What is a good first car

Buying Your First Car

After learning how to drive under supervision and sharpening your skills using the family car, you now dream of owning a vehicle with a specific image, and you often fantasise about how you are going to look while driving around in your first prize. Buying your first car is a big financial decision and a huge emotional investment.

You must therefore know what car you want and how to get it before you feel ready and confident to head to the dealership or even involve a broker. Armed with intelligent questions for the car salesperson and readiness to engage in a hard bargain, all you hope for is just to drive off the lot with a good car.

While an excellent first car does not necessarily mean it has to be brand new, there are things that make a good first car that you must look out for. If you consider buying your first car, new or used, you are reading one of the most comprehensive guides on buying a good first car in Australia.

How To Prepare To Buy Your First Car

The convenience and comfort of owning a car override the financial and emotional investment associated with making such a decision. Planning ahead when considering to buy your first car can make the buying process easier and more exciting.

Before heading to a car dealer, interrogate your needs and think about your budget as well as financing options available for you.

Here are some of the questions to ask yourself when preparing to buy your first car:

• What is the actual use for which you will put your car?

• How much does the vehicle that suits your needs cost?

• Do you have the budget for monthly payments, insurance costs, and other car running costs?

Find out if you really need a car

Do you really need a car? If yes, is owning one absolutely necessary, or can you rent? There is nothing much about having a great car other than giving you the freedom to go wherever you want. In any case, cars break down occasionally and are pretty expensive to maintain.

Here are some reasons you may need a car:

• To enjoy your own freedom: Having your own car means you have no limits on where and who you can visit. You can also live where you want because you do not have to consider the availability of public transport.

• To lower the risks of sharing space with others and enhance your safety: Having your own car lowers your exposure to infectious diseases as you can control who gets a ride in your car. This has the potential to reduce your medical expenses. You may also want to lower the risks of putting your life in the hands of other drivers.

• The need to save time and move around with convenience: You may find it necessary to own a car so that you do not live a life that revolves around reliance on public transport. You might be wasting a significant amount of your time going to work because the available transportation has an unreliable schedule and uses a long route. Having your own car allows you to schedule well and use the shortest route.

• If you are adventurous and want to take long drives economically: Having your own car allows you the freedom to go for long trips with your family and even carry pets with you.

If you need a car to go to work or on a holiday adventure, keep the following in mind:

• They are expensive to buy and maintain

• You are likely to stay by the roadside in a thunderstorm just because your car broke down

• There are plenty of people without a vehicle of their own, and they get along perfectly well

• You can catch a ride with someone else

• You can use a public means

• Taxis are available

• Renting a car is a viable option

Therefore, you should be honest about your needs and only proceed to own a car if it is vital.

Consider your level of financial preparedness

Buying and maintaining a car is pretty expensive, and you must take a realistic look at your finances. Remember you will need to raise the car purchase price as well as the following running costs:

• Maintenance

• Insurance

• Repairs

• Gas (petrol or diesel)

• Parking

Assess if you have enough money to purchase the car or if you will need car financing. Know precisely how much you will need to borrow, compare quotes from different lenders and be sure to understand the terms of financing before heading to the dealership.

Once you have established that you really need to own a car and have had a thorough look at your finances, you can start looking around and comparing car prices.

What To Look For In A Good First Car?

Choosing which car to buy, especially if you are a first-time car buyer, should not only depend on your preparation and readiness to own a car but also on your ability to determine what a good car looks like. Here are six attributes that make a good first car:

• Reasonable price

• Acceptable mileage and warranty

• Convenient size

• Guaranteed safety

• Great accessories

• Affordable ownership cost

The Price

A good car has a price that can pay for itself in the long run. While a brand-new vehicle may be attractive, it may cost you much more in the long run. A good first car should not leave a dent in your wallet.

Mileage and Warranty

The number of previous owners determines this. A new car has no mileage on its dashboard, is sold for full price, and comes with a full warranty. Used vehicles have mileage on their dashboard and come at discounted prices with a portion of the new car warranty. A good car for first-time buyers should have none or little mileage and, most importantly, have a warranty.

Body Type and Size

A good car should have a convenient size for your needs. The body type of a car will determine if you will have enough cabin space, comfort, ease of entry, or conveniently share a ride with family and friends. The reason for which you are buying your first car will determine the body type and size of the car you settle for.

