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Recently I was in the market for a new car. I knew this only because my husband told me that my tyres were worn, so were the brake pads, the car didn’t have enough “puff” to get up hills and the lease was up and it would be cheaper to refinance a new car. I think that’s the bit that pushed him over the edge.
The purchasing experience proved that indeed I am not a car person.
When faced with a salesman I spoke only about colours. Oh and the sound system.
Perhaps I was a month too late because these little tips from Nissan sure could have helped me.
They write “What you need to know when buying a new car is how it will address your own specific needs. You can read brochures, websites, reviews which will tell you all about the car specifications but how does this translate into your lifestyle and what you need from a car?”
Apparently your car buying needs can be broken down into 6 categories – not all of them will be as important or matter as much – so you should o rank them in order of priority and prepare your questions accordingly. (Don’t go in like me and ask about shades of black)
1. Safety:
- how safe is this car vs. the competitors?
- how will it drive in the wet / at night?
- has it been tested and rated by ANCAP?
- how will my family be protected in the event of an impact?
- is there a rear camera or park assist to avoid incidents in driveways or whilst parking?
2. Performance
- can it carry the load that I regularly have?
- will it tow my caravan/boat etc.?
- can I fit my 3 kids, prams and luggage when going away and not feel the load?
- how often do I need to service the car?
- is it good for long-distance travel?
- what sort of gearbox does it have, is it easy to drive?
3. Appearance
- What options does it come with? Colours? Variants?
- How long is it? Will it fit in my garage?
- can I add a sunroof
- is privacy glass standard so my belongings stay out of sight?
- is this the latest design?
- do I have a choice of wheels?
- What sort of headlights are they?
- Do roof rails come standard?
4. Comfort
- How much leg/head room is there inside?
- To what degree can you adjust the seats? Is there lumber support?
- How is the interior temperature managed? Are the seats heated?
- What is the audio system like and can I charge my iPhone?
- How easy is it to get in and out of?
- Do I need a key to enter the car and start the engine?
- How many child seats will it fit?
- How much space is there really in the third row?
- Does 24h roadside assistance come standard with the car?
- Are the passengers protected from the sun?
- Can I plug a fridge / a sat nav / a DVD player?
- How quiet is the engine and are there features to reduce engine noise?
5. Economy
- what is the cost of running the car (fuel + service)?
- how many km’s on a tank and what is the tank capacity (how much per tank)
- what is the fuel consumption in the city vs. highways?
- what fuel type does it take? Is standard unleaded OK?
- what is the cost of the standard service? Is there capped price servicing?
- do you have a competitive finance rate I should look at? Will I be better off vs. cash or a bank loan?
6. Durability
- How does it resist wear & tear?
- What is the warranty on this vehicle and what is excluded?
- Where was this car built?
- How resistant are the bumpers?
- Are the body panels made of strong plastic that hold their shape?
- How easy it is to clean the interior / the boot area?
Additional Tips:
- When a salesperson talks to you about a feature or quotes a number, ask ‘what is the benefit for me as a user?’
- Pick a dealership close to home, so it is convenient when you need to service your car.
- Don’t be afraid to ask how it compares against the other models you are considering. All dealers know their competitors and although they will paint their vehicle in a positive light, you will be able to work out how beneficial it is in your ranking compared to other models.
Wow. Keeping that information for next time. And you can too – just download the list here and save it for the next time you need it.
Don’t forget that you could be driving a Nissan Dualis or a Nissan Murano for a week – click here to enter the competition.
What are your best car buying tips? Do you shop for a new car online, at a dealer or through a third party? Where do you get reliable information?
This post is sponsored by Nissan. Comments on this post are just for this post. If you want to talk about the IDEA of sponsored posts or the choice of advertisers please click here. We will be reading all those comments too for feedback.
Comments
30 Comments so far
‘Win right across Australia’, the banner reads. Except when I go to enter I read that it needs to be collected, and Tasmania is not included. When was Tasmania not part of ‘right across Australia’…??
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So sorry Meggie – we should have been more careful in our wording.
