Things I Wish I Knew When Buying My First Car

This post is a collaboration with ATS Euromaster, but all thoughts and experiences are my own

I was recently asked by ATS Euromaster to take part in their I Wish I Knew Campaign. At the moment, I do not drive. However, I have a partner who drives and many friends and family who do too. I have spent the time to gather some information and ask a few people what they wish they knew before buying their very first car. These tips will be great for when the time comes that I go out and buy myself a new car one day soon. 

 

Here is what I learnt:

 

It seems common for first time car buyers to be more interested in what the car looks like, such as the colour, instead of looking more into the history of the car. For example how many miles it has on the clock, and the car service history. It's definitely something first time car buyers are likely to regret doing further down the line. Car service history is something that buyers need to look more into before they make a purchase.

Similar to the above, it can also be important to check the car for any damage. No matter where you are buying from, whether it's a car sales garage or someone from over the road, you do have every right to check the car over for any damage. Of course, you may find the odd scratch here and there, but when it comes down to maybe finding any new paint, you could always ask if the paint job was done due to any previous damage. This is in case it was painted to hide any deeper damage that you should know about before spending your money to buy the car. 

 

You can always go to a car sales garage to buy your first car, but it could also be a good idea to bring someone who knows a lot about cars with you too. It's a bonus if they are a mechanic themselves, who can look at the car for you. At the end of the day car dealers are there to sell a car. It is your responsibility as the buyer to check out the car properly before you purchase it. 

 

One of the last things I learnt was to try not to get yourself into debt by buying your first car. Of course, you'd like your first new car to be modern, and amazing. But with buying your first car, comes a lot of lessons, you are going to regret a few things that you didn't think to check or do when buying. It may be best to save up the money and buy your first car straight out, instead of choosing a monthly payment scheme that can last years. 

 

Ending the post, when you're buying your very first car make sure you look beyond appearance and colour. Sometimes the nicest looking cars aren't always the most reliable. As I've discovered, you still learn about cars from having your own and this knowledge can help you when you go out looking for a second or third car. 

 

What did you wish you knew when buying your first car?