Buying a car? Count to 10 first

MANILA, Philippines–Look around you. Never before has there been such a plethora of new car brands in the market. They offer something for every need and every purpose. And they’re all trying to persuade you to part with your hard-earned money in exchange for what they promise to be years of driving pleasure, hassle-free journeys, economical trips and so on.

 

But we’ll let you in on a little secret: Not all cars were built with you in mind. The demographics of car buyers are as varied as the vehicles rolling out of the showrooms. A graduating student’s needs are different from your wife’s or husband’s. The yuppie needs a car not quite like what the farmer is looking for to deliver his produce from the farm to the market. The senior executive won’t be caught dead in a car that has become beloved to a housewife.

 

You might have been lured by that shiny thing winking at you from the showroom, but when you wake up the next day, you’ll be wondering why you even drove that thing inside your garage.

 

How we wished choosing a car that’s best for you could be as easy as choosing a nice pair of shoes—if cars were as cheap as shoes. For the thing that you’d be stepping into that would be worth at least half a million and which you would be stuck with for lighter (or much heavier) traffic for a long time, you will have to put much, much more thought into it.

 

Inquirer Motoring will help you along by sharing with you these 10 tips, as compiled from our interviews with people who know their cars and from research of a number of literature on the subject.

 

1. Ask yourself first, what do you really need in a car?

 

Where will you be using the car most? Will you be driving it mostly in the city? Will it be called to action only when going to the provinces? Will your car be used to take you from home to office or will it be an integral part of a business? Will you be the one driving it or will a driver handle it more than you do? Will family members ride it often?

 

“The process of choosing can be reduced to a single question: Does the function satisfy my needs? Wherever your process of selection reaches an impasse, ask this basic question: ‘Will it do what I need done?”’ said James R. Ross, author of “How to Buy A Car.” Ross has had over 5,000 hours of sales experience involving over 2,000 personal contacts with potential buyers.

 

Niky Tamayo, Top Gear Philippines contributor and Car Awards Group Inc. technical team member, shared with

 

Inquirer Motoring: “Personally, I try to consider what I need at the moment and what car best fits those needs. Then I look at what’s available and research on running costs, economy and common problems from owners’ clubs and forums. Then I take a look at the cars and test-drive them.”

 

“A luxury sedan from the European marques is nice, indeed, but if you’ll be spending even half of your driving time going through provincial dirt roads, those 19-inch alloy wheels mated with the sport suspension will definitely knock the filling off of your teeth and will definitely wear out the car faster. Likewise, a huge American SUV fit for Obama’s entourage exudes a sense of power but will you be able to park it in your condominium carport?” wrote motoring colleagues Ferman Lao, Car Awards Group Inc. president and Inquirer Motoring columnist Botchi Santos.

 

2. Set your budget.

 

How important is buying a car, money-wise? Well, it’s only the next biggest investment after your house and lot. So, to keep you grounded in reality, set a budget. The budget would narrow the choice down to a few models or maybe even a single model that fits your needs.

 

According to Lao, budget would ultimately become the determining factor in your choice. “Sure, you need a car. But what car can you actually afford?”

 

Mind you, the budget doesn’t just include the price tag or suggested retail price (SRP) of the vehicle. That’s really just the tip of the cost iceberg.

 

3. Consider the cost of owning a car.

 

The more important cost consideration is the cost of owning or operating the vehicle for the next three to five years. An estimated cost of periodic maintenance service is available in dealerships. Remember, spending for a car doesn’t stop at the purchase level, it continues throughout its useful life.

 

4. Diesel or gasoline?

 

It sounds simple enough but this question takes on a more complicated facet as fuel and engine technologies become more sophisticated.

 

Steve Rendle, author of “The Car Book,” advised that as you start to think about which model of car is going to suit your needs best, you should also choose between gasoline and diesel engines.

 

“Diesel engines are generally more economical than gasoline engines and modern diesel engines are every bit as powerful as their gasoline counterparts, if not more powerful in some cases. Diesel engines are also considered to be less harmful to the environment because they produce less harmful exhaust emissions,” Rendle explained.

 

He added that overall, fuel costs would be lower for a diesel-engined vehicle, but the initial purchase price would likely be higher (though this isn’t always the case). In the end, you won’t be making right or wrong decisions here. It just comes down to your personal preference.

 

5. What’s your type?

 

Generally, for a first car, your best bet (for its affordability and ease of driving) would be a small hatchback, subcompact or saloon with a reasonably small engine.

 

People carriers like multipurpose vehicles (MPVs) are rising in popularity. According to Rendle, MPVs come in various shapes and sizes, from high-roofed variants of hatchbacks to full-blown van-based vehicles able to seat seven occupants in comfort and with other variants to suit most requirements and tastes.

 

Estate cars are ideal if load carrying is an important consideration. A sport utility vehicle (SUV) comes in all shapes and sizes and often has four-wheel drive. A 4×4, meanwhile, can be ideal for recreational use and for towing, although a pretty low percentage of 4x4s are ever used off-road.

