7 Things to Help You Buy Your Car This Dussehra
7 Things to Help You Buy Your Car This Dussehra
Published on October 07, 2022. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes
Purchasing a car is a crucial milestone in most of our lives. And there are quite a few reasons behind the same. A car is an aspiration fulfilled and it gives you the freedom to go anywhere at any time. For a country whose public transport system isn’t its forte, this can mean a lot. You also have the convenience of travelling with your loved ones always. However, do keep in mind that when you buy new car insurance is mandatory for it.
For the ones planning to buy a new car, this Dussehra might be just perfect. Car manufacturers usually give out a lot of offers and deals during the festive season. Thereby, ensuring that you can buy your dream car at affordable rates.
But even before you can get the terms like NCB and comprehensive insurance, there are a few other things that you need to be aware of before the purchase. Getting the right car that fits your budget and needs and the requirements of the family can be a bit tricky. Here are some points that can aid you in the process.
1. Type of Car
You can either choose to buy a hatchback, a sedan, an SUV or a MUV. These are the broad and most commonly used car types. And you can choose any of these, as there isn’t a right or wrong car type. You must consider things such as the frequency of your driving, parking space availability, the number of members in your family, budget, expected fuel efficiency, etc. among others before choosing a type.
You can be quite smart about choosing the type of car as well. If you expect a vast majority of your driving to be in the city, then you can opt for a good hatchback. Not only will it help you with easy manoeuvres but save money as well as compared to a large SUV. Similarly, if you have a big family, a large SUV makes for a stronger case.
Similarly, each of them offers different driving experiences. An SUV offers high ground clearance and a higher sitting position, thereby giving you a commanding view of the surroundings. On the other hand, you sit quite low and relaxed in a sedan, which aids you in cruising.
2. Engine Options
Should I buy a petrol engine car or a diesel engine car? Most car owners would have asked this question at some point in time. A lot of people used to opt for diesel engine cars since the fuel was cheaper.
However, in recent years, that gap between petrol and diesel prices has come down to a large extent. Thus, merely buying a car for cheaper fuel might not be the best decision.
If you are someone who travels a lot, then buying a diesel car makes a lot of sense. Though it comes with a higher initial cost, the running costs are much lower as compared to petrol cars. But for those who expect limited usage of the car, a petrol engine would serve you better.
3. Transmission Type
Choosing the type of transmission between manual and automatic can be a bit tricky. There was a time when one could rarely find automatic cars in India. When the manual cars ruled the markets. However, with the ever-increasing traffic on the roads, automatics are quite common these days.
In fact, most car manufacturers are now trying to get automatic models to their lower variants, due to the increase in demand. If you are a new driver or might end up driving a lot in the cities, you can choose the automatic variant. The trade-off is that automatic cars are a bit more expensive and there is a marginal drop in fuel efficiency as compared to manuals.
Driving a manual transmission car can provide you with a more authentic driving experience. However, it can be cumbersome to drive in traffic.
4. Safety Parameters
The safety features of the car should be one of your leading parameters before zeroing down on it. In recent years, the government has passed a few laws that aim at enhancing the safety of your car. As per the government mandates, all new cars must have ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), reverse parking sensors and dual airbags as standard.
Apart from these, you should look at some of the following safety features for your new car.
- Electronic Stability Control or ESC prevents spinning or skidding of a car by applying brakes on individual wheels.
- Hill Descent Control or Hill Hold control, can make life easy for your while climbing hilly roads or getting down from one.
- Blind spot monitoring to prevent you from meeting with accidents.
Modern cars are now equipped with ADAS systems or Advanced Driver Assistance Systems. A slew of features in ADAS makes your car much safer to drive. Though these come at a slightly higher price, they will keep you safer.
5. Resale Value
If it is your first car, the chances are high that you would want to upgrade it to a better car in the near future. In such cases, it might be worth exploring the resale value of your car or cars from the manufacturer that you are choosing.
Also, the fact that car manufacturers keep updating their models regularly, can be an incentive to upgrade your car. Manufacturers such as Maruti, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda are known to have good resale value for their cars.
It must be noted that certain models might offer better resale value than others. Though there is no easy way to predict your car’s future resale value, you can look at the current average value for a better indication. If there are plans to upgrade your car in the future, you can look for a car that has a better resale value.
6. Buy Comprehensive Insurance
Whether you are buying new car insurance or for an existing car, ensure that you opt for comprehensive car insurance. Though the law mandates only a third-party liability policy, relying solely on the policy will leave you asking for more. A comprehensive plan offers much better coverage and total peace of mind, for a slightly higher premium.
7. NCB
NCB or no claim bonus comes into the picture if you have not claimed your policy during its tenure. And it can be a very effective method of reducing your policy premiums. The discount starts at 20% for the first year and goes up to 50% for five consecutive years of no claims.
Conclusion
Buying a car can be a bit of a time-consuming affair since you must look at so many parameters. One must not shy away from looking at different reviews and long-term reports as well. As they will provide you insights into the ownership of the car. Similarly, when buying new car insurance , you must also look at the different policy types available before buying one. For new car insurance, it is advisable to opt for a comprehensive plan with zero-depreciation cover for maximum coverage.
Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.
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