle instead of feeling like you just made an expensive mistake.
Tip #3: Vehicles with cam belts vs. cam chains
I admit, this isn't exactly a sexy topic but if it's going to help you save hundreds of dollars in maintenance then it's worth a look.
Why should you care about cam belts?
Here's why:
In many situations when the cam belt breaks, your engine is destroyed and unfortunately this happens with little warning.
Getting your engine replaced is not a fun experience so it's important that you get your cam belt replaced according to your manufactures recommendation which will be around 40,000kms - 100,000kms or every x amount of years whichever comes first.
What's' the difference between the two types of belts?
While the cam belt needs to be replaced every 40,000kms - 100,000kms the cam chain is much more durable and is designed to last the lifetime of your engine if it's maintained correctly. So there is a saving on maintenance costs because of this technology.
While cam belts are still used by some car makers, a majority have changed to chain technology.
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Click here to read: 'How To Buy A Car Part 2'
Gilmour Motors Suzuki website: www.gilmourmotors.co.nz