It’s a dream come true for many when it comes to buying their first cars. It is always a joyful experience to own a car for the first time.
However, do enough research by asking friends, relatives together with car mechanics in order to understand what it means to own the car that you like.
So when buying a new car, it is important to ask yourself a couple of questions that will guide your purchasing process.
Do I have the budget for this
How much much money do you have at your disposal to buy the car? Your budget should not only include the amount needed to buy it, but it should also cover the expenses related to insurance, putting fuel in the tank and maintaining it. A simple checklist or spreadsheet with all the expected costs will help you make sense of the car that you want to buy.
Don’t forget to consult with a trusted mechanic to understand the costs related to maintaining the vehicle. There are many websites including Zoom Tanzania where you can get advice and safety tips on buying a new car. Don’t forget to speak to owners of similar cars that you know who can help you understand the goods and bads of the car of your choice.
Durability
Durability is a factor to consider depending on how and where you want to use the car. You might need a more durable car for tough conditions. However, this will also mean that you might need to pay more for it. On the other hand, cars like Toyota Passo, Toyota Duet and others might be best suited for cities where infrastructure systems are well maintained. It is also important to consider what will happen to the body of the car in case of an accident. Light metal material cars like Toyota Passo are easily damaged even in case of minor accidents compared to hard metal bodies.
Maintenance
It is crucial to ask your trusted car mechanic about the maintenance cost of the type of car you want. Find out about the availability of spare parts like lights, engines and their costs. This will help you understand the burden that will be placed upon you when in possession of this car. For example, the spare parts of the Nissan cars are expensive in Tanzania, compared to Toyota. Also, cars like Land Rover Discovery need specialised expertise that might be hard to get away from Dar es Salaam.
Comfortability
Is comfortability something you are looking for because of personal taste or medical reasons? Then choose a car that has a good interior like Mercedes Benz, Toyota Brevis, Toyota Kluger, Land Rover Discovery and others. However, you will need to spend more to acquire them and you will have to take into account their maintenance costs
Fuel Consumption
Before buying your first car, you need to think about its fuel consumption. A diesel engine, for example, can reduce fuel costs. If you commute a long way to work every day it will be advisable to own a fuel-efficient car like Toyota Vitz, Toyota IST or similar cars. Just because you can pay for the car, it doesn’t mean that you can afford to pay for its fuel.
Where Will You Use Your Car
One of the crucial question to ask when considering buying a new car in Tanzania is “What is the primary location where your vehicle will be driven? Are you using it in Dar es Salaam where the roads are tarmac or are you using it on unpaved roads in Manyoni, Singida? Buy a car that you can use where you are located. Whilst most vehicles can accommodate a range of uses and performance on tarmac roads, some models are more suited to specific purposes such as rough roads.
Know about motor Insurance
Motor Insurance is one of the requirements by law that every car is supposed to have. This can be third party Insurance or Comprehensive Insurance. Why motor Insurance is important? Insurance will help you during an accident and especially when you least expect it. It is important to remember that the cost of insurance is related to the price of the car. Owning an expensive car will force you to buy a more expensive motor insurance.l.
So it is important to do very comprehensive research on the car that you want to buy. Remember to talk to someone who knows about the car so they can offer you an honest opinion. If you have a family try to buy a family car that your family can enjoy like Toyota Gaia, Toyota Raum and other similar cars.