Things to Consider Before Buying Your First Car | Autozone

1. Budget

The first thing that you need to investigate is your budget.

Are you planning on buying your new car outright? Then figure out how much you’re willing to spend against the typical market value of the car/cars you’re interested in.

Some of the cars on the cheaper end of the market include the VW Golf, Citroen C3, Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris and Vauxhall Corsa.

If you’re considering buying your first car on finance, it’s important to not overstretch yourself when it comes to how much you’re willing to pay monthly. This is because if you begin struggling to make payments, the car could be repossessed and it can negatively impact your credit score if you want to make future credit applications. 

There are various types of car finance available out there, from hire purchase if you want to eventually own the car, to personal contract purchase to give you the option of part exchanging, returning or paying for the remainder of the car at the end of the contract to keep it. If you’re buying your first car, and haven’t built up a significant credit history and you’re worried this may cause you to be rejected for car finance, don’t worry. At Autozone we specialise in providing car finance for people with low credit scores.

2. Car insurance 

This should also be looked into at the budget stage, especially if it is your first vehicle, insurance can be very expensive, so it’s good to browse the market and get an idea of how much it will be and whether or not it is affordable. 

Factors that affect your insurance can include where you live and if there are a lot of incidents reported there, as well as where you plan on keeping your car (i.e on your driveway or in a garage), as well as the current age and value of the car.

3. Fuel efficiency

Petrol cars are great if you’re going to be doing a lot of short journeys and driving around town. They’re much more economical and fuel efficient for these types of trips compared to a diesel.

Diesel cars are fantastic for longer journeys on motorways thanks to their increased torque and pulling power. They cruise along smoothly at high speeds, and are well suited to longer drives in order to clear the diesel particulate filter out.

Electric and hybrid cars are steadily gaining the interest of new car buyers. Their economical footprint is something that petrol and diesel cars just can’t compete with, the full EV range is increasing, and there are more EV charge points popping up all over the country. 

Resale Value 

There’s probably going to come a time when you have to part ways with your car down the line. So, it’s worth looking into its future resale value as well, because cars do eventually need to be replaced as lifestyle and needs change, and you want to ensure you’re getting a good deal.

Some of the best car makes that hold onto their value include BMW, Vauxhall, Toyota, Nissan, Jaguar, Honda and Mercedes-Benz. 
 

Car features

Finally, think about what you want and need from the car. Would it be helpful to have built in satellite navigation if you’re having to travel for work? If you’re a new driver then maybe parking sensors and a reverse camera would be helpful to you. Or, do you need lots of luggage space if you’re often having to travel with your family. 

Need help choosing a great first car? Our team at Autozone genuinely cares about helping each and every customer in finding the right vehicle for them. Not only that, but if you're looking for a great car finance deal, including bad credit options, we can help.

Get in contact with our team today, and we’ll help you get on the road in the first car of your dreams.