Liviu Marcus
A quality vehicle is one of the best methods of transportation, and this is one of the leading reasons why such a vehicle is necessary. With a car, you will not have to rely on any public transport to carry out your daily commutes.
The importance of driving a car for you is because it gives you not only a status but also freedom of your private space and control. For example, in the low-populated places, the importance of having a good car is even more clear when there is no good public transport.
In addition, owning a car provides you with control as you leave for fastrising office hours or shopping and return without having yourself rush out in a rush-hour situation. Thus, to run away from the noise and stress of the сrowded urban environment a decent car is a must.
It also offers you little freedom to control your time and help you and manage your private life effectively and efficiently. The private car is one of the most comfortable means of transport.
Moreover, it uses advanced technologies, ventilation, and rather comfortable seats which make you feel good even when you travel for long distances. Thus, for your privacy that is not achievable neither in public means of transport, a car is a must for you.
Now, there are a lot of models circulating on the market either used or new. As looking for a quality car or vehicle is necessary, this time we provide tips and tricks on how to find the best quality car.Read on!
Analyze Your Budget
At the beginning, budget analysis is the most vital point when it comes to seeking or buying a good vehicle. With that, you would need to be continually interested in your current monthly expenses, which include insurance, utilities, clothing, food, rent, mortgages, credit card payments, and other monthly errands.
Then, you should also take into account the expenses related to having a car that will incorporate petrol, car insurance, car maintenance, parking fee, and so on.
After having a clear and accurate analysis of your finances on a monthly basis, you would come to know which car you can afford. For example, a truck, SUV, or a small car. Although buying a car on the basis of monthly payment might cost you in the long run, you need to ensure that your monthly budget does not overextend.
There are various car budget calculators available online, which can help you find what car you can afford and after considering your monthly budget, you can find out about affordability.
Find a Vehicle That Suits You
Once you get an idea of your monthly budget, you can now look for cars that will suit your lifestyle and needs. Few aspects that have to be considered include the number of people that you are going to host and the space to put all your things in. Besides, the place of usage of the new car should come to your mind.
The distance of travel and the state of the roads are also of importance – so you need to consider them, too. For instance, if you believe that long trips will be your thing meaning a lot of time spent on the road then you will need a large car. However, in the city for short trips, it is good to have such a car because the city will be very easy to park in.
Crossovers and SUVs are trendy cars today. But such type of vehicles are a bit higher in price than cars. In the meantime, they are also fuel guzzlers and the maintenance costs of SUVs are more than that of subcompact cars. Because you need a good car that will serve you for many years, you should forget about your current status.
Another example is when you are a married man or woman, you are going to make the children in some years. For each new member of your family, your monthly outgoings will rise. Thus, at a time when one has fewer responsibilities or family obligations it is the right time to consider owning a good vehicle.
In this respect, it would be a bad decision to buy a two-seater sports car as it has not enough space for your kids in a couple of years. To the extent that if you are not certain about the future, you should opt for a short-term lease, which is a greater idea than buying a car.
Understand The Process of The Vehicle Purchase
Car buying is the field where much wisdom is needed mostly in terms of the price negotiation. To many, bargaining is an activity that is stressful and irritating.
Nevertheless, it is necessary for you to understand the skill of bargaining specifically when you intend to buy a first car. For instance you cannot sell a $10,000 car for $13,000 – obviously. It would not be a good idea.
To avoid this problem, you can search online and learn about what to look for when buying a vehicle, how vehicles are priced, and in what way you can negotiate a profitable or reasonable deal.
Today, the availability of a wide range of online tools are helping people to determine and understand the vehicle purchasing process. Using these tools will bring in you a sense of confidence when buying a car.
When you understand the vehicle purchasing process, it will help you determine any tactics or tricks the owner or the person who is selling the car is trying to use to accomplish their desired deal.
So, you must master the skill of price negotiation because you don’t lose your hard-earned money on something that would not fulfill your needs. Learn to say no in case you think it is not a good deal. Simply, you can walk away.
Don’t Make a Deal Too Soon
The automotive industry release new car models by different brands and companies into the market daily. Equally, you also don’t have to wait for the maturity of your current car financing, but if you cannot get it paid off in cash or if there’s no way for you to come up with the rest in cash-it’s best not to buy a new car.
