When deciding whether buying a car is a good idea, you must consider all the pros and cons of owning a car before you come to your conclusion. Take a look at our simple guide – it will point you to the benefits of owning a car, but also present you with the possible reason why that may not be the best choice for you. Weigh your options and think them through before you make your final decision.
Almost exactly one century ago, cars became a common occurrence across the States, but today most Americans couldn’t imagine their life without them. With more than 88% of households that own a car nowadays in America, it is more than natural to ask yourself if buying one should be on your moving-out list.
If you are a car enthusiast by nature with the love of the best car shows as well as the best racing games, there is no need to talk about the advantages of having the car – you are already bought. If not, maybe the next few reasons could convince you.
With cities getting bigger by day, owning a vehicle gives you a chance to have a reliable transportation option. You won’t depend on public transportation or your family and friends whenever you have an important meeting, date, or want to go outside a city for a while. Moreover, it gives you the possibility to save time and make your task throughout the day easier. You also don’t have to wait at a station on a hot summer day or in freezing winter – just hop into your car and drive yourself to any desired place.
That brings us two the answer on what is THE advantage of owning a car – freedom to go anywhere you want whenever you want it. Are you tired of city life and want to go outside of it on the weekend? You don’t have to look at bus or train schedules or be in a crowd full of people – pick some of the best cars for off-road driving and go for an adventure whenever you feel like it. Want to spend some quality time with your family exploring new places and making friends in a new city? Buying a family car would be not only possible but comfortable and enjoyable.
You never know with whom you may be stuck when using public transport and, let’s face it, you could meet some very strange people and see some not-so-cheerful scenes. Buying a car will give you the freedom of having your own space, which may be more important now than ever, when the whole world is fighting the pandemic situation and when crowded areas could pose a severe threat to your health.
Owning a car could also become a significant advantage when seeking job opportunities for various reasons – you could drive to different areas without worrying if public transport could get you there, but you also have an advantage for jobs in which having a driving license and a vehicle is a necessity.
If you have a hard time separating from your furry friends, you’ll be glad to have a way of transportation that could allow you to take pets with you all the time, no matter how far you go. In many types of public transit, this would be prohibited.
Sadly, we could enumerate a few reasons why you shouldn’t own a car, too. And, of course, money comes first. Buying a car is a very expensive luxury, especially when you are purchasing a new one. The average price of a new car is 38 000 USD, which is not affordable for most people. Before you make a decision, ensure that your finances could take that kind of a hit. In addition to that, you must know that owning a car has even higher costs if you count everything that accompanies car ownership, including gas, oil, tires, registration, servicing, regular maintenance, tax costs, and parking fees.
If you don’t choose some of the best electric cars, which are very expensive, your preferred transportation method will harm your environment. By producing vast amounts of air pollution and using fossil fuels, cars became the least eco-friendly option for transportation today. Cycling and walking are much more ecologically acceptable, not to mention the benefits they could have on your general health.
Furthermore, a car is generally not considered a good investment because each new car has a significant fall in value the moment it leaves the lot, and it continues to fall in the years to come. Losing up to 25% of its original value just in the first year makes cars depreciating assets.
Many kinds of research show that people who use public transport are generally safer than those transporting in private vehicles. You may be the best driver on the road and still be a part of an accident, and that’s the most devastating fact. And not only that – the fatality rate is also bigger when it comes to car drivers, making it the biggest con of owning a car.
Traffic jams could be one of the reasons why accidents happen – they often affect drivers’ mental health and produce driving stress as well as driving anxiety. And even if you don’t develop them over time, you drive around people who might, which can result in you becoming a victim of road rage.
If you decide to buy a car, you will be faced with different options. Leasing a car means using a particular vehicle for a fixed period of time, usually up to four years. Its attraction lies in much lower leasing costs than what you could get when buying, in combination with a low down payment, if any, and no sales tax fees. So, if your finances don’t allow you to buy a new vehicle, consider leasing as an excellent alternative.
However, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. You may get a feeling that you own a car after a year or two, but the truth is that the vehicle won’t be yours unless you buy it at the end. Furthermore, a leased car does provide warranty protection, but it has a much higher insurance cost than in the case of a bought vehicle.
With a leased car, you don’t have a right to modify it according to your preferences, and you are bound to meet a certain level of maintenance – if not, you will maybe have to pay additional fees for excessive damage. And the worst part – the excessive part can be subjective and manipulated, so you may end up paying for a leased car more than you initially thought.
The third option when you are determined to buy a car would be purchasing a used car – the cheapest, but also the least safe of all three options, because:
Many people decide to sell their vehicle prior to their relocation, primarily because of the financial aspect of moving a car, especially if you want to leave Massachusetts and prepare and ship a car to California. Let’s face it – relocation is costly as it is, and if you add this kind of expense, you must form a quite good relocation budget. On the other hand, the freedom and independence that owning a car provides means a lot, especially in a different state where you still have to make friends in a new city.
There are two options – you could decide to drive your vehicle to a new destination, or you can opt for a car shipping company. However, be extremely careful when comparing these two choices and take every little detail into consideration. For example, you may think that hiring a USA auto transport company is a lot more expensive than driving it yourself, but there are additional costs in the form of staying in hotels and hostels, providing food for a couple of days, the price of fuel and the possible damage your car might suffer. On top of that, if your chosen relocation company has car shipping besides the reliable moving service, there is a possibility that your expenses could be reduced by choosing the same company for both services.
Of course, there is always a question of safety while relocating your vehicle, especially if you drive some of the most expensive cars in the world. Hiring an auto transport company will be the safest choice, but remember that there are different options for professional auto transport, too. So, if you are looking for the cheapest way to ship a car when hiring a company, you can choose terminal-to-terminal delivery with an open trailer. However, if safeness is your main concern, door-to-door delivery combined with enclosed auto transport is for you.
Before you opt for car shipping, make sure to do your research about the city, so you know which are the best transportation options for you. For example, public transport will always take a win over driving in New York City, but many people can’t imagine their life without owning a car and driving in Los Angeles, especially if relocating from a small town to a big city. When considering shipping a car cross-country, pay attention to those details that will show you the advantages and disadvantages of having a car in your new town.
When you are moving to another state alone, especially if you are a minimalist by nature, there is a possibility that your belongings, or at least the most essential items, could be packed inside your vehicle. If so, you could save a lot of money, just remember to learn the proper ways of packing a car when moving.
If you need some moving tips on how to pack your car for relocation, don’t miss to watch the following video:
If you decide that the safety of your “baby” is your top goal, look for companies that are experts in transporting cars from state to state, and make sure to read all the auto transport reviews you could get. Letting professionals take care of such a big part of the relocation process could release some pressure off your shoulders.
Find the best and most reliable option – keep in mind that there are many different moving scams out there, so ensure that all the research is done before deciding on one. If you are looking for ways to achieve stress-free moving, book a trustworthy auto transport company on time and enjoy.
Are you still sitting on the fence about whether to buy a car or not? We pointed out all the rights and wrongs, but ultimately the decision is only yours. Think about your financial situation, preferable lifestyle, and the city where you’ll be driving it. But if you need a little push in the right direction, let us say just one last thing: almost one-quarter of Americans won’t be owning three or more cars if disadvantages were winning over benefits.
