The car is normal man’s dream. So if it is a day to fulfill it, move carefully. You have worked hard to reach this point, so think more before you buy.
1) First learn to drive the car well. Go to a driving school and be thorough in safe driving. You should not make any accident with your new car and feel very sorry later. DO NOT LEARN DRIVING ON YOUR NEW CAR.
2) Always buy a fuel-injected vehicle to have more reliability on mileage and performance. Carbureted vehicle’s performance varies due to surrounding conditions.
Cars are available from Rs 2, 50, 000 and above. You are entitled to test drive all the models with out a promise to buy the vehicle. If the dealer says he does not have test drive facility, he may not bother about obligation to maintain your new car well after you buy.
3) Do not forget the get the warranty and service card signed by the dealer. You are paying for every thing and look in front of you instead of the horizon.
4) If you buy small cars like Maruthi 800, Matiz, do not expect the safety of bigger cars. The car performance is good but any small accident is very expensive and cause more injuries to the occupants. So better make it a habit to drive slowly, like 40km to 50km per hour. On high ways you can go at 60kmph. Beware of cyclists and two wheeler drivers who wander on to your path with out signaling or not bothering to look back even.
5) If your budget is Rs 3, 60, 000 you have more choice of cars with bigger space for the rear seat passengers.
All the cars in this range are smooth. Indica offers more space and really a comfortable seating position for the back seat.
The diesel option exists for Indica and Zen. But Zen Diesel is almost Rs 50, 000 more expensive. Diesel certainly makes more noise but for many Indians it doesn’t matter.
6) Do not forget to have front air bags and Seat belts for the car. They protect us in accidents. The cars at this range are not offering side air bags and curtain bags.
8 Years back I met an accident and my son(3 year old) sitting beside me is saved because of the seat belt. Children are supposed to be sitting in the back seat.
7) In India it is better to have steel wheels instead of the expensive Aluminium Alloy wheels because the tyres get punctured frequently due to steel nails and sharp object on the roads, and we have to ask the street side helper to seal the puncture. Aluminium Alloy wheels can be mishandled by his innocence and crude tools.
8) Radials reduce your braking distance and they give better grip at high speeds, but they are bit noisy and transfer the pothole vibration to the car more than the cross ply tyres.
9) Better to have both right and left rear view mirrors on the doors to reduce the blind spot. If plastic or rubber side skirts and mudguards are available get them fitted to the car, which give some protection against flying pebbles and dirt from the tyres.
These can increase the life of the car’s bottom by about an year.
10) If you can afford more than Rs 5, 00, 000 you are into a comfortable segment as per the Indian Standards. Get the ABS(Anti Skid Brakes), side air bags and curtain air bags to your car even if they are bit extra in price. One day they may save your life, which cannot be valued. If you can afford a driver, hire him. You get professional drivers cheaply in this Country and you can be more comfortable thinking while traveling.
11) If you find some problem with the new vehicle under warranty, it is better to report the matter in written to the dealer immediately and take an appointment for the maintenance of the vehicle.
12) It is estimated that more accidents happen while overtaking. Spend as less time as possible to over take a vehicle. Remember while over taking you are in the wrong lane and it is your full responsibility if any thing happens in that lane.
Before coming back into the correct lane, glance at the rear view mirror, if you can see the vehicle you have over taken, you can join into the correct lane.
ENJOY YOUR CAR AND YOUR LIFE.