Safety Features

A good car should have an ANCAP safety rating. Here are some of the safety features that make a good car:

• Five-star crash rating

• Stability control

• Blind-spot monitoring

• Airbags

• Reversing camera

• Safety kit

• Emergency braking

• Rear cross-traffic alert

• Autonomous emergency braking

• Lane-keeping assist

• Seat belts

If you consider buying a used car, you can check independent safety ratings on the ANCAP website.

Futuristic Accessories

Besides having safety features, a good car should have other characteristics that make the ride enjoyable. Most of these convenient features can be personal and include:

• Bluetooth connectivity

• Apple CarPlay

• Android auto

• Satellite navigation

• Digital radio

Ownership Costs

A good car should guarantee sustainable running costs. Your motoring costs will depend on:

• Car warranty

• Fuel consumption

• Insurance cost

Extended warranties come with excellent capped price servicing and may include roadside assistance. Compare available choices and settle on a car with an extended warranty and service program. Also, consider low fuel consumption cars that are cheapest to insure and the insurance costs your desired vehicle comes with. Generally, a good car should guarantee low ownership costs in the long run.

Buying A Good New Or Used Car

When looking to buy a good car, it can be challenging to decide whether to buy privately or from a dealer or broker. All of these car sellers may be able to help you find the car you want, and you can approach any of them depending on the benefits you want to get and the pitfalls you want to avoid.

Buying Your Car From A Private Seller

Buying a car privately is an option for Australians who do not want to go through the hassle of going into a dealership or broker. While buying a car privately has many benefits, you may find yourself in trouble for failing to observe laws and regulations that come into play when you choose to buy your car privately.

These rules and regulations vary across state or territory governments in Australia. If you are in doubt or do not understand what the law says about buying a car privately in your locality, contact your state's motoring organisation for clarification.

When you decide to buy a car privately, it is crucial to know where and how to find a vehicle that suits your needs and budget.

Finding a suitable car when buying privately

• Look for car listings by private sellers on some of the popular car sale websites in Australia

• Compare listed car models against each other as well as against your needs and budget. You must compare cars from multiple private sellers so as to settle on the best car deal.

• Pick sellers with the best terms and conditions

• Contact the owners whose listings you have selected and find out when the car is available for viewing

• Arrange for an independent vehicle inspection

• Do a driving test to make sure the car has the best features, is easy to drive, has no issues with the engine or other problems that may be expensive to fix in future

• Ensure the private seller you are in contact with is the legal owner of the car you consider purchasing. To find out, compare the information on their driver's license with the details on the registration papers.

• Confirm that there is no money outstanding on the car. The private seller may have financed the car and not paid off the loan. Check the national Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) using the VIN or chassis number of the vehicle to find out if there is any money owing on the car.

Risks associated with private car purchases

• Ending up with a lemon car

• No cooling-off period

• Title washing

• Fake escrow scam

• Lack of consumer protection

• No statutory warranties

• Guarantee scam

• Curbstoning

• Kidnapping

To stay away from these risks:

• Never meet a private seller at your or their home

• Keep the login details of your online accounts confidential

• Always meet a private seller in busy public places with surveillance cameras

• Tag a friend when you are going for the driving test

• Avoid sending money online

• Do not let a private seller deliver your car

• Make sure the vehicle registration number, VIN, and chassis number match with the vehicle paperwork

• Consider other alternative car buying methods like dealerships or brokers

Benefits and pitfalls of buying a car privately

Buying a vehicle privately has several advantages and pitfalls:

Benefits

• Private sellers may have vehicles that are not available at dealerships

• It is possible to get more information about the car's repair and service history when buying privately

Pitfalls

• Unlike a dealership, private sellers do not enjoy incentives from the manufacturer; hence you may pay more if you buy from them

• Because private sales are final, you have no recourse should there be any problem with the car after the deal is sealed

• Buying privately limits your options compared to if you visited a dealer showroom with a variety of models under one roof

• Car financing is difficult to get when you are buying a car privately

• When you are buying privately, there are risks of possible swindling

• It takes so much time and energy to meet multiple private sellers when buying a car privately

Buying Your Car From A Dealer Or A Broker

A dealership is the best way to go if you believe in your car buying skills and are looking for a more straightforward and traditional way to purchase your vehicle. Alternatively, though, you should consider working with a broker if you do not have so much time on your hand and are looking for guidance throughout your car buying process.

