Getting your first car or being a first-time car owner is a big moment in anyone’s life. Suzuki Gaborone is here to assist you in making that big decision.
It is a great achievement, but can also be quite daunting. This checklist gives you everything you need to know about owning your first car. From budgeting for fuel and insurance excess to what to look out for if you believe your car isn’t performing as it should – don’t worry, Suzuki Gaborone have you covered!
THE REAL COSTS:
Many first-time car buyers only focus on the price of the vehicle and get quite a shock when they find out there are many other costs involved.
Some of the costs you’ll encounter when buying your first car:
INSURANCE
It is important to shop around for insurance. Don’t just choose the first insurance company you find. Try choosing insurance that offers good value for money and includes emergency cover such as roadside assistance in the case of a breakdown.
TRACKING
Your car should never leave the Suzuki dealership without a tracking unit. Unfortunately, hijacking and car theft is a reality and ensuring your tracking unit is working properly could help authorities find your vehicle in the unfortunate event that it is stolen.
FUEL
When drawing up a budget for purchasing your car, you need to keep fuel prices in mind. A car that consumes less fuel not only saves you money but also saves the environment. You will need a flexible fuel budget as petrol prices increase and decrease regularly. Always have your car serviced regularly to maintain your car’s fuel efficiency.
Whether you’ve decided to go with diesel or petrol for your first car, it’s important that you fill up with the right fuel. The correct kind of fuel will be your engine’s best friend, while the wrong kind can be its worst enemy and cause a lot of damage.
READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL
No car is the same despite having some similarities with other cars. Make sure to read the owner’s manual before hitting the road on your own, or you might press a button or flip a switch you regret. The manual should always remain in your car.
KEEPING TO THE SERVICE SCHEDULE
Car maintenance and care go beyond ensuring that your tyre pressure is right and taking your new baby for a valet. Daily use of your car means that you need to stick to the servicing schedule provided by your Suzuki dealership. Sticking to the service schedule could be the difference between a small repair job or having to fork out thousands for a more serious issue.
Servicing your car on a regular basis has many benefits, one such benefit is prolonging the life of your engine. Do you need to have your Suzuki serviced? We’ve got you covered, simply leave us your details and we’ll call you back.
YOUR FIRST ACCIDENT
We all know that accidents happen, no matter how experienced you are on the road. Staying calm in your first minor accident or ‘bumper bash’ is important. Therefore collecting the details of the other driver and taking photos of all the damage caused is the most important step to take.
YOUR CAR NEEDS TO GO IN FOR REPAIRS
Apart from getting involved in an accident, minor or major, your car can show signs of underlying issues. Hopefully, with a brand new car, you won’t experience any issues in the first year.
However, second-hand cars, depending on how old they are and how they were treated by previous owners may encounter more issues than a new car.
Other than the warning lights you would see on your dashboard, you need to look out for strange smells or sounds. This could be squealing brakes and leaking of any fluid like oil or coolant. You might notice transmission issues such as trouble shifting gears or a burning smell. Keep an eye, ear, and nose out for any of these signs.
Owning a new car doesn’t have to be daunting. With proper care, you and your new baby will see many years together. Been thinking of what car to choose as your first? How about the Suzuki Dzire as a good first choice.
The Vehicle Loan Finance Calculator calculates the type of repayment required, at the frequency requested, in respect of the loan parameters entered, namely amount, term and interest rate. The Product selected determines the default interest rate for personal loan product. The Vehicle Finance Calculator also calculates the time saved to pay off the loan and the amount of interest saved based on an additional input from the customer. This is if repayments are increased by the entered amount of extra contribution per repayment period. This feature is only enabled for the products that support an extra repayment. The calculations are done at the repayment frequency entered, in respect of the original loan parameters entered, namely amount, annual interest rate and term in years.
Calculator Assumptions
Length of Month
All months are assumed to be of equal length. In reality, many loans accrue on a daily basis leading to a varying number of days interest dependent on the number of days in the particular month.
Number of Weeks or Fortnights in a Year
One year is assumed to contain exactly 52 weeks or 26 fortnights. This implicitly assumes that a year has 364 days rather than the actual 365 or 366.
Rounding of Amount of Each Repayment
In practice, repayments are rounded to at least the nearer cent. However the calculator uses the unrounded repayment to derive the amount of interest payable at points along the graph and in total over the full term of the loan. This assumption allows for a smooth graph and equal repayment amounts. Note that the final repayment after the increase in repayment amount.
Rounding of Time Saved
The time saved is presented as a number of years and months, fortnights or weeks, based on the repayment frequency selected. It assumes the potential partial last repayment when calculating the savings.
Amount of Interest Saved
This amount can only be approximated from the amount of time saved and based on the original loan details.
Calculator Disclaimer
The results from this calculator should be used as an indication only. Results do not represent either quotes or pre-qualifications for the product. Individual institutions apply different formulas. Information such as interest rates quoted and default figures used in the assumptions are subject to change.
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**Note: For exceeding 120 no. of payments, a group of 12 payments will be combined into a single payment number for better chart visibility.
The repayment amount shown using this calculator is an estimate, based on information you have provided. It is provided for illustrative purposes only and actual repayment amounts may vary. To find out actual repayment amounts, contact us. This calculation does not constitute a quote, loan approval, agreement or advice by Suzuki Gaborone. It does not take into account your personal or financial circumstances.
