Everyone has a car in mind that they would love to own. However, that dreamy vehicle with a sleek yet sporty design, fun colour, and stylish interior might not be the car you need. Owning the car of your dreams will only offer momentarily joy. However, owning a car that you need and like will benefit you numerous times throughout the year.
So how do you identify a vehicle make and type that falls within your personal preferences yet provides everything you might need in terms of space, comfort, safety, and efficiency? Let’s take a look at what type of car you should drive based on your needs.
Get Some Outsider Perspective
It is very hard to see clearly when you are too close to a situation. While you are considering all of your needs, you might start to overthink. Overthinking or keeping the wrong necessities in mind can make it very hard to figure out what you truly need.
An outsider’s perspective can be a wonderful way to figure out what type of ride you need. Someone looking at your situation from the outside will immediately be able to identify the most important characteristics your vehicle should have because they are not emotionally involved.
It may have been a while since you last purchased a vehicle. The car market has improved significantly in terms of vehicle design, infotainment, safety aids, economy & efficiency, drivability, comfort and engine alternatives that may be more environmentally friendly. There are many different engine-drive types to consider now including petrol, diesel, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. Many of these improvements can be obtained in base model specifications as standard features.
It is usually best to ask someone with some experience in vehicles. There may be features that were not available in the past that are available now. Safety features that you may need and should have now that will improve and passively/actively protect you, making your driving experience easier and safer. Safety aids such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Lane Departure Warning and Assist (LDW)& (LDA), Active Cruise Control (ACC), Rear X-Traffic Alert and Driver Fatigue Warning. These types of individuals won’t just be able to tell you what your driving needs are, they will also be in a position to offer some good advice regarding the best vehicle that falls within your needs.
Consider Passenger Count
Passenger count is one of the most important factors to consider. Everyone needs a proper seat to sit in so they can safely buckle up.
For growing families the demands of a family lifestyle requires flexibility in a vehicle. Your needs may change over the duration of a potential new car ownership period. Consideration of extra cargo & passengers including grandparents, school /sporting pickups, children growing into teenagers means that a vehicle needs flexibility in its carrying capacity to handle the day to day demands. A large SUV, Minivan or People Mover with the capacity of 5- 8 people may be appropriate and a non- negotiable need.
If you are a single individual then a small car or single-cab vehicle might be a good option. For two or more passengers, it is usually best to consider something bigger like a small to medium sized Hatchback or SUV.
Consider Your Driving Location
The second most important aspect is the driving environment. Are you mostly driving short distances? Do you take long journeys? Do you mainly drive on smooth highways and roads, or do you often venture on off-road terrains? The driving environment and distance will impact the type of vehicle you need. For greater distances, more fuel efficiency should be prioritised. For rough terrains, off-road vehicles should be a main priority. Do you live in a relatively flat or hilly area? The type of engine choice between naturally aspirated or turbo-charged (which produces more torque at lower rev’s) may significantly affect the ease of your driving experience and fuel economy.
Consider Your Reason for Driving
Are you driving to transport people? Or perhaps you are driving around for mainly work purposes and need to haul plenty of tools around with you? Is the car you’re driving a second car used purely for weekend driving enjoyment? Is it a daily private work commuter separate to the family car?
Your reason for driving will also impact the type of vehicle you need. For work travels, you always need a lot more space and a vehicle with a greater weight-bearing capacity compared to a simple people mover that only commutes between cities.
Consider Budget Range
All your identifiable car needs flow from establishing a defined budget first. It is the line in the sand, the reality check that determines the possible age of the car, its kms, the potential features and safety aids that your budget allows. It also helps put in perspective the priority needs, the must haves, non-negotiable features, ie.. age, kms, fuel economy, safety aids etc.. against the nice creature comforts.
If you need to undertake part or full finance to purchase a car, the monthly repayments and financial commitments need to be considered against some of your needs and wants. The higher operating, insurance and running costs should be calculated in your calculations. There may need to be some compromise in features, age and kms to enable affordability over the potential ownership experience.
A vehicle that offers incredible fuel economy doesn’t help you much if the cost of finance or exceeding an affordable budget makes the car incredibly costly to own. For anyone who doesn’t travel too far, it is usually better to opt for a more affordable vehicle even though it might not be the most fuel-efficient in the world. Your budget range can also impact the model, make, and brand of vehicle you drive. There are plenty of affordable vehicles out there that compete perfectly with luxury brands in terms of driving comfort, technology, and fuel efficiency.
Find The Perfect Car With Helps From Experts
As you can see from all of these tips, it isn’t too easy to identify exactly what car you need. Especially now that there are so many wonderful hybrids and versatile vehicles available on the market.
My Next Car Buying Advocacy can help you figure out what car to buy. We take the time to fully understand our clients by undertaking a face2face Client Needs Analysis. This enables us to explore, guide, advise and identify our client’s car needs now and throughout the potential ownership period of their next vehicle.
Give our advocates a call and we will quickly assess your needs. We can also help you search for a suitable ride and can connect you with the best vehicles at the best prices.
