Buying your first car is one of those things that seem easy until you start doing them. Engine size, fuel efficiency, safety ratings, and capacity are just some of the things you need to consider. The goal is to find a balance between your dream car and what you can afford.

And to find this balance, the list of considerations is much longer, making the process quite daunting.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this long process. AutoSwiftly presents a simpler, convenient, and faster alternative, as we will explain in this article. But before we look into that, what are some of the things you need to consider before shopping for your first car and what should you do when you find it?

Factors to Consider Before Shopping

Likely, you won’t be purchasing another car for a while after buying your first car. So, everything needs to be perfect. Here is what you should consider before you start shopping to be happy with your purchase.

1. Your Transportation Needs

You first need to ask yourself, “why do I need a car?”. This is important because different needs require different types of cars.

For example, if you are raising a young family, you need a family hatchback or van. A car with the capacity to hold lots of people and a large enough trunk to carry luggage for the whole family. If you want a vehicle to drive to work and back primarily, you don’t need an offroad 4-wheel-drive vehicle.

Part of identifying your transportation needs is evaluating what driving conditions you often face. What’s the weather like where you plan on regularly using it? Is it regularly snowing? Muddy? How good are the roads?

If you haven’t identified your transportation needs, you should clearly define your needs as they will determine the type and size of car you buy.

2. Your Budget

Most people already know how much they are willing to spend on a car. But how are you acquiring these funds? Have you saved enough? Are you liquidating an existing asset? Are you looking for a car loan? Are the terms of the loans favorable, and is there a better alternative?

If you decide to use a first-time car buyer loan, talk to the loan agent first to get preapproved before going to the dealership so you can shop with confidence.

But it’s not just about the initial cash outlay. Most first-time car buyers don’t realize that a car is a liability. You will incur expenses such as cleaning, insurance, gas, parking, and repairs regularly.

That means that even if you can afford the car, you might have trouble running it daily. The more expensive and rarer a vehicle, the higher its daily expenses. It would be a poor financial decision if you saved enough to buy a car as expensive as a range rover and ended up not affording its daily expenses.

The right way to go about it is to subtract your basic cost of living per month from your monthly income then see if the balance can cover a rough estimate of monthly car operating costs.

3. New or Used?

Do you want a brand-new car or a used one? This decision is mainly based on your budget, but there are several other factors to consider.

For example, a used car is much cheaper initially, but depending on how old it is and how the previous owner took care of it, it could end up costing you much more in the long run due to needing regular repairs.

A new car will cost you more initially, but it could come with several offers such as free fuel and free servicing, depending on your dealership. The maintenance costs are also significantly lower.

Start Shopping

Although the internet has simplified the process of searching for a car, whether new or used, it is harder to decide with all the options available. Careful consideration of the above factors will clear things up for you, allowing you to find the ideal first car for your situation.

You have a few options when shopping for a car. The common ones are visiting a dealership and searching online listings. Sites like AutoTrader and GumTree have hundreds of thousands of cars listed, so finding a private seller or a dealership is easy.

Fortunately, you don’t have to go through the lengthy processes involved with the common car shopping options. You don’t have to browse through thousands of listings or go through the trouble of finding, and then going to a dealership. AutoSwiftly’s Concierge Service helps you find the ideal car for you.

You only need to apply online by answering a few questions, choosing the vehicle type you would want, then sitting back and relaxing. AutoSwiftly will match you with the car that fits your lifestyle, budget, and needs. They negotiate prices on your behalf, ensuring you get the best deal and even take care of the financing for you. The process takes anywhere between a few hours to a couple of days then they deliver it to you or you go pick it up.

On top of helping you find a good deal, they ensure the bank approves financing for it. If you aren’t satisfied with the deal, you get your money back.

What You Should Do When Shopping for a New Car

• Evaluation

If you are shopping for a used car, you first need an independent mechanic to evaluate it. Ask the mechanic to start the car with you outside and listen for any strange sounds. Check if the exhaust smoke is dark or heavy. Turn things such as windshield wipers, AC, and dashboard lights on. If you are buying a brand-new car, you can skip this step and go straight to test driving.

• Test Drive

The only way to know if a car is a good fit for you is to drive it. If the owner or the dealership does not allow test drives, just walk away.

Since it is your first time buying a car, unless you have years of experience with cars, it would be best if you came with an experienced mechanic to test drive it for you. They know exactly what to check and test to determine the quality of the car.

Additionally, the test drive shouldn’t be only on good roads, especially if it is a used car. Test it on uneven ground and feel the state of the suspension. If it is squishy and not firm, run for the hills.

Conclusion

There is no room for mistakes when buying your first car because chances are, you won’t be purchasing another one for a while. And with so many factors to consider and the amount of effort required in each step to find the best car at the best deal, it is easy to make a mistake and end up unhappy with your purchase.

Luckily, AutoSwiftly reduces the tens of steps to only five easy ones as explained. Whatever car you want, we can help you get it without you dealing with any new car buying headaches. It can be stressful to purchase a new vehicle, but it’s easy and quick when working with AutoSwiftly.Get started on your journey to the perfect first car.

Recommended reading: The No. 1 Guide to Leasing or Buying a Car Online With AutoSwiftly