,Sri Lanka is a historic, cultured locale with plenty of shops, a lot of real estate, and also many different used car dealerships, websites and different ways to purchase vehicles. If you live in the area and are looking for affordable, practical used cars, the good news is that you have plenty to choose from. Where you might get tripped up, however, is in deciding what to select.
If you’re a single or a couple without a large family and want something affordable, easy to maintain and cost effective, then there are a range of small cars out there that will really help you achieve those goals. Let’s have a look at the wide variety of cars you can choose from.
A Variety of Car Types to Choose From
Economy Cars
First up, let’s have a look at the range of economy cars available in Sri Lanka. The definition of an economy car is simple. It is a car that was designed to be small, affordable, and very inexpensive to maintain. In other words, economy cars are not expensive at all, plus they do not use a lot of gas, they have easily found engine components, and they are built to be as tough as nails. Cars like the Chevy Metro and Honda Civic fall into the economy category. They are typically 4-cylinder cars that get many kilometers to the gallon. However, you can also find larger economical cars, such as station wagons.
Compact Cars
When dealing with compact cars, what you’re really looking for is an appropriate size. Toyota, for instance, has a long line of compact vehicles available, including the Camry, Corolla, Yaris, Avalon, Prius, and many more. Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Honda are also manufacturers who deliver compact offerings. Basically, to be considered a compact, you are looking at a car that is smaller than, say, a mid-sized sedan (like a Cadillac) but larger than, say, a Mini Cooper. Compacts can be four-door cars, but you can primarily find coupe two-door versions for better prices.
Decide What You Need
What’s probably most important to you here is actually finding affordable cars. Whether they qualify as economy or compact, the ideal situation would be to find cost effective cars for sale that you can easily afford. The goal here should be to first figure out what you need. Before you survey the landscape looking at the many different options available, take a little time to comprise a checklist of what you need in a car.
Here are just a few possible checklist items you may be looking for. Feel free to add or take away as you see fit.
A low sticker price
Great running condition
A solid warranty
A particular model; e.g. 2 or 4-door
70+ kilometers to the gallon of petrol
Rear-wheel drive for dirt and back roads and alleys
An aesthetically sound car; e.g. no dints and scratches
And other pertinent and personal checklist items
When looking for used cars that meet your particular needs, it is important that the cars in question fire on all proverbial cylinders. That is to say, the automobile you select should be one that you are looking for and one that you will be happy with.
Selecting a car just because it is affordable may leave you with a car that does not run properly, that’s too large for your driveway, or that guzzles petrol and leaves you paying far too much money on a weekly basis to fill up the tank. So, a great tip here is to be incredibly discerning in what you want. Create a checklist of demands and stick to it. There is more than enough competition out there that you should have no trouble finding a car that meets and exceeds all of your demands.
Look for Affordability
Another great tip to use is to shop around for affordability. Let’s say that you run across a website giving you information on a local dealership. Said dealership is offering a compact car that meets all your specific criteria, but the dealership is asking 786,360 LKR for the automobile. This may be more than you can afford. Instead of scrambling around in an attempt to find a loan or some type of financing offer, the better way to approach this is to look at more dealerships and compare more prices. You might be able to find a comparable car that matches your needs for around 600,000 LKR, which is a big savings.
You have to look for affordability when browsing used cars, but you also have to search in more than one location. There are some great resource sites out there that will give you valid and useful information pertaining to automobiles, like the one you’re on right now. But when it comes to actually purchasing your car from a dealership, you need to shop around and compare prices.
Another solid tip to use is to wait for dealership specials in your area. Let’s say that the Tamil Thai Pongal festival will start in a month. If you are willing to wait, a local dealership may start offering great deals on the types of cars you want, in hopes of selling more during the festival rush.
This is why it’s important that you implement a little patience when shopping for a used car. Do not simply jump on the first one you see. Take your time, weigh your options, be very particular, and do not settle for anything less than what you need.
After you have made your selection, you are stuck with the car you purchased. This is why patience and a very particular wishlist is vital to the success of your shopping. Economical cars are not simply affordable; they also meet your exacting standards.
