| Buying a new car can often be a daunting task | | | | making their discomfort known, so think about |
| and after buying a new house, it is probably the | | | | what it is like to drive and be driven in the car. |
| most important decision a new family can make. | | | | Also with your regular passengers in mind, it might |
| Faced with seemingly endless possibilities, try to | | | | be a good idea to choose a darker colour scheme |
| keep the following in mind when considering a new | | | | for your car's interior, as spills and stains will be |
| car. | | | | less visible and easier to remove. |
| The first thing to consider is your particular needs | | | | Lastly is the decision where to buy your new car. |
| as a car user. Will the car have enough seats for | | | | Franchised dealers can provide you with a |
| the entire family? A smaller car might fit into your | | | | one-stop solution for buying, servicing and |
| budget, but might not have enough passenger | | | | repairing a new car, but could be less keen to |
| space. Will you require additional space for a dog | | | | give a discount on the asking price. A car |
| or a wheelchair? Conversely, if you only use the | | | | supermarket might not appear as lavish as the |
| car to travel to and from work and to do | | | | franchised dealer, but will generally offer cheaper |
| shopping, will a larger boot really be necessary? | | | | prices. This does, however, mean there will be |
| Secondly, consider the engine and fuel efficiency. | | | | less in the way of price negotiation. |
| How much distance are you looking to cover on a | | | | Importing a car from abroad could prove to be |
| regular basis? Are you mainly going to travel to | | | | cheaper, but be sure to get help from a car |
| and from work with a stop at a school or nursery | | | | broker who can guarantee a good price. Buying a |
| or do you also plan on taking regular family trips | | | | car online is an easy way of purchasing a new |
| on weekends? A diesel engine will generally | | | | car, but do remember to do your research and |
| produce less CO2, but will produce more of other | | | | read customer reviews before using a particular |
| polluting emissions, compared to a petrol engine. If | | | | online dealer. Whatever your decision, be sure to |
| you are looking to travel longer distances, a diesel | | | | get all the necessary paperwork with your |
| engine could be a good way to save money due | | | | purchase, including the service book, the logbook, |
| to higher fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions, | | | | a receipt as proof of purchase and a copy of the |
| but otherwise, a petrol engine could be the more | | | | warranty. |
| feasible option. | | | | So if you're unsure about what to look for in a |
| While test-driving a new car, get a feel for how it | | | | new car, keep these points in mind to make the |
| handles - what does accelerating and braking feel | | | | car hunt easier and buy the right car for yourself |
| like? Bear in mind that your regular passengers | | | | and your children with confidence. |
| tend to be ones who don't pull any punches about | | | | |