Whether you’re a parent trying to help your kids find the right car, or a college student just trying to get from Point A to Point B without breaking the bank, it’s important to shop around. With a tight budget for payments, gas, and repairs-reliability, safety and gas mileage should be the three “must haves” on your list. But where to begin?
Here are five steps to choosing the most reliable car:
Consider a certified pre-owned car
You don’t necessarily need a brand new car when there are plenty of low-mileage vehicles out there in good condition. While you can certainly purchase a reliable car through private party or independent used car lot, a new car dealership may be the way to go. There’s generally a bigger selection and many dealerships offer certified pre-owned vehicles that have been thoroughly inspected and come with warranties.
Check the owner ratings
Plenty of online car sites offer comparison tools that let you look at several vehicles side by side and then compare their reliability and other features. With these easy-to-use research tools, everything you need to find the most reliable car is right at your fingertips.
Keep it small
While you may be hauling around a lot of books, you’re not likely hauling much of anything else. So, choose a compact or sub-compact car with a four-cylinder engine. They’re more fuel efficient than one with a six- or eight-cylinder engine, which can save you money at the gas pump. Whether you buy new or used, remember: the smaller the engine size, the cheaper the gas.
Choose eco-friendly
Hybrid vehicles are not only more reliable than ever, they can save you a lot of money on gas every year. Today’s advanced hybrid vehicles offer proven reliability and come in a range of styles, from from compact hybrids perfect for fitting into tight campus parking spaces to stout hybrid SUVs. You may pay a little bit more upfront-but the savings at the gas station may be worth it.
There are a lot of choices out there. But with some good online tools, it’s pretty easy to narrow down your selection to just a handful of vehicles. While choosing the most reliable car may take a little time and research, it’ll be well worth it in the long haul.
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BIO: Rose Fox – Rose is a guest author who just loves to write. She occupies her time word smithing about everything from user interfaces to used cars, from farming to pharmaceuticals.
