• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Moment With Franca

A Family, Lifestyle & Travel Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Family
    • Family Events
    • Family Life
    • Family Days Out
    • Birthdays
  • Lifestyle
    • Home & Interiors
    • Bathrooms
    • Bedrooms
    • Garden
    • Kitchen
    • Health
  • Travel
    • Days Out
    • Things To Do In London
    • Holidays
    • Press Trips
  • Reviews
    • Theatre & Shows
    • Days Out
    • Toys & Games
    • Fashion
    • Hair & Beauty
  • Seasonal
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Easter
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Giveaways
  • Show Search
Hide Search

10 Things to Do Before You Buy a New Car

amomentwithfranca · 8 November 2017 · 7 Comments

Things to Do Before You Buy a New Car: Shopping for a new car can be a very exciting experience, but it’s important not to let your excitement prevent you from thinking carefully about your purchase. After all, with a little luck, your car will be with you for a few years, so you want to ensure that it will give you the performance and reliability you need to keep getting to work on time.

Things-to-Do-Before-Buying-A-Car

To help you make an informed decision about your next car purchase, we’ve compiled a list of ten things you’ll need to do before you sign on the dotted line, from getting your car loan to taking a test drive.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • 1. Know Your Budget
  • 2. Know Your Car
  • 3. Decide on the Features You Need
  • 4. Arrange Your Car Loan
  • 5. Know the Trade-in Value
  • 6. Do Your Research
  • 7. Take Your Time
  • 8. Make Sure You’re Comfortable with the Dealer
  • 9. Take Multiple Test Drives
  • 10. Inspect your New Car
  • Things to Do Before You Buy a New Car: Final Thought

10 Things to Do Before You Buy a New Car

1. Know Your Budget

When shopping for a new car, you’ll first need to figure out how much you can afford to spend on the vehicle. Most experts recommend that you shouldn’t spend anywhere more than 15% of your total monthly income on your car expenses. This includes paying back your car loan, car insurance, and tax.

2. Know Your Car

Usually, it’s a good idea to figure out your budget before deciding the kind of car you want. This will help stop you from falling in love with a car you can’t afford. With your price in mind, you can head to dealer websites and look at what’s available in your price range. Most of the best comparison websites today come with sliders that allow you to choose your perfect budget to track down the cars that suit your needs. Don’t be afraid to check out a range of options on different websites, before you pick a car that seems right for you.

3. Decide on the Features You Need

Most of the time, you’ll choose a car based not just on things like miles per gallon and appearance, but also the features it can offer, such as air conditioning, and power steering. If you know there are certain features you can’t do without, this might change your decision about where, and when to get your car. So, make a list in advance.

4. Arrange Your Car Loan

Before you jump into the driver’s seat and take a test drive, it’s a good idea to ensure you can get the loan you need for your new car. Speak to a loan provider, and determine how much you’ll be eligible for, and whether that amount fits your budget. Remember to check your credit rating before you go to reduce the risk of black spots on your credit history, and be sure to compare as many lenders as possible to ensure you get the best deal on the table.

5. Know the Trade-in Value

While there’s a good chance that you might be able to earn more money for your old car if you sell it yourself, most people like to avoid the hassle when they can. If you plan on trading your old vehicle in towards the cost of your new one, check out the price online first. This will help you to figure out how much money you need to borrow.

6. Do Your Research

Once you know what kind of car you want to buy, it’ll be time to do your research. Head online and find out everything you can about the make and model of your potential car, from how fuel-efficient it can be, to how likely it is to suffer from faults. Reviews are your friend when it comes to buying a car. You may check the Kia Cerato buying guide to help you choose.

7. Take Your Time

While you might feel like you’re racing against the clock to buy the ideal car, particularly if your old car isn’t working anymore, it’s important not to let yourself get rushed into a purchase. Walk away from the car after your test drive, and give yourself some time to think about it before you sign on the dotted line.

8. Make Sure You’re Comfortable with the Dealer

Ensure you feel entirely comfortable with the dealership where you hope to purchase your vehicle. The best dealers should make you feel confident that they will continue looking after you after you’ve written your check.

9. Take Multiple Test Drives

A test drive is one of the best ways to discover how their new potential car looks, drives, and feels. Ideally, you’ll want to take the first test drive alone, then bring your family along for the follow-up drive. This will make sure that you have a chance to check everything fits comfortably where it should.

10. Inspect your New Car

Finally, before you drive away in your new car, ensure you give it a thorough and detailed inspection, both inside and out. Check for anything you might have missed when you first looked at it, including unexpected wear and tear, or damage, and address your concerns with a salesperson before you hand over your money.

If you are looking to buy a Mercedez-Benz, I recommend you check Sandown Mercedes, as they have over 35 years of experience selling and servicing Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Things to Do Before You Buy a New Car: Final Thought

As you can see, there are several things to do before buying a new car that can improve your experience in this situation.

What do you think of this list of things to do before you buy a new car? Do you find it useful? What do you normally do before buying a new car? What else would you add to this list?

*Disclosure: Collaborative Post

Thanks for stopping by,

Love you all ❤️

Franca  💋

PIN FOR LATER

10 Things to Do Before You Buy a New Car Pinterest Pin

Related

Filed Under: Tips, Cars, Collaborative Posts, List, Travel

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura Findlay says

    20 November 2017 at

    Great tips. Thanks for sharing x

    Reply
    • amomentwithfranca says

      20 November 2017 at

      You are welcome! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Rachel Butterworth says

    5 January 2022 at

    I can’t drive, but I’m hoping to learn this year. All very helpful advice.

    Reply
  3. Kimberley Whitehead says

    5 January 2022 at

    Good tips, always best to take your time and make sure things are right for you.

    Reply
  4. Jennifer Rhymer says

    7 January 2022 at

    Great tips, I always rush into it as I need a car!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. How to Ensure you Pay Back Your Payday Loan on Time | OpenBorders says:
    13 November 2017 at

    […] you take out the loan it is important to think about whether you will be able to manage the repayment. Consider how much it will be and whether you will have enough money in your bank on the day it […]

    Reply
  2. 5 Payday Loan Myths that you should know about – NGFL says:
    13 November 2017 at

    […] out a payday loan cannot negatively affect your credit score at all, so that isn’t something you will have to worry about. If you are late paying back your loan or choose not to pay it back at all, however, your credit […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

HI THERE, I’M FRANCA!

Hi, I'm Franca. Blogger for 9 yrs, exploring lifestyle, family, travel. Ex-lawyer turned full-time digital creator. Love testing and reviewing new products, services, and destinations. Read More…

Social

Follow me on:

Newsletter

    Built with ConvertKit

    What’s On

    • Plied and Prejudice London – A Wild & Boozy Jane Austen Night
    • Phantom Peak London – The Ultimate Immersive Adventure You Can’t Miss!
    • 10 Festive London Restaurants You Can’t Miss This Christmas

    Family Days Out

    • Phantom Peak London – The Ultimate Immersive Adventure You Can’t Miss!
    • 5 Enchanting Ice Skating Rinks to Visit in London This Winter
    • 10 Hidden Gems in London You Need to Discover

    Collaborative Videos

    Popular Videos





    AWARDS

    BritMums



    BritMums

    Tots100

    Tutora Best Parent Insight Blog Award Shortlist

    RANKING

    Tots100
    Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2020

    Flea Network Top 20 UK Parent Blog 2018

    MEMBER

    LINKY

    Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday
    Copyright © 2025 · A Moment With Franca · Privacy Policy