Shopping Online for Cars

Thanks to the internet, it is becoming much easier to shop online and to research products or services we as consumers are interested in buying or selling.

Cars are no exception. As a result, I do all my shopping for cars or car stuff online and you know that I prefer to buy and sell cars privately due to the savings.

Rather than wasting time and money, driving from dealer to dealer or house to house looking at cars which may or may not interest me, it's all too easy to jump online and to search from the comfort of home.

A driver's greatest fear?

I was eating breakfast when I came across a story in the local paper that caught my eye.

The title of the story stated "drivers live in fear of breakdowns" and was written in response to a survey conducted by a car insurance company.

Interesting to note that this survey was conducted by one insurance provider, rather than several as a group. I wonder how much this insurance company paid the newspaper to advertise for them? Do potential customers get discount insurance quotes? 

Anyhow, back to the word "fear". My interpretation and understanding of fear is, being afraid of someone or something that you don't know or don't understand, which leads to the following question.

Hybrid vs Diesel

There is little doubt as to the direction car manufacturers are headed when it comes to cars of the future.

As oil prices continue to rise, the race is on amongst car manufacturers to mass produce an electric car that is affordable to buy, service and maintain. Zero fuel, zero emissions.

Fuel efficient cars come in various sizes, fuel types and engine configurations.

If you are chasing just pure numbers when it comes to best fuel economy and long range mileage, you can't go past a diesel car. Most modern diesels are fitted with turbo chargers which not only boost fuel efficiency, but also increase horsepower and torque.

Improving fuel economy

There are several basic simple tips anyone can do which can improve the fuel economy of your car. I am almost always asked this question repeatedly by people when they find out that I drive a V8.

"How do you afford the fuel bill?" they always ask. Not surprisingly, the truth is, simple and uncomplicated. It is not rocket science. 

I budget and plan my trips. Ta da!! Who would have thought? :)

Below I have listed 8 methods I have used to lower my fuel costs and to save money.

Get your finances in order

So you have decided which car you want to buy, next comes the buying process.

I can't stress enough how important it is to have your finances in order prior to buying a car from a dealer or a private seller. Once you know your budget, then you are in a position to negotiate a purchase price on your terms.

Buy a car privately or from a dealer?

The safest and most uncomplicated way to buy a car is from a licensed car dealer. The laws
ensure that cars sold by dealers are not stolen, do not have money owing on them, they are
safe to drive on the road and come with a warranty.

That being said, that doesn't mean that there are dealers out there who won't bend the laws
when it comes to selling a car. In general, car dealers which sell brand new cars (cars with zero or delivery mileage) will be less likely to pull a blindfold over you than those who don't.

I have seen cars purchased from new car dealers which turn out to be written off and repaired. So be warned and tread carefully, these risks are real and they do exist, though are less likely.

Which car to buy?

Having worked in the auto industry, the question I am often asked is, which car is the one to buy?

My response always leads to the following questions. What do you need the car for? What features are you after? How much do you want to spend?

This is understandable due to the many brands and vehicles on offer which can often be overwhelming and confusing.