There are many car deals who would do the trick and play with you psychologically – for example, they might offer to pay off the current loan. You must not put yourself in harm’s way because what actually happening is your current loan balance is added to your new car financing.
Basically, you would be paying for two cars simultaneously and the interesting thing is that you will own only one. So, you must avoid this financial jeopardy. On the other hand, we suggest you to wait to purchase until you pay off your current loan – for instance, once you have enough savings and you are able to put a down payment, only then you should tend to buy a new or used vehicle.
Furthermore, besides these important factors, you need to think carefully about the things that you need in a car. For example, are you looking for something like a sedan? Or would you like to buy an SUV? In contrast, would you drive a 4-wheel system?
Fuel economy is important for long distance travel. Similarly, do you need a car that will make your personality statement or you want to get a family vehicle? Do you want a top of the line car or something that is budget-friendly?
All of these questions have to be answered before the purchase. Alike, you have to consider the features of high quality car by doing an intensive study of it. After making a list, you would initiate your search for a good car. Consider that you must inspect all the characteristics or traits in the new or used vehicle – ensuring you are content.Continue reading!
Performance and Safety
The performance of the car should be inspected by the engine volume. Is that in cubic inches or in liters? The engine number of cylinders also need to be checked.
Make sure to review the torque rating as well as the peak horsepower. Likewise, you have to determine the RPM that the peak occurs at. The finding concerning the top speed of either a used or new car is also relevant here. Don’t omit these factors.
Another crucial aspect that you must consider is the transmission of the car – which is either manual or automatic. You should see if the car is 6- speed, 5- speed, 4- speed or 3- speed.
This is so since more transmission gears always give higher fuel economy even at high speeds due to the low RPMs. After that, you need to verify whether the car comes with a 4-wheel disc brake or it is equipped with rear or front disk drum brakes.
As far as safety features are concerned, you should look for a few features such as the count and position of airbags, child safety locks, crumple zones, pre-tensioning seatbelts, etc.
You should also recognize the stability control system of the car and if there is a traction control system. The other important part in this is “anti-lock brakes”.
Moreover, if you are not tall a person, you need to check whether or not the car or vehicle has adjustable pedals. It is imperative to find out whether these pedals are located at a safe distance from the airbags.
Equipment, Quality, and Style
It is obvious that you would like to have an automobile that will fulfill all your needs in the best way. So, you have to check whether the car is properly adjusted for its price. A question of the taste with equipment is in what materials likable for you are – leather or cloth seating surfaces?
For this reason, once you check the engine, the power accessories should be the next thing that you look for; these include power seats, power mirrors, door locks, and windows. Is the air conditioning system in the car you want to buy efficient?
So much so, you must also check the climate control system and its characteristics such as automatic or manual control. The air conditioning system must be capable of controlling dual temperatures.
Check the audio system of the vehicle and verify the AM/FM radio tuner, CD player or cassette deck. There are some audio systems, which have a line-in jack for an MP3 player. Another important accessory is the number of speakers in the vehicle.
The wattage of the audio system and the subwoofer quality of the speakers should also be considered. Similarly, while examining the car, look for other features that would provide convenience.
The quality, style, and aesthetics of a quality vehicle can easily be determined by scrutinizing the reputation of the manufacturer. You should check whether they manufacture quality cars, which are not prone to malfunctions and defects.
The style and design of the car must also be examined. Here, again, it depends on your preference. Do you really like the design and style? Is the car’s exterior attractive? Is the interior according to your needs?
Cost and Environmental Impact
The size and the class of the car should be considered. You have to assess if the price of the car is competitive to other similar cars in the market.
Secondly, does the manufacturer provide a warranty? What sort of warranty is this? These questions you need to answer and then think hard about it trying to compare such things of the similar companies and what vehicles are they selling on the market.
In respect of the warranty of the vehicle, usually it is 36,000 miles or 3 years. Likewise, there are some manufacturers who give 60,000 miles or 6 years warranty. Furthermore, certain ones also provide 100,000 miles or 10 years warranty. Next, there are the extended warranties that provide you with an extra mile.
You need to be conversant with the bumper-to-bumper warranties class which entails protecting all the parts found in the vehicle. Another warranty that is called as “powertrain”. Therefore, one has to distinguish between the two and determine which kind of a warranty would be suitable for one. Note: There is a powertrain warranty which only covers the engine.
