A family car quickly sees its fair share of wear and tear in everyday life: the school run, supermarket trips, and driving up and down the country for various holidays. Each car develops its own character over time and you’ll come to love its charm. You’re willing to put up with all of the mechanic maintenance to keep it, because after all it’s your car. But when is the right time for you to trade in your beloved reliable for a newer model?
Maintenance Costs
A good question to bear in mind when it comes to whether or not you need a new car is this: how much is your current car costing you? If the cost of fixing your current car is more than getting a new car entirely then it should go without saying you should get a new vehicle. Don’t worry, ‘new car’ doesn’t mean you have to buy a completely brand new model. A used car in good condition can be just what you’re looking for. If you’re not sure whether you’ve got the time to visit car dealerships in your area, you can look online to find some top quality used cars.
Save Money
It may seem hypocritical to say when you buy a new car you’re saving yourself money, but it’s true. Not only can you save yourself maintenance fees, as discussed above. You could also save yourself petrol money. Some older cars guzzle back petrol, whereas newer models are much more fuel efficient.
Different Circumstances
Another time you’ll need to consider getting a new car is if your circumstances has changed. If your family is getting bigger, your car is going to need grow with it. You can’t have a small smart car and expect to fit in a couple of car seats in the back. Or perhaps you want something different from your car. Say for instance you might want to change from manual to automatic. You spend so much time in your car so you want to make sure you, and your passengers, are comfortable.
Safety Features
According to Consumer Reports there are four basic safety features a car should have. These are: backup camera, curtain airbag, electronic stability control (ESC) and forward-collision warning. If your old car doesn’t have any of these, it could be time to look into a model which at least a couple of them. If you shop around, you can find a model with these features for not too eye-watering a cost. Safety is such an important element for your car. Remember, it’s not just you in there but your loved ones, too. If you find a car with up to date safety features, the better you’ll feel driving it.
Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash
