Whether you’re planning a major vacation or you don’t have a particular destination in mind, you probably don’t want to travel in your high-mileage car. If you purchase a new vehicle before a road trip, you’ll be able to focus on the journey and destination without worrying about your vehicle breaking down. As these five reasons show, the time before you leave on your trip is perhaps the best time to buy a new car.
1. Safety
New cars have to adhere to all of the latest safety features, so you can be sure you’re getting all of these when you invest in one. You can feel better about the greater degree of protection you’ll have behind the wheel of a vehicle that’s built in accordance with each of the latest regulations. As cars age, they become less safe in many ways anyway, so simply purchasing a new vehicle could very well improve your safety profile even if there isn’t much of a design difference.
2. Fuel Economy
Getting a car from a new vehicle dealer lot can help you take advantage of many other types of advances as well. There’s a good possibility that your new car will consume much less fuel, for instance. New cars will incorporate various technologies that allow them to go further on each gallon. Assuming you’re going to be driving for quite some time on your upcoming trip, this is among the most pressing reasons to invest in a new car.
3. Reliability
Putting even more miles on a high-mileage car can increase the chances of a breakdown, so it makes sense to invest in a car that’s going to be able to hold up to that kind of usage. If you’ve been on the fence about getting a new one for a while now, then your coming trip could push you to finally take the plunge since you don’t want to risk having your current vehicle fail while you’re trying to enjoy yourself.
4. New Features
When you’re taking a road trip, there’s a good possibility that you’re going to be traveling through some very unfamiliar areas. Many newer cars have built-in navigational features that make it easier to find your way without getting lost. They might even have some entertainment technologies, such as satellite radio, that will make the trip go much more smoothly.
5. Alternative Options
Hybrid and electric vehicles have become more mainstream in recent years, which means you have more options now than ever. Even traditional gasoline-powered cars give you a choice of automatic or manual transmission. Buying a new car is the best way to select exactly the kind of powertrain you’re looking for, since it’d be impossible to convert your current vehicle over to some other technology. If you feel like you’ve been driving a compromise for the longest time, then this is a rare chance to get exactly the kind of car you’ve always wanted to drive. You may even want to consider going with something of a different size, especially if your family is outgrowing the compact car you’ve always driven.