Since I started working and earning wages, the idea of buying a brand new car is very tempting. Even though the thought has crossed my mind a couple of times, I still don't see any reason to buy a brand new car. One factor would be the fact that I've just bought my dad's car for RM5k and it's working very well.
The only reason I would even buy a new car would be to get that sensation of driving a brand new car, which would be very nice for me. But that's not a good enough reason for me to pay almost RM800 per month.
But the urge is still there, so I decided to make a list of reasons for me or for anyone else to buy a new car.
1. The monthly repairs costs more than paying for a new car.
If it costs more than RM1k to maintain your car in a month, that's a good sign that you should get rid of the car and get a new one. The brand new car requires very, very minimum maintenance up to 5 years at least. So you might as well just pay for a new car every month rather than maintaining an old one.
2. Unfixed Problems.
Sometimes, there are some damages that can never be 100% fixed even after sending the car in for the same repairs several times. When this happens, you'd just be wasting money and getting nothing in return. What's worst, that problem could just be a sign that the car could be unsafe to drive anymore.
3. Your car no longer feels safe.
Rattles and squeaks can make a car uncomfortable to be in. Moreover, it could also mean that the car is no longer as solid as it used to be. As the years pass, the parts of the car tend to get loose. That's why the car makes squeaky noises and rattles all over the place. However, is the noises can only be heard on the interior of the car, it's still OK because it only means the dashboard or door panels are loose. If the noise comes from the exterior, that could mean that the important parts of the car are getting loose and that is definitely not good.
The best thing that could happen to anyone is when you get a car for free. This means you don't need to pay for the car monthly, but already have a car. If your parents buy you a car, keep it, no matter how lame it is. Let it be a Proton Juara, or a Kancil, you already have a car. You can go anywhere you want. Why should you burden yourself with a new car that you'll need to pay for every month? It's especially not ideal when you've just started working with minimum wage. You need to save every cent.
Instead of buying a brand new, low budget car after your first salary, and paying for it for the next 8 to 9 years, you should save money. Use that free car for the next 10 to 20 years, and buy yourself something really nice like a well built, high quality German car. Than you'll be satisfied.
