Lots of you may be itching to buy your first car. I’ve been there and I made very bad decisions! My first car was an unreliable surplus car which glitched every month.
I’m not kidding–every month. Every morning when I drove out of our garage I would think, “is this it? Is this the day I will be left for embarrassment in the middle of the road?”
It was so pathetic but I kinda got used to it. Every time I rushed to a meeting, I would be so nervous that my car would start conking out before I got there, and it would ruin my relationship with my clients because I’m late! Thankfully, I think this really only happened once. The rest of the conk outs were pretty bearable.
That said, I was lucky to find a deal after six months. I finally got rid of my surplus car and was finally able to score a deal with a second-hand commercial car. That would probably be my first tip: buy a commercial car. The upkeep with surplus cars is just absurd.
Anyway — lots of you might be thinking about buying your first car soon, so I gathered my Top 3 Tips in Buying for First Car here:
- Be realistic with your needs. I know they usually start with “be realistic about your budget” but really, being realistic with your needs is much better. This means that you are actually getting into terms with getting a car for practical reasons. If you need daily transport from point A to point B, then you just need a simple, small car. I had a subcompact car for 5 years and even though it wasn’t flashy, it definitely helped me get a lot of business deals going! I picked up clients using that car, I went to luxurious gatherings with that car, and man, I made my first million with that car! I replaced it with an SUV when my sister used to use it for our shop as well, and we needed the extra luggage space. I enjoyed having a small car, it was so energy efficient and easy to park. Determine your needs, and then build a plan to afford that car.
- Be practical with your choices. There will be brand new choices, there will be second-hand choices, and there will be random model units you see at a mall display! When you know what kind of car you need and what your “basic requirements” are, research the models and comparisons, and then now is the time to set a realistic budget. There’s a price range for sedans, SUVs, pickups, etc. It doesn’t take long for you to find what a realistic budget for each car is. If you have decided on a brand new car, go to the dealership right away and talk to salespeople there. If you want to see choices for second-hand cars, get lists of repossessed cars in banks. You can also check out Facebook groups for price comparison. Now is the time to bring that Microsoft Excel experience out and plan this right!
- Be ready with the upkeep. Maintenance costs money, too. So for your car, always remember, if you buy second hand, this is a risk to take. Higher maintenance costs. Although if the car is commercial and less than five years, it shouldn’t be too bad. Anticipate expenses for the gas (of course), change oil, carwash (I recommend a full wash including engine and wax at least once a month), air freshener, and even those antibacterial fogging services. I also prefer to do a yearly auto-detail and of course, monitor your tires and lights!
That said, you’re probably now ready to be a car mommy/ daddy! If you have any questions, feel free to comment below and I’ll help you out. 🙂
On another note, Ford Philippines hit my inbox with a handsome new surprise last week.
The new Everest Sport features an enhanced design and a host of driver-assist technologies that will help widen the appeal of the Ford Everest among customers who appreciate the vehicle’s versatility, safety, and capability.
The new Everest Sport is powered by a 2.0L Turbo Diesel Engine which offers 180PS of power and 420Nm of torque and is matched with Ford’s latest 10-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift™ – helping to deliver better acceleration, fuel efficiency, and smoothness across on-road and off-road environments.
The latest Everest variant is a standout on the road with unique black body exterior accents such as a new mesh grille design, an embossed EVEREST hood badge at the front, gloss black painted wheels and exterior mirrors on the side, black tailgate applique in the rear and a ‘SPORT’ decal on the liftgate. LED projector headlamps, daytime running lights and 20-inch alloy wheels also come standard in the new Everest Sport.
Inside its spacious cabin, the new Everest Sport features a unique blue stitching accent around the steering wheel, dashboard, seats, center, console, and door trims delivering a sporty premium feel. Adding value to the Sport is a standard leather seat with 8-way power driver seat function, smart keyless entry with push button start, and a power liftgate with hands-free function.
For entertainment and connectivity, it is equipped with an 8-inch LCD Touchscreen, Sync® 3 with Apple Carplay and Android Auto Connectivity, two USB ports, and 10 speakers.
The new Everest Sport also boasts of segment-leading features for optimal driver comfort, convenience, and safety which include Cruise Control, Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS), Rear View Camera, Rear Parking Sensors, and Electronic Stability Control with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), and Roll Stability Control. Adding to all these are seven (7) airbags including side, curtain, and driver knee airbags.
It comes in four (4) colors: Absolute Black, Aluminum Metallic, Arctic White, and Deep Crystal Blue, a new color variant available to the Ford Everest and is exclusive to the new Everest Sport. – (This is probably the only thing I care about, TBH. Haha!)
The new Everest Sport is available at a starting retail price of 1.8M. Not a very steep budget to tackle on if you’re doing financing anyway. 🙂 But then again, remember my ^3 TIPS^ and be wise about your car purchase!
If you live in Davao, you can approach the official Ford Dealership for a FREE consultation and test drive.
FORD DAVAO
Contact person: Jam Yap Quindoy
Designation: General Manager
Contact No.: 0928 551 8489
Happy driving, everyone! 💙
2 thoughts on “Tips in Buying Your First Car (and a Handsome Surprise from Ford)”
Buying a car in Australia is something of a rite of passage almost all Australian’s will do it at some point. Car prices continue to become more and more attractive and the range of cars ever increases. But it remains a difficult task despite all that, especially for the first time buyer.
Thanks for your insight. I guess for most developed countries it *is* a rite of passage. For most developing countries it’s quite a luxury. 🙂 Buying one in your 20s definitely is. My dad owned his first car through his job at, like 40.