Five tips for buying a car the smart way in 2023
9 October, 2023
Shop at a reputable dealer
One of the best ways to ensure a hassle free shopping experience, especially when shopping for a pre-owned vehicle is to shop at reputable dealerships. These include facilities like Kia Konfidence , that are backed by the OEM and give customers added value and peace of mind in knowing that they will have some form of recourse should things go wrong.
Stick to your budget
Once you have done your research it is important to calculate exactly how much you can afford. This calculation should include a monthly payment but should also take into account the overall cost of the vehicle over the financing term. If you opt for a balloon payment in order to reduce your monthly instalment for example, this will dramatically increase the total cost of the vehicle over the contract period. Your budget should also make provision for costs such as insurance and fuel as well as service and maintenance costs. Once you have your budget nailed down, it is important to stick to that budget and not let sales people convince you to buy a car that you can actually not afford, no matter how good the deal sounds.
Take it for a test drive
The test drive is a critical part of the car buying process as it allows you to really determine if the particular model fits your needs and expectations. The test drive also allows you to thoroughly inspect and evaluate the vehicle and in such a way determine its condition and whether the particular car is a good specimen. Having a good idea of the condition can assist with projecting of any future costs or maintenance work that might need to be done, which should form part of your financial planning calculation.
Have it independently inspected
Many vehicles that are offered for sale in the pre-owned market by reputable dealerships come with an independent inspection report from expert assessors such as Dekra. These vehicle experts will thoroughly inspect the vehicle from top to bottom and their reports give a clear indication of the condition of the vehicle and any issues or potential issues. If the vehicle you are looking at does not have such a report it is a good idea to request that it be done.
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Buying a car is a big financial decision and with there being literally thousands of new and pre-owned vehicles for sale at any one time, the variety can make it a daunting task too. These five tips will assist in hassle free car shopping in 2023.
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