Must Know Things About Owning a Car

Owning a car isn’t all it’s cracked up to be… Don’t get us wrong; the ability to jump in at any moment and drive wherever you like is irreplaceable – but if you aren’t prepared for the maintenance costs then you maybe shouldn’t bother. There is gas to buy, then there is insurance to pay for… at the end of the day, a car is just a monetary black hole.

With this in mind; we put together this list of things you really ought to consider before you commit to buy. What must you know about owning a car? Read on to find out…

Car Ownership isn’t Straightforward

It’s really not. To begin with, many of us spend thousands of dollars on a car straight after passing our test. We don’t know anything about the 3 ton + machine we are hauling around. We don’t know about the mechanics, what makes it tick, or how to fix it if something goes wrong.

In short, we spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a machine that might get us stuck in the middle of nowhere. Worse, it might have a history we don’t know about… When you buy a used car there are all sorts of things that can go wrong. It might have been used in a drug smuggling gang – you just don’t know.

Some of the other things you need to think about include:

• Costs – the maintenance of a used car is ridiculous; the cost of buying a brand-new model is ridiculous… there is no way to win.
• Gas, water, oil, screen wash, and tyres – you know, the things you need to check before any journey of length.
• Insurance – make sure you shop around for the best deal. Also, don’t renew without shopping around. There may be a better insurer down the road who will do the same deal for less money.
• Maintenance – those tyres wear out something like every 10k miles. That’s a new set every year. And goodness helps us if the car gets scratched, dented, or scraped.
• Responsibility – you can’t get behind that wheel if you have touched drink or drugs. You are a responsible adult when it comes to your car. Congratulations! You have just gone from being the life and soul of the party, to being designated driver.

Car Accidents: The Unspoken Curse

The thing that nobody wants to talk to you about when you first pass your test is car accidents. It’s considered morbid to think about them… but the truth is that 101 people in the USA die every single day from automobile accidents. That’s 101 people. If you have just passed your test and have less experience than everyone else that puts you in the ‘at risk’ group.

The thing is: accidents will happen. If you take it slow, go carefully, and don’t get over-confident, then you should be just fine. If not, then a Portland car accident lawyer can advise you on how best to get out of your predicament. An accident is just an accident… as long as you are safe, the car doesn’t matter that much. If you are planning to own a vehicle, it is important to know what to bring when buying a car.

Call if you get into a fix. Accidents happen – but we can help if they happen to you.