How to Choose a Car

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Of course most people will have a budget in mind before choosing a car, but what’s more important are the buyer’s requirements. Go for a vehicle that will fulfil your requirements regarding its most common usage.
Here’s a quick top ten list of things to consider in your vehicle choice.

Passenger and driver safety

Airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ISOFIX child seat anchors, anti lock braking, traction control, etc.

Number and type of doors

Hinged or sliding (larger loading aperture), rear hatch or lid?

Engine power per vehicle weight ratio.

The higher engine power to vehicle weight, the greater the vehicle’s performance, generally speaking, but this may affect economy and larger engines may cost more to tax. If you need greater pulling power, but don’t want to sacrifice economy then how about a diesel?

Reliability

Off the road time can be frustrating, so common rule of thumb says to stick with common Japanese brands, or at least do some homework on the internet and check out some customer satisfaction rankings.

Maintenance.

Taiwan may be lower in service standards, so the simpler the car is to service, then the more reliable the quality of service may be. Rule of thumb again suggests Japanese brands are far simpler to care for than generally less reliable European and American brands. Japanese manufacturer service centres may also be more common and so more convenient.

Which wheel drive?

Rear wheel drive may be more fun in a performance car, but may be less predictable on slippery surfaces. Front wheel drive may be more predictable and make a lighter, more economical car, but sometimes at the cost of performance. 4 wheel drive may be great for slippery surfaces, steering performance or off road conditions, but may drastically reduce economy and may increase the rate of wear and tear of components.

Vehicle Size

Firstly, by crash statistics SUVs and other large, tall vehicles may not be safer than a good family saloon so don’t go thinking bigger is necessarily better. Check out crash stats on the Euro NCAP site for a good idea of how vehicles may suit up to a full on crash scenario, but make sure your Taiwan model is to the same build spec as the one you are comparing to.
Choose a vehicle for the majority of its required function. Often going with a smaller car can save money in the long run as well as be more convenient to run around town and park. If you can make do with a smaller car for economy, then you may find it simpler to just rent or borrow a larger one on the rare occasion that you may need one. Small is good and many recently redesigned smaller cars are much better crash protected than they used to be.

Drivability

Don’t just take anybody’s word for which car drives the best. All drivers have their own requirements and preferences, so try a few out for yourself before you make a solid choice. Never buy a car you are going to be spending a very long time in without ever trying it first. Try driving a new demonstrator model and then compare it to a used one if you’re buying second hand, to get an idea of what it should feel like.

Residuals

If the car you really like doesn’t seem so popular, then it may not fetch as much when you come to sell it. Rising costs of fuel may often lower the value of larger engine vehicles and many 4 wheel drive models considerably further down the line. Still it’s not all bad. If you are buying used then you should be able to haggle a greater amount off the price of a gas guzzler or less popular model. Compare the price of a newer car to one three years older to get an idea of the value depreciation you should be expecting.

Must we say it?

Make sure that any used car you are thinking about purchasing has been looked over by an independent, qualified technician. Auto Checkers provides the most stringent of independent reports, covering all vehicular systems and includes up to 200 specific checks. Crash damaged, flood damaged, poor repairs, poor servicing, vehicle faults and general wear and tear will be identified during our inspections, and you’ll be the first to know before you step into any potential dodgy deal.