Freedom National Blog

Are you buying your very first car? Is it finally time to replace your old faithful ride that is on its last leg? Were you recently in an accident and now you need a new car to replace your totaled one? Whatever the reason, shopping for a car is both complicated and fun. Buying a car is a long-term investment that should be done carefully to ensure that you get what you truly need. But many times, it’s easy to focus on superficial things about a car like the style and forget about the many features that would make a car right for you.

Here’s what you should look for in a car:

Make a List of What You Need First

Before you ever start looking for a car, be sure to jot down what you need out of a vehicle. Do you need it to haul large items? Do you need to carry a lot of passengers? Do you frequently drive in the snow or ice? Do you drive on gravel roads or all pavement? Is your commute long enough that fuel economy is very important for you? Does your car need to be able to fit into a small garage or small parking space? Do you need to be able to install car seats for children?

There are so many questions to ask yourself when buying a car. Just think about how you use your car on a daily basis, and be honest with yourself. Sure, we’d all like to have a car that does it all, but you’ll need to prioritize some things. If it’s extremely important that you be able to haul large items, you may have to compromise when it comes to getting a car that fits in a small garage.

Next, be sure to jot down anything you’d really like to have, such as a parking and backup assist camera, or a car that connects wirelessly to your phone. Maybe you are very interested in having an electric car, or maybe you want a car that has as few electronic elements as possible to keep repair costs low.

At the end of making this list, you’ll likely have a list of features that fit your daily lifestyle, such as “big enough for the whole family, big hatchback for vacation suitcases” and so on. Here are a few other features that many people forget to include on their lists:

• • • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)

    • Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)

    • Lane Departure Warning/Lane Keep

    • Blind Spot Detection

    • Rear-view Camera

    • New safety technologies

    • Safety Exit Assist

    • Facial Recognition Software

Safety Features to Look For

Don’t forget to consider what safety features you want on your car. Of course, all cars have seat belts, but look for things like adjustable upper belts so that the seatbelt doesn’t rest across your throat, or a lap and shoulder belt for that middle seat in the back that is always missing in older cars.

Ask about the head injury protection that is built into the interior of the car. Many vehicles use energy-absorbing materials inside the interior build that you won’t be able to see yourself.

Consider whether a car has special systems like traction control, all-wheel drive, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes. These safety features can help to make your car much safer in many situations.

Finally, consider how heavy the car is. If safety is your concern, a heavier car is safer than a light car, because it is harder to damage in an accident.

Economical Features to Look For

When you are contemplating the purchase of a new car, there are several factors you need to consider about the economics. First, can you even afford the car? Does it fit into the budget you set? The general rule of thumb is that your car payment should not equal more than 20% of your monthly take-home pay. Be sure to be ready to negotiate the price – no car salesman ever expects a buyer to leap at what he’s asking for a car.

Consider other options for car ownership, like leasing. Leasing means that you can basically use your car like an extended rental. You have the ability trade it in for a new one every few years, your payments stay low, and at the end of the lease, you can choose to buy your car for a small outright payment.

However, you can’t resell a leased vehicle, and you also can’t change it up by putting in a custom radio. Be sure to read over the company policies carefully on leasing if you think this is the most economical choice for you.

Be sure to compare the car you are interested in to other cars in the same class. There may be a car that is a slightly older model that the car salesman didn’t want to direct you towards because it’s much cheaper. It may offer you all the same benefits and features you want, at a lower price.

Technological Features to Look For

Finally, be sure to consider what technology the car has to offer. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds in the automotive industry over the past few years. From back up assist cameras to built-in GPS systems and so much more, there are tons of features that you can look for.

In general, what tech features you want to look for will be a personal choice. However, having the ability to connect your phone to the radio is a great option for people who travel and want their navigation app to be easy to hear. Be sure you look for a port to plug in a phone if nothing else. Some cars also have special features like voice control that lets you send a text or make a phone call, while others have touch-screen instrument panels that allow you to see more about your vehicle’s current state at a glance.

Other interesting features that may help you avoid accidents include things like self-parking cars, which do all the work in parallel parking situations, or cars that have an auto-brake for emergencies. Be sure to test out any technological feature you are considering during the test drive.

Other Features to Look For

When you are doing your test drive, there are a few other features that you should check out about a car. For example, drive the car over bumps to find out if it rides smoothly or not. Sit in the back seat to find out if the passenger space is comfortable. Bring along your car seat to make sure it fits in the car. Look at the cargo space, get into the car and out of the car several times to determine if it is comfortable.

Once you know what you truly want from a car, and have inspected some of the most popular features that cars have today, you can choose the right car for you. Now that you’ve got that car chosen, and you are getting ready to negotiate, don’t be afraid to walk away. So many cars on the market today are nearly exactly the same, it will be easy to find another vehicle that has the same features, or near enough, at a price that is better for your budget.

Get Your New Car Covered

Once you’ve got that car bought, it’s time to get it covered! Auto insurance protects your expensive new purchase so that you can focus on enjoying it, not worrying about it. Find out about Freedom National’s affordable insurance plans or get a free quote in just a few moments!

You don’t like to think about problems that might arise when you are out driving, whether you are heading to work or you are on a road trip. However, problems can and do occur regularly, so it is important that you have the right equipment and items in your vehicle to handle different types of issues when they occur. The following are some of the most important items that you need to make sure you have in your vehicle emergency kit.

