I passed my driving test when I was 18. I always knew I wanted to learn to drive, despite not being the biggest fan of driving. I wanted the independence it would bring and the ability to be able to travel out of town for a job if I needed to. I also wanted to get the expense of learning to drive and buying my first car out of the way before I moved out of my family's home and took on the bills that come with living on your own.
Purchasing my first car was a big deal, but if I'm honest, now that I look back on it, I knew a lot less then than I do now about what's important to look out for when buying a car. Things like the importance of yearly car servicing for example. Today, as part of the ATS Euromaster 'I Wish I Knew' Campaign, I am sharing 5 things that I wish I knew before I bought my first car. Hopefully, some of these things will be helpful to you if you are just about to buy your first car or a new car in general.
1. Cheapest isn't always best
When you're buying your first car it's understandable that following having paid for all of your driving lessons and your driving test, you may be limited by budget. You may also have been advised to just get a 'cheap run around' as your first car. Or you may have your heart set on a certain car make and model and be tempted to buy the cheapest version of it.
I was exactly the same, however having now owned multiple cars over the years that I've been driving, I've learnt that it's best practice to not just opt for the cheapest. It's far more important to shop around and find out WHY the same make and model of a car may be listed at different prices. Has it done a lot more miles? Has it been looked after and serviced over the years? Don't just be drawn in by prices and the 'look' of a car!
2. The service history is important
I knew from experience that it can be easy to overlook the service history of a car and just 'hope' that it's been looked after by its previous owners. But having a recorded history of services that have been done to the car is now much more appealing to me as someone who has been driving for over 20 years. A car service history is usually very good evidence that a car is healthy and will run well. Always look for cars that offer a full service history if you want to be confident about the car you are buying.
3. Test drive the car before you agree to buy
Don't be afraid to ask to test drive a car before you buy it, you are well within your right to do so, just make sure you have the right insurance in place beforehand. If you don't have the correct insurance or if you're worried about test driving the car yourself, then take someone like a parent or friend with you who is happy and legally covered to be able to do so. I would now never buy a car without having taken it for a spin first as it's a good way to make sure the basics of the car are working as they should.
4. How many miles has it done? Mileage matters!
It's really important to check how many miles a car has done before purchasing it. Even if the car is fairly new, it can still have done a lot of miles. The more miles a car has done, the more wear and tear would have occurred to things like the suspension and tyres of the car. If these things haven’t been well maintained or replaced recently, you may find yourself paying for it later on.
5. Look after the car after you've bought it - it'll pay off!
I know that it may sound obvious, but looking after the car after you've bought it can really pay off. Not only will it make the car as safe as possible for you but it will also mean that you are far more likely to get a good price for it should you want to sell it in the future.
Check your tyres regularly, ensure that you have an annual service booked in, check the oil and coolant levels often, make sure that you don't run out of screen wash, and keep things like the brakes, air conditioning and the engine air filter in good working order. Don't forget about the exterior and interior condition of your car, because keeping them clean will benefit you and make it more appealing to potential future owners should you decide to sell the car.
I hope these tips have been helpful if you are looking to buy a car for the first time. But if you have been a car owner for a while then do let me know in the comment section below what you wish you had known before you bought your first car?
This post is a collaboration with ATS Euromaster and their 'I Wish I Knew Campaign’ however all thoughts shared are entirely my own.
Thank you for reading.
Alex xo
