Your New Car How to Choose Among Priorities and Preferences

Your New Car - How to Choose Among Priorities and Preferences
By Nick Ribisi

Choosing a new car is a huge decision, and this decisionoften becomes extremely difficult as you try to balance allthe options and prices. Cars vary widely between makes andmodels, and often the shopper who isn't quite car savvyfeels overwhelmed by the possibilities.

I had the same problem. I was in this horrible caraccident, and suddenly and totally unexpectedly, I wassearching for a new car. I quickly learned my priorities ina car: safety, mileage, and durability.

Safety is the number one concern when purchasing a newcar. After being in a horrendous accident, I was extremelyconcerned about the safety options in my new car.

In the end, I chose a car that had side and ceilingairbags to protect my body from harm were I to be inanother accident where a car hit my door. Front airbags arevery important, but oftentimes, accidents happen on thesides of your car and your front airbag is no help at all.

Other safety features include being able to turn off thepassenger side front airbag if a smaller person or olderchild needs to sit in the front seat.

In addition, you can look for cars with skid control; withthis option, your car's computer takes over the brakes whenyou begin to hydroplane so that you keep going forwardrather than heading into a tailspin.

I must admit I was skeptical about this option on my car,but it really does work! You can even feel the computertake over your car when you start sliding; it's a realcomfort!

With rising gas prices, the mileage of the car you'reconsidering should be a concern. A car with high gasmileage can save you thousands of dollars each year,especially if you're living in a big city where you areoften sitting in traffic.

Save yourself time and money at the pump by purchasing acar that gets at least 25 to 30 miles to the gallon.

Finally, durability is an important option to considerwhen purchasing a car. There are some cars that have lastedtheir owners over 200,000 miles! One way to find out aboutlongevity is to talk to people you know and searchautomobile web sites to see which cars are lasting thelongest.

You can also purchase a car with leather seats, whichalthough it's higher priced in the beginning, it's easy tocare for and lasts forever. Durability comes in many formsso be sure to check out all aspects of your potential carto decide if it can stand up to your needs and standards.

When you go out to look for cars, I suggest looking onlinefirst. Many websites allow you to create your own car withyour desired features. All the needed information isavailable online, so narrow it down to a few cars and go tothe lots and look at those.

This will save you a lot of hassle from salesman until youget an idea of what you're really interested in. After youhave some options, go out to your nearest dealer and takeyour potential car out for a spin.

Nick Ribisi is a consumer advocate, offering advice and expertise on a range of products. Visit FT Cars and SG Motorcycle for valuable free information and additional articles by Nick Ribisi.

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