That Christmas Car Gift
As with everything driven by consumer activity, the holiday season is a bonanza time for advertisers, and that extends to car dealers as well. You’ll see loads of adverts plastered around town telling you that a new car is the perfect gift to treat yourself, or heck, a loved one. And in some ways, it certainly makes sense – dealers are keen to hit their sales targets, so there are no shortage of deals to be struck.
Before you rush too quickly into a purchase, however, it might be time to stop and think before signing anything. Christmas is a high-pressure period of the year when the advertisers are out to get you to spend all those earnings you’ve set aside throughout the year. Let’s be honest, who among us hasn’t regretted a certain impulse purchase in the new year once the reality of the cost has sunk in?
What to keep in mind
You should never buy a car under pressure when there’s a deadline. And, well, Christmas is a deadline in many ways. It’s bad enough if you have to find a new vehicle in a hurry at any time of year, but in other situations, there’s always the option of using ridesharing options, public transport or hitching a ride from a friend.
However, if you end up letting that deadline get in the way of making the most appropriate choice, you might end up committing to a car or finance package that doesn’t meet your needs. Before you agree to any form of financing, you should always ask the right questions and do the necessary research, not only into the car you would like to buy, but also into the financial package in question.
The reality is, however, that a new car isn’t always the wisest choice for a Christmas present. New cars depreciate at a rate of knots, while second-hand cars can hide their own share of gremlins under the bonnet. On top of that, it’s better to pick out your own car that suits your own needs than to try choose a car for someone else. With that said, spoiling oneself is something we should all do every now and then, just make sure you have considered in detail what to look for so you’re not making a rushed, impulsive decision.
Christmas presents for the car enthusiast
If you do have a car enthusiast in the family and want to buy them a car-related Christmas present, look for something smaller than a car that doesn’t require the same level of financial commitment. Why not take a look at some of the following gift ideas.
- A year’s subscription to an automotive magazine
- Car care accessories such as car wax, chamois, cleaning products, air fresheners – better yet, a bundled gift set!
- Seat covers or sunshades for the windscreen
- Phone cradle or GPS for the driver who spends all their time on the road for work
- Model toy cars of the vehicle that you know the car enthusiast in your life dreams of having
- Apparel, homeware or linen decorated with the logo of their favourite car company
Level 2, 9 Help Street