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Prioritise your needs

Considering the following will help you realise what features are really important to you from your new car:

• What type of journeys will you make?

  If you just need a car for short trips around town, something small and light would be best. If you often drive on motorways more comfort and power might be needed.

• How many miles will you cover?

  Diesel cars are more economical for travelling long distances.

• How much space do you need?

  If you carry lots of shopping, golf clubs or luggage you'll need to consider the size of the boot.

• How many people will you carry?

  Think about how often you need rear seats for family or friends and whether you want the flexibility of foldaway seats.

• Is safety more important than performance?

  If you need the power of a 2.0 litre engine as well as the security of a Euro NCAP score you need to consider how you will prioritise.

Start with a budget

Once you've decided to get a car, you should review your financial situation. Hopefully you have enough in your savings but if not you should:

1. Look at your current budgets to see what monthly loan payment you could afford.

2. Clear any debts that you can, making sure you leave yourself enough for a deposit.

3. You can run a free online credit report if you think there might be problems with your credit history.

4. If you do need to borrow money, compare lender rates and get the best deal at fish4money.

Do your research

The internet holds a huge amount of information, so whether you're looking for a specific make and model or just reliable family car, it's worth spending some time researching the best one for you. Not only should you look at the types of car, features and reviews on a website such as What Car?, it's a good idea to have a closer look at the average prices for used cars online too. Visit fish4cars to view cars in your area.