Buying a car is not a cheap exercise. A car is a sizeable investment that can depreciate (i.e. lose value) very quickly, so do your research. A cursory Google search will yield a lot about the type of car you want to buy: what do peer reviews say? Does it hold its value well? What features does the car have? And, most importantly, how much does it cost?
Before committing to buying a new car from a dealer, you might want to find out when the next model is due to be released. This will have a bearing on the value of the car you’re currently looking at, because as soon as next year’s model arrives, the car you’re eyeing up will drop in value considerably. So holding out for the new model will either leave you with a car with lower depreciation, or you’ll have a chance of picking up the older one for a little bit less.
Also ask about the cost of ownership, this will include the length of the warranty, service contract, insurance costs or registration fees. While it might look like a good deal on the face of things, you don’t want to face nasty surprises down the line.
