A car well is defined as a set of wheels on which a chassis is mounted and the electrical as well as the mechanical components are fitted and then we fill her up give her a spark and of we are to our to our destination. In the early 80’s and around we did not have much of a choice in terms of cars because we had our maruti’s and padmini’s and few odd imports which everybody could not afford and were restricted to the wealthy few or shall we say the cream la cream of the society. But now after every car manufacturer slowly cam to notice that our INDIA was emerging as a big car market where people were willing to spend a few Lakhs more for the sake of more power, more luxury and more quality and more safety which sadly our car manufacturers lacked in those departments. Suddenly the INDIAN car market became a hot market for most of the major car manufacturers around the world and everyone wanted a share of the pie and so they started to set up shop in INDIA and we started getting quality cars but at a price which we do not mind paying and this further meant that our own desi manufacturers got tough competitions for the foreign counterparts and they started to improve standards of their cars which in turn benefited us and we got cars which were not only good but also cheap.
Buying a car now a days is not a easy job because there are virtually hundreds of models to choose from and hundreds are variations and prices to choose from, you can now get a car for as low as 2, 00, 000 to about as high as 80, 00, 000. Before buying any car always carefully plan out everything because you are going to make a big investment into whatever you are buying and it should give you the returns. Always ask yourself what type of car you need. Do you need a costly luxury car such as(Hyundai Sonata, Ford Mondeo, or the ultimate Mercedes and the BMW’s) or the SUV(Sports Utility Vehicle)(Tata Sumo, Mahindra Scorpio, Toyota Qualis) etc or big Station Wagon(Maruti Altura, Opel Swing) or a mid sized sedan(Ford Ikon, Fiat Siena, Hyundai Accent) etc or a small compact car(Maruti Alto, Zen, Car, Fiat Palio, Tata Indica, Hyundai Santro) etc. Plan it keeping in mind the whole family members from the kids to the oldies and you too! If you are fun and frolic person who needs to get away every weekend then you definitely go in for a SUV or a Station wagon, and if you are orderly type go in for a sedan or compact car, but anyways there is no specific order that if you are this go in for such and such car. It never really matters in the end because every car has four wheels and has varying sizes and powertrains(engines), so decide and go ahead. Next comes in the big question whether to go in for Petrol engined car or Diesel engined one? Well now a days we get both petrol and diesel at about the same rate, give and take a few Rupees here and there and plus now a days diesel which was considered very polluting has reduced significantly and now we get cleaner and greener engines. So ask a few qualified mechanics about each engine’s pros and cons and decide accordingly. A petrol engine has faster pickup and speed but at the cost of mileage whereas diesel engine has low pickup, high speed at reasonable mileage. But the war is won by the petrol engine in the areas of maintenance where petrol engine is a simple affair(Not the MPFI ones) other than a diesel. Also when it comes to auto parts, petrol ones are cheaper than the diesel ones, but again this varies from manufacture to manufacture.
Next comes the big question of Finance, where should we get the money from whether a financial institution or a bank or form some else source. Always tread and prod carefully on this aspect because one wrong choice and you will end up paying more than you bargained for and this will take the fun out of you owing and driving a car. Go to a bank enquire about its interest rates and payment facilities. Also read the prospectus carefully and go through point carefully and plan accordingly. If you know somebody who works in the financial sector, clarify with him any doubts you have and be thoroughly satisfied in this aspect.
After you have chosen everything and the finance part is also solved next comes the actual part of buying the car. Again do not be fooled and go only to the authorized car dealers or if possible go to company outlets where you know you will get the best possible price and the maximum benefits possible. Keep all your papers in proper orders so you do not have to run here and there at the last possible moment. Also if you are going to the dealer do not get entangled in their web of sweet talk because if you do you might end buying a car that you did not actually need but the dealer talked you into buying one. Always go with your head and do what you think is sensible to you because it your hard earned money that you are putting and not the dealers.
In the end when everything is properly settled and you take delivery of the car, do not be hasty and get overly excited. Read the car manual and the cars operating procedures and familiarize with the settings and surroundings in your car, what controls are situated where so you do not have to fumble when actually driving a car and everything falls in to hand perfectly, it may take some time so be patient. Follow proper maintenance tips given by the car manufacturer. The first rule of car driving according to me is that the car should be in your perfect control, always practice safe driving and wear seats belts and be aware of what is going around you while driving be alert, take adequate rest before going on long journeys and do not drink and drive. Follow all this and a little more and the car you will buy will not give you trouble for years to come and you will get your money’s worth so Happy Buying and Driving.