How to Find out Which Car is Right for You @KenyanTraffic

How to Find out Which Car is Right for You @KenyanTraffic

Step 1. Assess Your Needs

The "right car" depends on who you are and what you expect from a car. Some of us like to make a statement with our cars you what to tell the world, "I'm rich and famous" or "I'm a conservationist". Some like to go for spirited drives on weekends and their pick will be,"Give me more horsepower and a loud engine". In those cases, practicality tends to take a back seat to how the car makes you feel.

But for those who need a vehicle for daily duties, functionality should be up there. Here are some practical considerations to keep in mind:

  • How many passengers do you need to carry?
  • What type of driving do you do? Is it primarily highway, surface streets, off-road?
  • Do you have a long commute and, because of that, is fuel economy important to you?
  • Do you need all-wheel drive?
  • What are your must-have features? Think backup camera, leather seats,etc.
  • What safety features are important to you? Do you want blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking, for example?
  • What cargo capacity do you need?
  • Will you be using children's car seats?
  • How much parking space do you have?

Step 2. Set Your Budget

Unless you're paying cash for your car, you'll need to think about financing your purchase. How much can you really afford to allocate toward a car payment each month? The general rule is that your monthly new-car payment should not exceed 15 percent of your monthly take-home pay. You'll also want to factor in an additional 7 percent on average of your monthly income to cover fuel costs. Don't forget there are also insurance costst. Knowing your budget beforehand will help you when negotiating your next car.

Step 3. Consider Other Cars in the Class

Do you have your  heart set on a specific car? Many shoppers do. But in today's ever-changing marketplace, new cars are always hitting the showrooms, and one that you've never even considered could be right for you. 

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If you already have a car in mind, you should still review other comparable vehicles in the same class to make sure you haven't overlooked an even better choice. You can do this by choosing the same vehicle type, as listed in our Car Finder tool, and setting the parameters that are important to you. Once you settle on a worthy prospect, you can easily check for detailed information on pricing, specifications and features. You can also compare vehicles you chose to more easily contrast features and specifications.

Step 4. Weigh the Costs of Ownership

Some cars may be cheaper to buy but more expensive to own. Even if two cars have about the same price, one might depreciate faster or cost more to insure and maintain.

Before you commit to a car, you should estimate its long-term ownership costs. These include depreciation, insurance, maintenance and fuel costs. 

Step 5. Find Cars for Sale

The old method of car shopping had you visiting caryards and bazaars in person to see inventory and find out if the cars had the options you wanted. Now, using the dealer inventory tools on Magari Poa, you can quickly cover more ground save time and money. Once you have an idea of the car you want, you can easily see its availability. You will then contact the seller via the online for or phone number provided, Many sellers will respond almost immediately. This is the time to verify that the car is still available, schedule a test drive, and ask any additional questions. If you're not ready to complete the deal, just make a note of which sellers have the vehicle you want and them to the wishlist, and contact them when you're ready.

Step 6. Set Up Viewing & Test Drive

Now that you've found a car that seems as if it might be a good fit for you, call, text or email the seller to schedule a day and time for a test drive. 

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By making a viewing/test-drive appointment with your sellers, you ensure that the car will be waiting for you when you arrive. We recommend test-driving about three different vehicles so that you don't limit your options. Try to schedule few appointments back to back; it will make comparing the cars easier and give you a graceful exit from one seller to another. 

Step 7. What to Look For in a Test Drive

A car might seem to have all the features you want, but the true test takes place when you are in the driver's seat. You should test-drive the car the way you would drive it during your everyday life.

If you commute, try driving the car in both stop-and-go traffic and at highway speeds. If you trek to the mountains, see if you can find some nearby steep hills to climb. Drive over bumps, take tight corners, and test the brakes in a safe location.

Get in and out of the car several times and be sure to sit in the back seat, especially if you plan on carrying passengers. Check out the cargo space. If you plan on using children's car seats, bring yours along to test for fit and ease of installation. Take pictures of the cars so you can reference them later.

While you are evaluating the car, don't be distracted. Take your time looking everything over. A good seller will respect your need to experience the car and will let you focus on the driving experience.

Turn off the radio so you can listen to the sound of the engine. You can evaluate the sound system later. 

Step 8. Pick Your Car

After test-driving several cars, the choice should be clear. If it isn't, sleep on it. In the morning, you might have your answer. If not, you might need to take a few steps back and drive more cars. It's better to take longer in the shopping phase than curse your judgement later.

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While making the right decision is important, it's also good to realize that there isn't one perfect answer. Today's cars are safer than ever before. They get better fuel mileage. They have amenities at a lower cost than in the past. In short, there could be several good vehicle choices, and the final decision is really a matter of individual taste.

Step 9. Time to Buy 

Now that you've done research that, we hope, makes you feel confident you've found the right car for you, it's time to become a car buyer. Here are articles that will take you through the actual car-buying or car-leasing process, including brief refreshers of some steps: Steps to follow when buying a car locally using the NTSA TIMS system, The 7 Steps of Buying a Used Car, These are the cheapest cars in Kenya.

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