How to choose a car based on the budget and tasks: instructions with examples

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

If you are unhappy with your car, then you made a mistake at the stage of selection.

The recipe for the right choice is simple: use only common sense. The more terms you add to the formula of your choice, the more accurate it will be.

What parameters should be looked at first of all:

• body size and shape;
• engine power;
• equipment and options;
• new or used car;
• price.

But you will compare all this later. Now the main thing is to figure out why you need a car.

Formulate the task: what, with whom, where, when

To make the right choice among the many options, ask yourself what you intend to transport, where, with whom and when to travel. The correct answers to these questions will tell you what kind of car you need.

Body

If you plan to use the car for commuting alone or with one or two passengers, a compact sedan is a very good choice. The smaller a car is, the easier it is to find a parking spot and maneuver in a crowd.

Regular weekend trips to the dacha are another case. Children, relatives, things, seedlings in the spring and the grown crop in the fall - that's what you have to transport. The large rear door of a hatchback or station wagon allows even a small refrigerator to be loaded and transported if necessary.

Of course, cars with such bodies are somewhat more expensive than sedans, but these expenses will be justified.

Engine power

Contrary to popular belief, engine power alone has little effect on fuel consumption. It is enough to compare its value for cars that differ only in the engine - it will turn out to be almost the same.

In a city with its dense and slow traffic, the power of the motor does not matter. Another thing is an empty and high-speed suburban highway. Here the extra horsepower can still come in handy for fast and dynamic driving.

With regard to fuel consumption, it largely depends on the weight of the car, its technical condition, load and driving style.

Equipment and options

Comfort and extras always cost extra money. Weigh your financial capabilities and think whether it will not be excessive for you to pay for power windows, heated mirrors, air conditioning and other not always necessary devices. Compare the cost of the car in the minimum configuration and in the desired one. Perhaps it is wiser not to overpay and turn the window regulator handle yourself?

The choice of gearbox is subject to the same arguments. The automatic transmission is definitely more convenient. Especially in city traffic jams. If you have an extra amount of money to buy a car with such a box, great. If you don't have enough money, a car with a manual transmission will drive just as well.

New or used

A two-three-year-old low-mileage car costs 20-25% less than the same new one. Another advantage of this option is that all possible factory defects have already appeared and eliminated by the first owner. You get a run-in and proven car.

If you want to take possession of a completely new thing and fully enjoy its wonderful smell, you will have to pay for this pleasure.

Another argument in favor of a new car is buying a car for a long time. If you plan to drive a car as long as possible, a new car is more suitable for this purpose than a used one.

Estimate the cost of ownership and operation

Buying a car is only half the battle. Its operation and even just its ownership require systematic costs.

Mileage-related costs

These costs are the more, the more often and longer you drive the car. This includes costs for gasoline and lubricants, periodic maintenance and replacement of parts subject to wear: brake pads and discs, tires, windshield wipers, and so on.

Regular costs

This includes road tax, OSAGO and the cost of passing a vehicle inspection. These payments are made annually. Their value depends on the power of the engine (tax), the place of registration of the owner of the car (OSAGO) and some other circumstances. Their size is almost impossible to influence.

Choosing a car with the minimum engine power will give you only a small tax reduction.

Taxes and other obligatory payments make up a very small part of the total cost of a car. Remember them, but do not give them undue importance.

Repair

A modern car is a very reliable and durable product. But, like any technique, it may require repair from time to time.

The more expensive, more complicated and more prestigious a car is, the more you will have to pay for repairs.

Owning a domestic car gives additional opportunities to save money. If you have the necessary tools and skills, it is quite possible to take over many of the maintenance operations. In addition, domestic cars can be easily repaired “in Uncle Vasya’s garage”. While very specific foreign equipment is repaired only in authorized and very expensive service centers.

Speaking about repairs, one should not forget about one more difference between domestic brands and foreign-made cars: spare parts for VAZ and GAZ, as a rule, are available in stores, and parts for foreign cars must be ordered and waited for several days. Because of this, the repair of the machine may be delayed.

Choose your ideal vehicle

Now that you have asked yourself many questions about your automotive needs and gave them the most honest and concrete answers to them, collect them into one picture and draw an image of your ideal car.

Here it is important to stay within the boundaries of common sense and not demand the impossible from the machine. You cannot foresee all life situations.

Example 1

You need a car to travel to the country house and once or twice a year on vacation with a family of four. There must be enough space in the car for things. Since you intend to travel to the sea in summer, air conditioning will be a prerequisite for a comfortable trip. The rest of the options are not essential. The optimal solution to your task is a spacious station wagon with air conditioning of one of the mass brands.

Example 2

If you need a vehicle for systematic trips around the city alone, look for a compact car with electric power steering: this is an indispensable unit for maneuvering in tight urban areas and easy parking.

When you know what the car should be, you know the budget for this purchase, choosing the right model will not be difficult.

Useful Tips

1. From all sides, you will hear advice, recommendations and assessments. Consider only those that are supported by facts.
2. Absolute flaws are rare. More often than not, a feature or characteristic of a car is an advantage in one situation and a disadvantage in another. For example, a small car means a cramped interior and, at the same time, low fuel consumption. What is more important to you?
3. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. A car is not forever. Your next choice will be the wiser.