When looking at the specific car model, it is but advisable to look into the general service and maintenance cost. Is easy availability of vehicle’s spare parts on the market? This is a significant issue. For instance, if you are buying a new or used BMW in such a third world country, then it’s a bad idea since you can’t find the spare parts of BMW easily in the local market.
Besides, you need to find out whether the vehicles need high-octane or premium fuel. You should also verify if you can use synthetic oils on the car. The cost of auto insurance and the value it will have when you decide to sell it also plays a significant factor in the decision process. Ensure the car doesn’t depreciate in a few years.
When considering the environmental impact, variable of fuel performance of a vehicle must be precisely revealed. Note the fuel consumption – e.g. how many liters to 100 kilometers or miles per gallon. Higher fuel efficiency of the vehicle will lead to much lower fuel costs. Nonetheless, you will do an acceptable job.
For example, Toyota Prius is one of the most popular cars available on the market. It has higher fuel efficiency because of hybrid engines. On the other hand, this type of car will take several years to regain the hybrid price premium through saved fuel costs.
There are many cars that come with diesel-powered engines. When it comes to efficiency, modern diesel engines hold a significant value than gasoline engines. Diesel engines also possess a higher amount of low-end torque. This is useful in towing and acceleration. In contrast, we need to tell you that diesel engines have higher particulate emissions like soot.
Moreover, while checking the characteristics of a quality vehicle, you need to consider the number of emissions – for example, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxides. These emissions are produced by the engine. The cleaner the engine, the lower the road taxes. For example, in the UK, it is recommended to buy a car that produces a reduced amount of carbon dioxide and nitrogen emissions.
The Condition of The Vehicle’s Engine
There are three important things to analyze when checking the condition of the engine. These are mechanics, exhaust, and noise. Let us tell you about them one by one. Continue reading!
· Mechanics
In general, there are a few things, which can go wrong – for example, calm belt breaks, damaged bearings that usually occur on the crankshaft, and compression loss due to worn piston rings or burnt valves. Loss of compression can lead to the stalling of the engine. The cause of this condition is worn piston rings or burnt valves.
It is important to note that you can easily repair burnt valves without spending much on them. However, we don’t recommend you to buy a car with an engine that has the problem of burnt valves because it indicated poor maintenance.
When a car runs low on oil, it can cause damage to bearings. So, you must ask the salesperson or the owner about the timing belt and when it was last replaced. Timing belts and calm usually last for 5 years or around 80,000 kilometers. Therefore, you must look at the manual to check the specific belt replacement times.
Some cars have free-running values in their engines. Sometimes, this is good according to experts – however, a broken timing belt can cause problems for you and leave you stranded on the road.
Moreover, if the car has interference type valves and when the timing belt breaks, it will cause damage to the valves’ heads and also impact the piston. Remember, to repair the tops of the piston is extremely expensive.
We advise you to check with the manufacturer or the salesperson the type of valve. At the recommended interval, it is important that you change the engine’s timing belt with interference valves.
· Exhaust
Finding a quality vehicle is not an easy task. There are dozens of things to consider and check before making the purchase. While checking the condition of the engine, you need to check the exhaust by simply putting your hand on it. You will feel the buildup of good pressure in case there is a hole or lead in it.
Once done with this, you need to sniff your hand. Don’t sniff the exhaust directly, it could be dangerous. If you smell something like petrol, it means the car is running rich. You can also check this when it is warmed up – i.e. by driving the car for 5-10 minutes. If you still sniff the petrol smell, it means the exhaust needs tuning.
In addition, if the vehicle emits white smoke, don’t worry because this is actually steam. Experts say that the emission of white steam or smoke is normal. On the other hand, if you see that the car emits blue-tinged smoke, it means the car burns oil – thus, the engine has some kind of wear.
In this regard, you need to check with the owner of the oil top and how often they have done it. If the car is using all its fuel within a thousand miles or kilometers, the engine is weak and malfunctioning. Do you still want to buy such a car? Well, yes you can but buy it only if the owners are selling it for a cheap price plus you won’t use it regularly. It is not a good idea though.
If the car is burning fuel continuously, there is some sort of wear in the piston engine. For example, if you take your foot off the car’s accelerator while you go downhill and see a puff of smoke is coming out of the back, there are higher chances of wear in the valve guides.
