There are a lot of big decisions we make across the span of our lifetime. We choose our schools, our friends, our major in college. We decide what groups to join, what politics to support, what profession sparks our interest. We get to elect which cities we live in, what partner to confide in, what house to buy. In the average human life, we are faced with any number of important options, and for the most part, we take these things pretty seriously. Whether the choice is between a city escape versus a lake house for the summer, or deciding between pizza or pasta, our lives are riddled with moments when our decisions matter.
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These days, in the automotive world, we are faced with more choices, more options, more dizzying possibilities than ever before.
If you’re in market for a car, truck, SUV, hybrid, motorcycle, or anything with wheels and an engine, you know how overwhelming the process can be. With all the advancement in technology and machinery, the alternatives are seemingly endless. So the question becomes, “Where do I even start?”
Because buying a car is a pretty significant event, we think it’s super important for you to make this decision from a place of education, understanding, research. And while no one can choose the vehicle that’s right for you, we wanted to provide a brief but thorough checklist of some vital points in the pre-purchase phase.
Where do you live? What are the roads like there? What is the weather like? In asking this question, it will become clear to you whether it’s the sort of place where a convertible might be nice for two months, but a rugged SUV would serve you better year-round. Or vice-versa. Is it more important to have all-wheel drive, or something zippy for navigating city traffic?
Road and weather conditions can contribute greatly to the type of car that’s the best fit for you.
How important is fuel efficiency for you? If, for example, you live in a climate where you will need a heavy car with snow tires for a good part of the year, chances are that vehicle will not be as efficient, as let’s say, a small, light hybrid. So your choice may be made for you in this case. If, on the other hand, you live in a place with flat roads and sunshine, you may have the liberty to value good gas mileage as one of your top priorities.
What kind of parking is available to you? You may be considering purchasing a Hummer, but it would be wise to know whether or not you will have to park that mammoth on small side streets and busy boulevards. The size of your vehicle will greatly influence its parkability (yes, we made up that word, but it’s a great word, and we’re petitioning Webster to add it to the roster of made-up words that have global meaning. Case in point: google it.) If you live in a place with wide streets, garages, a lot of valet parking, your car’s width may not matter. But if not, this is a good element to consider.
Are you solo driving or carrying the crew? The number of passengers you have with you on a regular basis will be quite significant when choosing your new ride. So if you had your heart set on a shiny new Mazda Miata, but you’ve gotta ferry the kids to soccer practice twice a week, you may want to think again. That’s not to say that you can’t marry function with form; there are plenty of family-sized cars that are snazzy enough to make your neighbors jealous. We promise. But you should know before you go to the showroom.
On the heels of the last point, comes this: How much storage space will you need? Even if kids aren’t part of the picture, you may be hauling work gear, luggage, or a surfboard on the daily. So it’s smart to consider this ahead of time. Rather than running to purchase one thing, and then realizing that your best option now is to start strapping stuff to the roof. Not that this is a problem – it’s a totally doable solution. But it can also be avoided if you’re honest about what kind of cargo space you’ll need.
Shiny and new or gently used? There are a lot of factors that will contribute to whether you’ll go for a new car or a pre-owned one.
Some things to consider are: resell value, depreciation of the new car the minute it leaves the lot, accident history, warranty availability, and seller dependability to name a few. Both options present pros and cons, from expenditure to maintenance, and the decision is a personal one. So it’s wise to spend some time examining the two sides.
Unless you’re planning to purchase your next vehicle through a private sale, your next point to ponder is this: Which floats your boat: buying or leasing?
One means ownership and the other is more of a long-term rental. Rental as in apartment, not car, though. So you may want to spend a moment going through the pros and cons of responsibility when it comes to both options. There are bonuses for both, there is no wrong choice.
And perhaps most importantly (though some would argue that this point shouldn’t make the list at all): What’s the car, vehicle, SUV, spaceship that really gets your heart racing and your mouth smiling? What catches your eye, makes you swoon, convinces you that every human in the world will fall at your feet if only you drove that gorgeous —– fill in the blank? There’s a lot to be said for following your dreams, and it’s no different with a vehicle.
In conclusion, while the above list is by no means complete, we think it’s a really good start to your car-buying journey. And for the record, we will stand by that last point for as long as we have any breath left in us! Because while purchasing a car may be a really big deal, at eTags we’re here to remind you that you can always, always transform from buyer to seller, and we’re here to help with that. Wink, wink.