Some of the things to consider when choosing between a car dealer and a broker include:

• Car prices: Find out which of the two options will allow you to get a good car at a competitive price. Avoid the option that will bring you unnecessary overhead costs that would inflate the price of your dream car. The drive away price will also depend on your ability to bargain for the best deal. Therefore, you should assess your bargaining power and see if you can deal directly with the dealership or if you will need a broker's help to negotiate the best price for you.

• Convenience: Depending on the amount of time you are willing to forgo searching and negotiating for a good car, you can choose to buy directly from a dealer or use a broker. Buying your car directly from a dealership may be faster than using a broker who has to spend much time going around looking for the best price deals. Choose what you are willing to compromise on. It can be time, money, or both.

• Reliability: Go for the option that guarantees you will get your car without getting scammed. In most instances, dealerships have a good reputation compared to brokers.

• Financing options: The option you choose should be able to get you car financing if you do not have enough money to purchase the car you want. While both dealerships and brokers have access to a wide range of financial institutions and lenders, a dealership offers both direct and indirect car loans, whereas brokers will only link you to lenders and help you through the application process.

Benefits of buying through a broker

If you opt to buy your first car through a broker, you are likely to enjoy the following benefits:

• You do not deal directly with the car owner when buying through a broker. They represent you throughout the entire car-buying process, including finding your dream car model, bargaining, paperwork, and delivery of your car. This takes away the hassle from you, giving you peace of mind that is rare if you have to deal directly with a dealership.

• Independent car brokers are expert negotiators with the flexibility to spend sufficient time getting you the cheapest car of your choice. This saves you time and money than if you dealt directly with the dealership.

• Brokers have unmatched experience in buying cars and have the flexibility to look for the vehicle you need from as many dealerships as possible. You might not have as many options if you decide to buy privately or directly from a dealership.

• Brokers have links to more finance houses than dealerships and are therefore able to get you the best financing deal with low-interest rates.

Benefits of purchasing from a dealership

Buying your first car from a dealership accrues the following benefits:

• Dealerships in Australia can provide car financing to you even without holding a credit license. If you have bad credit and cannot get a direct loan from lenders, a dealership can get you an indirect loan from their extensive network of lenders.

• Dealing directly with a dealership allows you to walk through showrooms displaying popular car models. This is something you never experience when buying privately or through a broker.

Good First Cars For Australians

For first-car buyers, price is the most important thing. You should, however, not only look at your ability to purchase the car but also if you will be in a position to keep the car on the road. Other factors that will make car ownership fun are if it has safety features, futuristic accessories, and matches your personality or lifestyle.

There are cars in Australia that are considered suitable for first-car buyers. Some of these are either petrol cars, diesel cars, electric cars, gas cars, or hybrid cars. Here is a list of good cars you can consider if you are buying a car for the first time:

• Ford Fiesta

• Seat Ibiza

• Dacia Sandero

• Hyundai i20

• Suzuki Baleno

• VW polo

• Toyota Rav4

• Toyota Aygo

• Suzuki Ignis

• Hyundai i30

• Toyota Yaris

• Kia Rio

• Volkswagen Golf

• Volkswagen Polo

• Skoda Fabia

• Kia Picanto

• Honda Jazz

• Kia Cerato

• Subaru Impreza

• Nissan Qashqai

• Suzuki Swift

• Vauxhall Corsa

• Hyundai i10

• Kia Sportage

Car Advice For First-Time Buyers

An excellent first car needs to be affordable, safe, and reliable. You will mainly be on a tight budget when considering buying your first car. Therefore, it is realistic to go for a used car instead of a new one.

This is, however, a personal choice. While what defines a new vehicle may be open for debate, this article has highlighted the essential car attributes that you should look out for when buying your first car and provided a list of some of the best car models for first-car buyers in Australia.

You can follow the tips provided in this article to find and buy a good car, whether privately, directly from a dealer, or through a broker. However, dealers are considered more reputable than private sellers and brokers because of limited associated risks.

As such, why not consider a car buying and selling service. There are reliable car sellers in Australia that you can consider when buying a good first car, so keep a lookout near your locality or conduct a quick search online.