What car should I buy to fit my lifestyle needs?

When buying a new or used vehicle, it’s important to take into consideration what type of vehicle would best suit your needs or best describe your personality.

You wouldn’t buy a pair of high heels for work if you spent most of your day on a building site, would you? If you’re a person who enjoys gardening, you will ideally look to invest in a home that gives you some outdoor space, right? Ask yourself similar questions if you’re wondering which car to buy:

• How will you use your car? In other words, will you just use it for quick, inner-city drives? Will you travel long distances regularly? Will you spend a fair amount of time off-road?
• What is your budget? Regardless of your lifestyle needs, your budget will often speak louder than any other factor.
• What life stage are you in? Are you expecting changes in the near future? Will you be driving kids to and from extramural events or will you be speeding off to your last-minute getaway surprise getaway for an exciting weekend?
• Are you concerned about your carbon footprint? This is closely linked to your budget but it’s a careful consideration before investing in a gas guzzler.

Once you’ve answered these questions, it will be easier to choose the right car for your needs. Your first stop should be Cars.Motorhappy.co.za, our online market place for previously loved cars. Choose from over 4000 used cars for sale, all with a proven service history, and we will help facilitate finance and insurance for your chosen vehicle. 

Different cars for various life stages

If you heed the call of the great outdoors, you might want a car that can take you to those unique destinations that most cars won’t be able to reach. There are plenty bakkies to choose from such as the Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Mazda BT-50 and Toyota Hi-Lux. Some of these off-road vehicles have great ride comfort, strong engines, some of the latest off-road equipment and plenty space for luggage, which are all essential for outdoor adventures. Check out the Reviews section of the MotorHappy blog, we’ve recently covered some of these vehicles.

If you have young children in your life, you’ll want a vehicle that is spacious enough for car chairs and prams. It would also need to have easily accessible rear seats so you can install a baby seat and attend to your children’s needs. The best vehicle for this would most likely be a mid-size SUV, such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Kuga. If you have a bit more cash to spend, the BMW X3 and Audi Q5 would be a more luxurious choice.

Most people in their late teens or early 20s are still earning relatively low incomes (if anything at all!) and a vehicle that has a good fuel consumption and low vehicle maintenance costs would be important. The Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and Hyundai i20 are all great options when it comes to a first or second car.

If you are retired and no longer earning a salary, you might be looking to preserve your funds, so if you need to replace your current vehicle look for something that is cost effective and easy to get in and out of. Examples of this type of vehicle would be the Honda CR-V, Ford Ecosport and Kia Sportage.

If this is your life stage, it’s time to look for a vehicle with some sporty characteristics, one that makes driving more interesting and pleasing. Sports cars would most likely be the answer for this, such as the aggressive Jaguar F-Type, refined Porsche 911 or attention seeking Mercedes GT-S AMG which all make more then 400 horsepower, can reach over 280km/h and are some of the best sports car available today.

If you’re interested in lowering your carbon footprint, you will want to avoid purchasing a diesel vehicle. Consider a hybrid vehicle such as the BMW i3, which is fully electric, or the BMW 330E, which averages a remarkable fuel consumption of only 1.9 L/100km. However, these vehicles come at costly price, as both these BMWs are over R600 000. Luckily, there are more cost effective environmentally friendly vehicles, such as the new Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius and Honda CR-Z.