Why The Circuit Breaker Will Make You A Better Shopper

You are certain that you are making the correct decision. All the math is seemingly in place, and you have a rough understanding of what is the exact car that you want to plonk all your hard earned cash on. However, the partial-lockdown has frustrated you to no end, as it has disrupted your car buying plans. But, we believe that this shutdown can actually be good if you are in the market for a new car, and here is why!

We are all loyal to a certain brand, subconsciously or otherwise. Chances are that if you are in the market for a new ride, and without the Circuit Breaker halting all non-essential businesses, you would have already mentally defaulted to a certain automaker, without giving other makes a fair chance even if you’ve dropped by their showrooms to take a look at their offerings.

Not having the luxury to just drop by a dealer to check out the model you want, means that you’ll have to spend the time, that is if you’re ready to buy a new car, doing some online window shopping, possibly even properly and fairly cross comparing models across various different brands, with much greater depth than you would have otherwise (Top Tip: You can read our reviews to help you decide which ride is best for you!). This extra research means you’ll have a generally better understanding of the current market, and perhaps even changing your preconceived notion of which make and model is actually for you!

As dealerships are closed, even if you let your heart rule your head, you cannot rush towards the nearest retailer of that dream car you’ve been lusting after to plonk a not insubstantial deposit on said vehicle. To even have a taster of what the car feels like on the road, you’ll have to wait for these businesses to restart progressively from the 1st of June, which should give you ample time to properly work out and reprioritise what your actual wants and needs from this purchase actually are.

This revaluation may actually change your perspective on whether that specific car really best fits your lifestyle and what you actually see in a new daily driver!

As with the previous 2 points, this quasi-lockdown will afford you a luxury that you will really never have had before, and quite possible ever again. I’m talking of course, about all the extra free time you have, which you can spend on getting insurance estimates, as well as thoroughly research reliability records, fuel economy, and any other associated running costs.

Chances are that in a pre or post-Circuit Breaker world, one would have most likely just done some super rough mathematics to see which vehicle best suits them, and just went ahead to purchase that very model. This period allows you to calculate, in detail, all the costs of every model that you’re looking at purchasing, based on your lifestyle. We’re sure most of us are actually so preoccupied with work typically that a lot of these details would have been glossed over, and this unique opportunity should translate into a smarter buy, and less financial strain over time.

Speaking of financial strain, with the banning of gatherings of people not from the same household, as well as dining in at f&b establishments, you would have been deprived of that weekly fancy dinner at that quaint cafe. Gone too, are the exorbitant shots at that local bar, and taking its place, is probably a mixture of takeaways and some quickly whipped-up instant food.

The gulf in expenditure may seem massive initially, and can actually be huge if you are a big spender, though it is worth noting that, especially in a car buying context, the savings over the course of the 8 week circuit breaker may seem fairly insignificant. However, with big ticket items, we’re sure that every little bit counts, doesn’t it?

If you are instead looking for a used car, begin your research with Carousell.

Credits: Jek Ray Low