It is not cheap to replace piston rings – although you can easily ignore valve guides. However, it is your duty to ask the owner of the car how often they have topped up the oil. Also, you need to check with the owner how much oil they put in. If the owner has not checked the oil for a while, you should check it yourself. If it is dirty or empty, there are higher risks for getting wear that is highly expensive to repair.
· Noise
A car engine can make a variety of noises. If you have previously owned a car, you must be familiar with engine noises. If you feel anything suspicious regarding the sound or noise of the engine – for example, a loud rattling, don’t buy the car. So much so, if it is a cheap deal, you can buy the car and take it to the mechanic to fix the issue.
An engine running roughly could require tuning in case it has any damage. If the salesperson or the owner is claiming that the car requires simple tuning, you can ask them why they didn’t do it in the first place. This is something very doubtful – if such is the case, simply walk away.
When you check the engine is making a rattling noise, it means the cam chain is loose. It might require replacement or adjustment. In addition, if the engine makes a ticking noise, it means the tappets need adjustment. (Note: this is normal and you shouldn’t worry about it much as this occurs only when the car has not been taken to the service station for a long time).
If the engine is making a rumbling noise, it means the bearings are worn. Don’t go for such a car since it, not of food quality. If you still want to buy it, the choice is yours. However, you will spend a lot of money on replacing the worn bearings. It is not easy to distinguish the knocking noises, which indicate a fuel mixture or the vehicle is running on low-octane oil. Consequently, it will have burnt valves.
The Condition of The Vehicle
When it comes to the condition of the vehicle, there are a few things you need to examine carefully. They are brakes, springs, joints, and rust. Continue readings!
· Brakes
While checking the brakes, it is important to find whether the car has power brakes – also known as vacuum brakes. If so, the pedal of the brake must easily depress and then harden up. In case the car does not have a vacuum braking system, then you won’t be able to depress the brakes easily.
In addition, if the pedal of the brake is soft, there might be air stuck between the lines of the brake. Basically, you can easily “pump up” the brakes in this situation. Make sure you pump the brakes a few times. You can easily fix this – we recommend you to find an experienced mechanic so that he or she can check the brakes and fix the issue.
While braking, if you feel that the car is squealing, then it means that there is some kind of wear in the brake pads. On the other hand, if the car has disc brakes, you will actually see a metallic disc, which exists behind the wheel.
Carefully looking at it, you will see that the disc is located in the middle and there are two plates positioned on each side. Make sure you ask the owner to press the brakes and at the same time, you need to check the plates and find out whether or not they are pushing onto the middle disc.
· Springs
You need to ensure the shock absorbers and springs are in good condition. To check them, you need to push down the car on each of its corners. In case you feel that the car is acting like a spring – for example, it is bouncing up and down, then there is wear in the dampeners.
While pushing down hard on the corners, you may see that the vehicle has been lowered. If this is the situation, you need to check with the owner or salesperson regarding the cutting of the springs. Another way to lower the vehicle is to cut some springs section out, which will make the springs shorter. Thus, it will lower the car. Note: this is not a reliable method and could be dangerous.
· Wheel Bearings and C.V Joints
Sometimes, you will observe a rumbling sound that comes from the tire. This means the wheel bearings are worn. When it comes to checking the C.V joints, you need to turn the steering wheel and check if it is not making a click-like sound. If you hear a click-like sound, it indicates that the C.V joints are worn.
Test Drive
It would be a bad idea to buy a car without a test drive. In fact, we can actually call it risking your hard-earned money. So, while having a test drive, the first thing is to note the acceleration of the vehicle. Do you feel satisfied with the driving style of the car?
Moreover, you need to assess the handling features of the vehicle to check whether they are according to your specific driving style. When you turn the vehicle into corners, you will find out about the over-steer or under-steer of the car.
Likewise, check whether the vehicle is steady at higher speeds. Is the vehicle’s brake good on the road? When it comes to the quality of the vehicle, check the exterior such as examining the body panels and looking for gaps between them. You also need to check the paint and evaluate the signs of fading. Check the interior of the vehicle and see if the panels are fitted closely. Lastly, check the plastic material and find out whether they feel soft or hard to touch. Good Luck!