Spare Tire, Tire Iron, and Jack

Naturally, these items should be in every vehicle, and you should know how to use them properly. You never know when you might have a flat tire, and having the jack, tire iron, and the spare tire is going to help ensure that you can get back on the road quickly. Make sure that you know how to change a tire, as well. It is not difficult to do, and this is a skill that everyone should have. While it might be possible to call AAA sometimes, you can’t always rely on someone else to provide you with the help that you need. And when you're in a hurry, you'll be glad that you were able to change your flat in 5 minutes rather than waiting a half hour for help to arrive.

Flat Tire Inflation Canister

What happens if you have more than one flat tire, and you have only one spare? Fortunately, there are products available today that can help to take care of this problem for you. There are a number of companies today that make emergency flat tire canisters, such as Fix-A-Flat and Slime. These can help to provide at least a temporary “fix” to the tire until you can have it taken care of properly.

Cellphone Charger and Portable Power Bank

Since just about everyone today uses a cellphone, it makes sense that you will want to have a cellphone charger that you can use. In fact, you will want to have one that you keep in the car at all times, so you never accidentally forget it somewhere. You might not want to have it plugged in all the time, but you will want to have it in your glove compartment at least.

In addition to your plug-in phone charger, you should also consider getting a portable power bank charger that stores power, which you can use to charge your phone, even if your car does not have any power.

Water

Of course, water is always important to have with you, and you should have more than just a liter or so. In fact, it is a good idea to keep a case of water in the back of your vehicle. If you are ever stranded, you will have water for several days. If you see someone who is in need of help, and who looks like they could use some water, you will have it for them, as well. It’s a simple, but great idea.

Food

It is also a good idea to keep at least some food in your vehicle emergency kit, as well. You do not have to go overboard and have a lot of food, but having enough protein bars, trail mix, and similar types of food items that are not going to melt or go bad tends to be a good idea, just in case.

Blanket/Sleeping Bag

While you might not plan on needing to sleep in your car – most people don’t – that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen. When you are stranded, stuck in a snowbank, or dealing with some other emergency, having a blanket or a sleeping bag with you that can keep you and your passengers warm is essential.

Extra Clothing

Along the same lines as the blanket, you will want to have some extra clothing with you in the vehicle. You do not need to have much, but you will want to have one outfit for hot weather and one for colder weather, including a jacket. This way, if you do end up stranded, you will have clothing that is right for the weather. In addition, having something that you could change into in case you are caught out in the frigid rain when you are trying to fix your car on the side of the road is going to be very welcome.

First Aid Kit

You should have a fully stocked first aid kit for your vehicle, too. It should have bandages, gauze, over the counter pain medication, salves, and any medication that you or a family member needs to take regularly. It should have everything that the first aid kit you have at home features. You never know what type of injuries you might have or come across when you are out, so having a well-stocked first aid kit can be a lifesaver to you and to others.

Small Tool Kit

What happens if you need to make some small repairs to your vehicle? If you do not have a tool kit that’s part of your emergency kit, you are going to be out of luck. The toolbox does not need to be too large, but it should have some of the basics that you might need, including things like wrenches of different sizes, screwdrivers, some rags, and perhaps a couple quarts of extra oil.

Flashlight

If you need to look under the hood after dark, or if you are stranded on a rural road surrounded by the forest, you are going to feel much better when you have a flashlight with you. Make sure you have plenty of extra batteries for it, as well. In addition, you might want to get an additional flashlight that has a hand crank, just in case the batteries for your main flashlight were to give out. It's worth mentioning that most cell phones have a built-in flashlight mode that can get you by in a pinch, but you are going to want to save your battery for calling for help and getting updates in case of an emergency.

Flare

Having a flare as a part of your kit can help, as well. It get you seen on a dark road, and let other drivers know that there is a problem. Make sure that you have several flares in your kit and be sure to keep them in a safe location.

Knife

A knife, whether it is a fixed blade or a folding knife, is important to have with you, as well. It makes cutting through any other items much easier, and it can offer you an added element of protection (or at least peace of mind), which might be needed depending on where you are stranded. After all, if you are alone on a desolate stretch of road surrounded by the woods in the middle of the night, you are going to feel just a little bit better if you have a knife with you.

Lighter

Having a lighter is also important. Not only is it an emergency source of light, but a good lighter can help make starting a fire much easier. In the event that you were stranded and it was cold enough that you needed to start a fire outside of the car to survive, then you are going to want to make starting that fire is as simple as possible. This means you need to have a lighter or two in the emergency kit.

Shovel

You don’t want to get stuck in a snowbank or in the mud or sand. Having a small folding shovel that you keep in your vehicle with you is going to help prevent that from happening.

Emergency Triangles

When you are stuck on the side of the road, you want to make sure that other drivers can see you and your vehicle. One of the simplest and most effective ways to do this is to get a set of reflective emergency triangles that you can put out on the road as a warning.

These are some of the most important items that you will want to have in your vehicle for your emergency kit. There are probably some other items that you can think of that you are going to want to add to your own kit, and your climate and location in the country will often dictate what types of items you will need to have. Get started putting together your own kit if you haven’t already.