Purchasing a car is a big investment: it has to live up to your expectations. Buyer’s remorse is common; here are ten buying mistakes to avoid when choosing your next car:

1. “I can’t afford the cost/inconvenience of replacing the parts”

There is a reason why VW and Toyota cars remain the most popular choices among car buyers in SA. They are produced locally and parts are therefore cheap and easily available. (This also contributes to their high resale value.) Often the relatively inexpensive new cars on the market are fully imported and the parts cost a fortune to replace. Even if you have a parts warranty, you could end up waiting for three weeks for the part to arrive from another country.

2. “My new car doesn’t give me the power I need”

Look at your needs when buying a new car. A compact little 1000cc may be perfect for a woman who only drives on suburban roads with 60km per hour speed limits, but you may battle climbing those passes on the way to Joburg or Cape Town, and being unable to overtake those trucks on the open road may lead to frustration with your cute and tiny fuel-saver.

3. “I can’t fit my golf clubs/baby’s pram in the boot”

There are so many exciting features on new cars today, that boot space may be overlooked when you’re offered six cup holders and a CD shuttle! Even if you are buying the “second” family car and don’t intend to use it for camping holidays down the coast, a big boot will always come in handy. There’s nothing worse than buying a trolley full of groceries only to discover that you can’t fit them in the boot. And babies don’t appreciate pram handles rammed under their arms on the back seat!

4. “I didn’t realise how expensive the insurance would be”

Certain cars are favoured by car thieves and hi-jackers – don’t ask me why. This has resulted in higher premiums for “high risk” vehicles. I was quite surprised a few years ago, to be quoted a higher rate for my 10-year old hatchback than my husband paid for his luxury (and relatively new) German sedan.

5. “The colour is very impractical”

If you want my opinion, black is the coolest colour for any car. The tiniest hatch looks stylish in black and bigger cars look as stately enough for royals or dignitaries. But be warned: don’t buy black if you have huge Rottweilers who jump at your car as you pull into your driveway – this is a colours that show every scratch.

All the dark metallic colours need drivers who are extra cautious about opening doors with keys dangling from their fingers and rings that scrape the paintwork beneath the door handles…or you will end up with a car that looks old before its time.

6. “I should have bought the 5-door model”

Two (or three-doors, if you include the boot) –door cars are great if you’re a single gal who rarely carries passengers. But try carting children around town and you’ll soon get tired of having to put your passenger on the pavement every time you need to retrieve a child from the back seat. If you can afford it, pay more for two back doors – it will be an investment in convenience.

7. “I should have bought the diesel model” 

If your driving pleasure is being diminished by frequent stops at petrol stations, consider buying the diesel model of your dream car. Diesel still costs less than R7,00 a litre at the coast and you’ll see a substantial increase in the kilometres covered on your full tank. You’ll pay slightly more for your car, but the blow dealt by ever-increasing fuel prices will be cushioned somewhat by the economy offered by a diesel car.

8. “I bought the base model and now I regret it”

The bottom of the range model of the car you’re about to buy may seem good enough for your needs. After all, it looks just as shiny and no different on the outside as the luxury, more powerful one next to yours on the showroom floor.

But stretching the budget for one with air-conditioning may prove more cost-effective in the long run. You will pay more to have that aircon fitted at a later stage, and you might lose your guarantee or warranty if you make changes to your car that are not “factory fitted”.

9. “I didn’t take the extended warranty option”

I am a great one for cutting costs wherever I can – and I have paid the price. The washing machine/TV/DVD always seems to pack up days after the warranty has expired. And cars are more expensive to repair than household appliances. When we had to replace a major part of our 4X4 three weeks after we bought it, we were really grateful to have bought the extended warranty. If you’re offered one, add it on to the car payments or pay for it with that extra cash you were going to spend on the mags – you will probably get a chance to use it.

10. “ I should have bought the demo model/second-hand car”

It has been said that new cars can lose up to 20 per cent of their value as they are driven off the showroom floor. Some dealers have demo models on their books that offer the same guarantee as a new car purchased from their dealership – but at a saving of thousands off the new car price. The demo model is no more than a year old (sometimes a couple of months) and can’t be sold as a new one because it has been standing on the floor for a while.

Likewise a second-hand car from a reputable dealer can also be a good buy – and may enable you to afford all the luxury features you planned to sacrifice for a brand new model. As long as the mileage is low or appropriate for its age, you won’t go wrong. And for those who can’t resist a “new car” smell, it’s now available in a bottle!