Buying a car is a big decision and if you are the one making the decision, it is not an easy one to make. There are many factors that need to be accounted for and we list out a few things for you so that you can make an informed choice about the type of car that you want to buy.
1) Kilometers you plan to drive - The kilometers you plan to pile on has a direct correlation with the car you want to buy. An understanding of this will lead you to know what fuel works economically for you. It comes down to some parameters chalked out. If you do more than 500kms in a month, you would be better off with a diesel or CNG or LPG. Anything less than that and you are safe with petrol. Mind you diesel cars do cost more than the others.
2) Maintenance - Service cost of a diesel powered car tends to be more than that of a petrol car so taking that into consideration it is necessary to know exactly how much it is going to set you back once the car goes in for service every time.
3) Brand - Once you've zeroed down upon the fuel type, we move on to the brand. It is usually safe to bet on a seasoned horse simply because it has been tried, tested, acknowledged and loved. Indeed you can check out the new players in the market but make sure of two things - after sales and service costs and resale value.
4) Research - Be thorough with the research you do on the car you want to buy. Read reviews of the car and find out what are the positives and maybe the common negatives that you find because at the end of the day you will be bearing the ownership costs no matter who promises you what.
5) Drive the car - Once you've zeroed down on what fits your budget, go down to the showroom and ask for a test drive. Remember, you do not have a moral obligation to buy the same car you've driven. Check out the car and see if you are comfortable driving it.
If you've fallen head over heels in love with the car then the next thing to do is buy it!
