Choosing the right car

12 Feb 2014

You’re in the market for a new car, but now that you’re retired, there are other things you need to consider.

Safety

Safety is a concern that you should have regardless of how old you are and what kind of car you want. Whether it’s a two-door sports car or a four-door soccer mum’s car, safety should always be your number one concern. Always purchase the safest car that you can afford. Check the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) if you’re unsure whether your chosen car is safe enough for you.

Running costs

You don’t necessarily have as much money as you did prior to retiring, so when it comes to choosing a new car, the ongoing costs as well as the payments should be front and centre. Think about registration, insurance, servicing and petrol prices. All of this comes into play.

The number of passengers

If you don’t drive loads of people around anymore, there are ways to lower your costs without compromising on the amount of doors you choose. Comfortably speaking, a four-door car is a lot better, for you and your passengers. There’s nothing worse than sitting in the passenger seat and having to constantly get in and out so that people can get in and out of the car.

However, four-door cars do generally come at a higher price.

How to shave a bit of money off

If you’re prepared to go for a demo model, dealerships usually knock off a bit of money. Also, if you’re prepared to buy towards the end of the year, you can often get the previous year-plated model, which is usually the same as the current-plated year model, just cheaper.