It’s important to consider several important factors before buying a car. But which ones do American consumers place the most value on?
The car-buying process is thrilling for most folks because of the test drives and haggling with the salespeople. While it’s easy to let a salesperson pitch you into buying a display model, you should learn as much as possible before committing to anything of this magnitude.
What are some of the important factors to consider before buying a car?
Statista’s Global Consumer Survey found that consumers placed high importance on low fuel consumption and high levels of safety. These features, at 56% and 55%, handily beat out low pricing. About 46% of car owners say the low price was a key priority when shopping around.
Even design isn’t as crucial as various TV commercials would have us believe. As little as 32% of new-car buyers care primarily about their car’s appearance. High quality is more important than appearance to 43% of respondents, and driving comfort is more important than design to the average car buyer.
Before you make the plunge into buying a new car, take a look at the following considerations.
Fuel Efficiency = 56%
Whether or not America uses too much oil is a great topic for discussion, but we won’t get into it here. Whether there is 40 or 140 years’ worth of oil left on earth, the market reality is this: as fuel resources run out and it becomes too expensive to find and extract oil, people will stop using it as their main power source.
You don’t have to buy a car you don’t want just because it gets good mileage. Instead, it means shopping for a car with all the features you want and getting the best gas mileage. As a result, you’ll save money on gas and send a message to car companies to make cars that use less energy.
In a very real way, the chance to save the most money on gas lies with those whose finances allow them to choose from a wider range of cars. If you only have a small amount of money, you may have to get a smaller, less expensive car. That means a car that isn’t too heavy has few options, uses a lot of gas, and probably has a small, fuel-efficient engine.
If you can choose between different sizes and types of cars, remember that there are fuel-efficient options even among cars that seem like they use a lot of gas, like sports cars, luxury sedans, and SUVs.
The car industry’s fabric includes emotion. Buying a car is often based on what you think it says about you, what it says about you, and how it makes you feel. This is truer than many of us would like to admit.
But saving fuel is just as emotional because it says something about you and makes you feel something.
Safety = 55%
The rating for safety is also important. For example, do you want to drive a car that will fall apart the first time you go too fast over a speed bump?
Who is going to be driving this car? On the other hand, you might be living out your dream of driving a muscle car. If so, your safety worries might differ from when you bought your teen’s first car. Durability is especially important for off-road cars, which always have to deal with rough terrain.
Durability might not be a big deal if you buy a new car every few years. But if you plan to keep your car for a long time, you should put durability higher on your list. Even though a more durable car will often cost more than a less durable one, you will still usually find it to be a better value.
This will result in lower maintenance and repairs. Thus your pride and joy will last long.
Low Price = 46%
Budget is one of the most important factors when buying a car. Of course, we’d all like a top-of-the-line car that’s both comfortable and fast, but we have to be realistic about what we can afford. Consider buying a used car, which is often much cheaper than a brand-new car and could help you get the car you want with affordable monthly payments.
Suitability for Everyday Use = 43%
When you hear the word “commuter car,” you might think of a cheap, slow, basic car you drive because you have to and not because you want to. But these cars are much more fun and full of features than commuter cars.
Since the car is driven almost daily, prospective car owners will look for features that will help them. Driver assistance features are an important add-on. This will help keep you from getting into fender-benders. In addition, the importance of interior comfort and maneuverability is something to look at.
High Quality = 43%
When choosing your next car, think about how well it was made and how long it will last. You want a car that is well made and stable, with parts that will last.
Your car should have strong, long-lasting plastics, even shut lines (the doors, trunk, hood, gas cap, etc.), good metals, good sound and water insulation in the cabin, good paint, and good finishing details, like the joints and places where the plastics are welded.
A car with a good finish will have fewer problems, like paint that peels, rubber seals that wear out, annoying noises, etc. But, of course, you’ll probably use your car a lot, so you want to be sure that these things can handle all the (reasonable) abuse you’ll throw at them.
Good braking and acceleration on subpar surfaces are also related to riding quality. It prevents the car, its occupants, and cargo from trembling, which could harm the car’s various components.
Driving comfort = 39%
Driving comfort is one of the most important factors when buying a car. Most importantly, driving comfort is non-negotiable for many drivers, as seen from the survey.
In a comfortable car, the driver has less stress. The more comfortable and high-quality the car, the more control there will be, and the less the driver will be impacted by road disturbances when driving.
Good Warranty and Customer Service = 38%
Getting the right warranty is important for 38% of the car owners in the survey. The right warranty will shield your wallet from high costs.
A high-quality warranty can be worth the expense only for peace of mind if you’re constantly worrying that something will break. On the other hand, an extended warranty may be a wise insurance policy against future repair costs if the car you drive has a history of needing pricey repairs.
Equally, getting in touch with responsive and useful customer service is also important for many car owners.
Design = 32%
One of the main priorities for car buyers is design. The safety requirements and overall cost of car ownership are greatly influenced by design. The design and experience take center stage in the car-buying process when several technological aspects converge.
Today, the outside styling of a car is frequently cited as one of the main selling points. Car owners have always desired to customize their cars, demonstrating the emotional connection with a car’s design.
Perfect car insurance from Way.com
If you’re interested in a certain car, you can look up the brand and model year online to find out how much it costs to own and how much car insurance costs. A few minutes of research could help you avoid buying a bad product or one that will cost you a lot of money.
If you want to find cheap car insurance for your new car, Way.com is the best place to start. Way.com does all the hard work of finding the cheapest quotes from the best-known insurance companies. Our experts at Way.com will even help you get rid of your old policy.
Do you know that Way.com is rated 5/5 on the App Store? Way.com is the best super app for cars in the country because it has a top-notch level of service.
Way.com will send you new quotes every time your policy is up for renewal, so you always get the coverage you want at the best price. Make sure the new car you buy is something you’ll be happy with today and in the future.
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