It is necessary to understand the life after having a car. This is because there are many things you may not expect and you need to prepare for it before buying a car. Some new car owners will walk to the window and peep at the car once awhile to make sure it is still there. “What the?” Don’t be shock; it is a truth based on the results from our research. There could be many reasons, the owner is afraid of the car being stolen, worry about the car being scratched or just look at it to satisfy themselves. For some people, spending a huge amount of money in one shot to buy a depreciating object (car) is hurting, so they will definitely try to take good care of the car. Other than that, these are several things you may not know about having a car especially for the first time car buyer:

1. Someone regret it. If you did not manage your budget properly as mentioned in Step 1, you may start to regret buying the car when it starts to suck money out from your pocket every month for the installments.

2. Extra money for extra accessories. To celebrate the new purchase, people often spend extra money on accessories to decorate the car. This includes head rest, floor mat, new carpet, steering wheel cover, windscreen tint, car seat covers, and many other things that may cost few thousand dollars or more. Some people will also spend a few hundred dollars for high quality steering lock or transmission lock as a theft deterrent. Furthermore, car wash and car detailing are something which will keep costing money.

3. Extra protection. Do you notice that there are many bottles sitting in the store room? Detergent to wash car, car wax kit, polishing kit, fluid for windscreen protection, and tire dressing are extra money for a car owner. A person who takes public transport does not need all these things.

4. Extra trip. First time car owner will find excuses just to drive the car out because they want to drive it. Well, it doesn’t really matter as long as you enjoy it.

5. Parking Charges. You may need to pay parking fees wherever you park your car. For those who are staying in apartments or condominiums, there will be monthly parking charges. Do take this into your calculations before buying a car.

6. Car maintenance. There is always a maintenance fee, for example, engine oil, oil filter, car batteries, tires, and others. The maintenance fee for cars with bigger engine often cost higher.

7. Customize your own car. Other than buying aftermarket accessories to decorate the car, some car enthusiasts will customize their own car. Sound systems upgrade, sport wheels, customized dashboard or extra gauges to make the car look cool.

These are some of the opinions from our research:

Jonathan Blanchfield said: “Buying a used car is very complicating. I will prefer a new one to avoid all the hassles.”

Jeremy Teoh said: “I prefer a new used car because I do not want to throw all my hard-earned money into depreciation.”

Isabella Joel said: “I am a girl, I do not understand a lot about mechanical things and car maintenance, buying a new car seems to be more practical for me.”

Jonathan Lipnicki said: “I love cars, I love new smells, I love new features but I prefer a used car. With the same amount of cash, I prefer a used branded car than a new cheap car.”

What is your choice then?

Having gone through what you have to go through from Step 1 to Step 10, you should get your new car now. Most people find having a car is more convenient, and yes, it is. What you need to do is to enjoy the ride!

Carsut’s car buying guide is written by Howsen who is an experienced car dealer. Thanks to people who participated in this research and contributed their opinions in making this buying guide a success.

• Suming – a used car dealer since 1983.
• Peter Czech – a mechanic who specializes in Mercedes-Benz, BMW,Toyota, Honda, and Suzuki.
• Phoenix– an insurance agent who has been dealing with car insurance for more than 10 years.