Buying a new car can be a really fun experience, but there’s a lot that needs to be done to make sure you’re getting the best vehicle for your needs at the best price possible. One of the most important things you can do is test drive the vehicle you plan to purchase, and test drive a few other ones for comparison. You may be surprised at what you find.
- Call your dealership to make sure the vehicle is available
The last thing you want is to show up at the dealership and the vehicle you have your heart set on isn’t available. Call your dealership in advance and book an appointment to take a test drive. If you don’t, you could be facing a long wait for an employee to take you out for a spin, especially if you plan on going to the dealership during a busier time like the weekend.
- Adjust everything to your specifications
Just because you may not be keeping the vehicle, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t adjust everything to your specifications. First off, it’s the safe way to test drive a vehicle, but it also allows you to figure out if you feel comfortable in the vehicle. Pay attention to how you feel after you adjust the mirrors, seat, and steering position. Make sure you have enough visibility, and that you feel spatially aware in the vehicle.
- Try and mimic your daily drive
If possible, take the vehicle on the same routes that you drive everyday. You may find that a vehicle you were set on purchasing doesn’t do well in the city, or that a smaller car that you were thinking of purchasing isn’t ideal for the highway. Pay close attention to how your vehicle performs on the road.
- Test all of the in-car tech
In addition to testing your car’s performance, you’ll want to make sure that you like the in-car technology that comes with your vehicle. Test out items like the navigation system, usb ports, radio dials and functions, and bluetooth/wifi. Consider the steering wheel controls, and how intuitive they are and where everything is placed. Test the front and back cameras to make sure that they work properly and that you have good visibility. If your car has self parking or help, test that out too to make sure that it works for you.
- Don’t make a rash decision
Even if you love the car on the test drive, make sure that you do your research and test a few more vehicles before making the final decision. Even if you’re sure of which car you want, it’s good to test out others just to make sure that you’ve made the right call.
What’s left to do after you’ve made your decision? Make sure that you have adequate coverage to protect you and your new vehicle. Compare policies across leading companies to get the best price possible, and don’t forget to let your provider know about extra safety features that come with your vehicle – they may offer you a discount!