Buying a brand new car is exciting! Even if you’ve enjoyed your old car, upgrading to something newer with more bells and whistles can be a lot of fun. However, with so many automobile manufacturers out there today, producing vehicles in a variety of different styles, it can be difficult trying to narrow down your search and purchase the perfect car.
What you need to ask yourself is, “what do I need most out of this car?” Are you concerned with safety? Gas mileage? Seating and storage space? Being able to handle well in a Minnesota winter? Or do you just want an affordable vehicle that gets you from Point A to Point B? These are some things you should consider when buying a new car.
Most Important Things to Consider When Buying a New Car in MN
- The Brand – The fact is that some auto manufacturers produce more reliable vehicles than others. While you may not know much about different car brands, it’s worth looking into reliability and driver satisfaction ratings for individual brands. In their 2022 Brand Report Card, Consumer Reports chose Subaru, Mazda, BMW, Honda and Lexus as the top five vehicle brands. If you want to go to a dealership and test drive some cars, these are good manufacturers to start with.
- Gas Mileage – With gas prices currently reaching all-time highs across the United States, buying a vehicle that burns fuel conservatively would be a wise choice. While fuel economy ratings will differ from one car to another, certain styles of vehicle tend to use up less fuel than others. Generally, sedans are better for fuel conservation than SUVs, minivans and pickup trucks. If you’re really worried about fuel usage, you may want to consider purchasing a hybrid or a full-electric vehicle.
- Interior Space – The amount of space you need in your car will probably depend on the size of your family and your occupation. If you’re unlikely to ever have more than 1 or 2 other people in your car and you just want a reliable daily driver, a sedan would be an efficient purchase. If you have several children, you might need a minivan or a large SUV that can seat a driver and 5-7 passengers. If you want a vehicle that can haul supplies and equipment for your job, a pickup truck would probably be your best option.
- Winter Handling – One factor that every driver in Minnesota needs to consider is how well your new car will handle in the winter. Snow and ice make for treacherous driving conditions which some types of vehicles perform poorly in. For starters, you need to buy a new car with either all-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive to reduce the risk of sliding out on a slippery road. Typically, sedans and small or midsize SUVs with AWD or 4WD will handle most reliably in winter driving conditions. Heavier vehicles like minivans, pickups and large SUVS are much harder to regain control of if you start sliding on an ice slick.
Bring Your New Car in for Maintenance in the Twin Cities
A new car is a huge investment, so it would be in your best interest to take care of it. Scheduling routine maintenance with a reputable local auto repair shop is the best way to ensure that your new vehicle continues to operate at peak performance for many years to come. Give Arvu Auto a call today for the best vehicle maintenance services in the West Minneapolis metro!