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a few years ago i decided i could afford a brand new car, after always buying 2nd hand ones for many years. I become obsessed by new projects, so i researched, i looked at safety issues, i read about what each point mentioned meant ( i thought with a science background i should understand these things) and finally went looking.
I wanted a small hatchback.
Instead i found that they were not designed for short people (one salesman actually smuggly looked at my 6ft 2 husband and said “small cars are now designed for tall people”) . I am 5 ft. i like to actually look over the stearing wheel clearly not peep over the top!!!!
And yes the seats where adjustable, not enough. Out of the 26 cars i looked at i had two to chose from that would suit my height.
Very frustrating!!!! all that reserch for nothing
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Hmm…read the headline and thought it was going to be about each and everyday when we get into our car what we should be looking for. I work where we have to do a “pre-start” on our cars before we begin to drive each day. I do this. But not when I get into my personal car. There’s an article there! Are we aware enough of the condition of our tyre etc. before we put our babies in the car?
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“only because my husband told me”… are you serious?? was this Nissan add suppose to be with the other hilariously degrading advertisements from decades past, on MM early this week? For shame.
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It’s a personal story. So what if Lana’s husband knows more about cars than she does? My husband knows more about cars than I do. I know more about heart transplants. We all have our strengths.
Granted, there is probably a touch of exaggeration, and I think all drivers should know basic things like checking tyres and oil, so if that was your point, fair enough.
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I bought my first brand new car a year ago. I found the thought intimidating at first, being a single female, but what really really helped was that the dealership had a female salesperson, made buying the car much easier for me as she could relate to my needs more.
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I bought a two year old Dualis a month ago, so far so good, it felt a massive step up from my 12yr old Outback….still a bit underpowered for my country driving needs, but I knew that, I thought better that than using too much petrol with a bigger engine. Best bit? The moonroof and heated seats, they rock on a -2c Canberra morning. Dream car for me?- Range Rover Evoque..seriously sexy car.
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I laughed when the salesperson mentioned heated seats in our new car – we live in Queensland! Not sure the heat elements will get much of a workout…
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I just bought a new Dualis. Hopefully collecting it on Friday and cant wait. Great to hear you are enjoying it. I didn’t get the heated seats though… wish I had on a day like today in Melbourne, its freezing!
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There is a Top Gear clip from several years ago that was life changing for me. They showed several cars, with different star safety ratings, all after the same speed crash (not too fast, 60 kms/hr or so). The damage to the cars ranged from – you would need serious medical attention to you would walk away without a scratch. Ever since, the saftey ratings have become SO important to me that that is what we look at first.
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Item 4, point 2. I think you’re looking for lumbar support, not lumber.
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Ha, I had a giggle at that point too
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A good car for carpenters.
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Buying a new car is a NIGHTMARE. Just been through it… here’s what went down http://www.mumplusmore.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/minefield-of-buying-new-car.html
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Don’t forget tip 7 – Unless you are financially very stable and can pay cash, don’t buy a brand new car. The value drops dramatically the moment you drive out the lot
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Unfortunately, Nissan doesn’t benefit from that tip…therefore not important.
Totally get you, though…would never buy a new car!
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Interesting that you have 12 dot points for comfort but only 5 for safety.
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Being a Nissan sponsored spot, I assume it is a carefully thought out list in areas that Nissan excel. Or is that the cynic in me?
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Let’s just say there is a reason I developed my “but you’re not really a girl” reputation (courtesy of one of my best male friends).
I love cars. I know cars. When we go car shopping, the dealer talks to my husband and he directs him back to me (even though he knows more than me). Mostly because I am stubborn, far too practical (“I don’t care if you can do 60kmh around the corner, there’s nowhere to transport all your gear for teaching.”) and ultimately will have the final say (not that I am bossy or anything. I think I’m just the scapegoat for poor decisions).
