Even though buying a car is not a decision for life, you will spend a few years with the car. Moreover, buying a car is also an investment. To make it a good investment, you should think about what you really want and need in advance. Here are our 7 tips for finding the right car.
1: Listen to your heart (and no one else!)
No matter which car you buy: you are the person who pays for and drives it. Therefore, YOUR personal taste is paramount. It may be that your neighbours, relatives, colleagues or circle of friends have their own views on the subject of buying a car. In the end, however, you will drive it. The old saying: “Listen to your heart” is really appropriate here. To put it bluntly: If your grandfather thinks that there have been no nice cars since 1963, that’s his view (and absolutely fine). But if you have to drive to work every day, a classic car will not be the best solution. So: listen to your heart! And listen to your mind, too. This brings us to the second point:
2: How much space do you need?
Families have different requirements when it comes to storage space than singles. Do you have children? Will the future car transport you on holiday with the whole family plus a dog? Then a sporty two-seater will not be the ideal solution. Unless you already have another “car for the whole family” in the garage. If you need a lot of storage space, your choice will be between estate cars, vans and SUVs. In the end, it’s the heart that decides again, and that’s a good thing!
3: What does your budget say?
The car of our dreams is not always within what our wallet will allow. But that is no reason to despair. For example, the Volvo XC60 is in many ways identical to the XC90. If your main concern is storage space, you can also opt for a roof box. You can rent one from Hüsser & Palkoska AG at reasonable prices.
Likewise, gaps in the budget can be overcome if you buy a year-old car (or a second-hand car in the general sense). Especially in the first few years, the depreciation of new cars is the greatest (exceptions prove the rule). With a bit of luck, you will get the car you want and still have a dealer warranty. There are also customers who pay part of the purchase price and the rest in monthly instalments. There are indeed many roads that lead to Rome.
4: Buying a car: Which type of drive?
The era of combustion engines is drawing to a close. Nevertheless, it will still be a few years before only cars with alternative driving methods are available for purchase. Currently, you still have the choice between petrol, diesel and electric driving. We are deliberately staying out of the discussion about which is better. What is important is that we offer all variants and also service and repairs. Otherwise, point 1 applies again: Listen to your heart! Speaking of service:
5: Service after the purchase
It would be great if cars never had to go to the workshop. At least for the moment, however, it is still a reality. So occasionally inspections have to be carried out and repairs have to be made. In fact, some “aches and pains” can be avoided if the car gets its inspection regularly. Nevertheless, sometimes the “car doctor” has to get involved. Since this is the case, you should check how good the workshop and spare parts situation is when choosing your next car.
At Hüsser & Palkoska AG, we repair basically everything our customers bring us. The spectrum ranges from new cars to legendary classic cars. That’s why we also know how tricky the situation with spare parts can sometimes be. Unfortunately, there is no rule of thumb here … Sometimes it is easier to get spare parts for a classic car from 1959 than for a 20-year-old, comparatively modern car. If your dream car belongs to the “legendary iron of yesterday”, we recommend checking in advance about what the situation is here. In fact, some bargains can only be had so cheaply because the previous owner can no longer find spare parts. If you inform yourself in advance, you will have more fun with your (car) life afterwards!
6: Manual or automatic transmission?
Few issues divide minds as much as the choice between manual and automatic transmission. Advocates of the manual gearbox often argue that this would be sportier. In fact, there was a time when automatic transmissions were anything but fluid. Here, the human hand had a clear advantage. However, times have not stood still. Current automatic gearsticks are often far superior to the human hand, even when it comes to sportiness. Apart from that, it is simply more comfortable when you no longer have to concentrate on changing gears. Nevertheless, the same applies here: Listen to your heart, your gut and your hand on the gear stick!
7: Test drive
The test drive is the moment when it becomes clear whether they will buy the car or not. Until then, everything is just a consideration. In other words, you may be excited by the great looks, the high level of comfort and the price. But whether you really feel comfortable at the wheel of this special car will only be decided when you drive it. We wish you a safe journey. When buying a car and afterwards!
Yours Hüsser & Palkoska AG