 

6. How big and powerful do you need your engine to be?

 

It is easy to become confused about exactly which car, with which engine in it, would be the right car for you.

 

The best rule of thumb for the average family putting average mileage (20,000 kilometers per year) on the car is to avoid the smallest and the largest engines available in a given series or a given model.

 

“Make a selection from the engine(s) in the middle range, provided there is a midsize offering. If you drive fewer than 20,000 km a year, the smaller engine offers both economy and performance. If you drive more than 20,000 km per year, the larger engine offers performance and durability,” Ross advised.

 

Ross also stressed that one’s personal driving habits and the use to which one puts the car determine the size that is best for the buyer.

 

At the dealership, explain to your salesman just how you plan to use the car, what economy and performance you expect, the distances you plan to drive each year and how long you plan to keep the car.

 

Individual needs are different and require individual consideration.

 

Knowing your intended use, the salesman can better counsel you according to his knowledge of the individual capabilities of the models within his product lineup.

 

However, there is a catch.

 

Salesmen are trained to sell what they have in stock. Ross advised: “When a salesman’s advice seems contrary to what you ask for, test him. Does he have what you want in stock? Is he trying to sell you something only because it is all he has to offer?” Ross added that if he doesn’t have what you want, his advice and motives are to be questioned.

 

7. Always test-drive first and visit not just one dealership.

 

It’s important for a serious buyer to get all his or her bases covered.

 

Tamayo said it best: “Don’t be conned by hard sell tactics to put a nonrefundable deposit down without a test drive first and pay attention to dealer incentives (in other words, these are “extra markups” which some may try to tack on after the financing has been settled) and other underhanded tactics.

 

There are many dealerships willing to take your money on your terms. Just because a dealer has a popular car doesn’t mean you have to make that purchase with them. Go to several dealers and brands and banks.

 

If you come armed with quotations and offers from other interested parties, a dealer or a bank will sometimes offer to match or beat the best offers you’ve gotten elsewhere. Don’t be shy about haggling. You might be surprised at what you can get by playing it smart.”

 

8. Reputation precedes the dealer and the car.

 

If you’re set on buying a brand-new car, then you will have to go through a dealer. And there is only one way to take the guesswork out of choosing a dealer: Talk to people who have bought from the dealer you plan to do business with.

 

Ross stressed that you should not restrict your investigations to one or two people. “Do not ask a car salesman for the names of people who have bought from him. If he does give you a few names, they will be those people he is 100-percent certain are happy with him, the dealership and the car.”

 

There are many sources of information when investigating what dealer or car to choose from, such as literature from the dealers (product information brochures, handouts), briefs, on-the-lot inspection of merchandise before, during, or after business hours to physically acquaint you with models you may like, consumer-oriented reviews on online car sites, automobile magazines and newspapers, conversations with current owners of models you like, friends, neighbors, relatives, various salesmen and other individuals within the auto industry.

 

Ross goes as far as to suggest that you go to private garage mechanics who service most makes and models. Do not solicit generalities but ask about a specific model or two.

 

9. A short list is handy.

 

After defining your priorities, come up with a short list of cars that fits your criteria, Lao and Santos suggested. So, let’s say you’ve decided that your next car should be versatile, can fit your family, including the dog and a fair amount of knickknacks, it should be diesel-powered for cheaper running costs and should offer decent ride-height for those occasional out-of-town vacations. You’ll be able to narrow your choices down to cars that meet these criteria.

 

If you go in blindly without any idea of what your needs are, you’ll simply be overwhelmed by the hundreds of cars on-sale in the market.

 

1. When you’re going for pre-owned…

 

“A second-hand car is a good option but caveat emptor, as they might have hidden problems. These are not usually the case but you don’t want it happening to you,” Lao quipped.

 

Tamayo added: “Second-hand cars can sometimes be sweet deals. They can also sometimes be nightmares. Knowing the seller personally sometimes helps but also knowing the going rates and common problems of the car you’re looking at can help you spot potential headaches or help you negotiate a lower price. It pays to spend extra on a good second-hand in the best or newest condition you can get.

 

“Also, be wary of buying cars wherein you have to continue the financing terms of the original owner. Often these cars are for sale because the owners have boxed themselves into onerous payment terms that are unrealistically high for the cars they’re attached to,” Tamayo said.

 

Some time ago, this author interviewed a group of vehicle assessors to inspect a second-hand vehicle. They showed how they inspected the various parts of the vehicle to look for tell-tale signs of wear and tear.

 

They looked at the pillars and much of the interior and exterior. They checked the engine bay and looked for leaks. They also investigated the vehicle’s paper trail and maintenance history.

 

Check out https://business.inquirer.net/91522/vehicle-assessors-eight-guidelines-on-purchasing-second-hand-vehicles and make that another helpful addition to your wise decision-making process towards driving happily ever after.

 

 

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