I’m in the US right now, the home of cheaply made crappy cars. Finding a car here was downright awful. I refused to buy anything US made, because husband had a Jeep once that almost had him slitting his wrists. So unreliable! We assessed our needs – driving on the wrong side (nothing too big to handle), snow (4 or AWD), good for carrying stuff in case we travelled (wagon), good fuel economy (4 cylinder this time). We got a Subaru Forester – while it’s older with pretty high miles, it’s such a practical, fantastic little car (touch wood!)
My last car was a Commodore (I suffer from small person=big car/engine syndrome, with possibly some testosterone thrown in) which I converted to LPG because I was commuting up to 200km a day when I first started teaching. I bought it at government auction. If I can find the car I want there, I will definitely do it again. If you know what you want, it is wonderful to have no dealers and to pay dealer prices (FYI, I paid $20000 for an almost new Acclaim which I had seen in yards for $29000+).
I will stop talking now.
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I hear you! I love cars and know cars too…maybe that’s the country girl in me? Inner revhead, which battles with my inner environmentalist…resulting in a V8 wagon which cuts to 4 cylinders when cruising. Love it. I don’t really understand the indifference that a lot of women have to cars (apart from colour and sound system
)
I’ve always been comfortable purchasing my own cars as a single lass (one used, one new), and in the new family car we got when #2 was born. I love having a car that I love to drive, and relentlessly researched until we got exactly what we wanted to suit us, the kids, and the luggage for long roadtrips. I’m also a bit of a carseat nerd, but that’s a whole other post!
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Being a massive car nut and collector of some pretty serious machinery, it always intrigues me how people can take little or no interest in the specifics of a car. Hey, different strokes, I know, but still, it is a pretty major purchase.
Even if you are not interested in raw performance though, surely issues such as fuel economy, service costs and intervals, tyre costs, safety etc should be high on the question lists.
Another important consideration many people overlook is likely resale value (retained value). Web sites like Redbook.com.au and most of the car magazines will tell you the likely % of retained value after 3 years. Sometimes, buying the cheapest car is not always the best option, as it will depreciate much more savagely, and often the budget brands try and win some of your hard earned back at service time. Worth doing your home work.
I do agree with having a set of questions ready before you go shopping, otherwise the joy and ‘that new car smell’ can take over the sensible side of ones brain.
I hate most car advertising, but particularly advertising for cars aimed at younger females. I am sorry, but indicating that a type of car is ‘short skirtable’ while not even saying anything about the engine is a real worry to me. Does that approach actually work????
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Given that when I was in my early 20′s I had several friends buy new cars based on what people said were good, that they hadn’t sat in let alone test driven, I’m guessing (sadly) yes that advertising does work.
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The racq magazine does vehicle comparisons for new cars and second hand ones too. I believe their website also has archives etc. I’m sure the auto clubs in other states have similar. They’re pretty helpful.
I’m older now and generally ignore stupid ads aimed at younger women, but when I was young my cars were used anyway, so I didn’t take any real notice then either.
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“When faced with a salesman I spoke only about colours”
SOOOO true!! Love that if you ask most women what sort of car just drove past they’ll respond with “a blue one”
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Opposite in our house! My husband has no clue about makes and models, just isn’t interested, whereas I know most of them. We’ve just bought a new car – Mazda cx9 and my husband just sat back in the sales room while I asked all the questions.
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Tala you could be me! We just got a CX-9 too and I did all of the research and negotiating. My husband is so disinterested he doesn’t even drive it, he sticks to his little hatchback.
I love driving it though!
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LOL! Some of those things listed in ‘comfort’ really made me laugh! First world priorities haha ie. ‘Do I need a key to enter the car and start the engine?’ (seriously, doesn’t it matter that much?!) and ‘Are the passengers protected from the sun?’ (no, you must wear sunscreen at all times)…hehee..
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Generally, most of the purely technical info I would investigate online. The dealer will tell you a 6 litre V8 will give good fuel economy if it will get the sale. But how if feels to drive and the space you can see yourself in a test drive.
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So true. Talking to the salesperson is the very last step, after researching online and ordering lots of brochures for direct side-by-side comparison of specs.
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