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Buying a Car on Budget? Here are Your Options.

Buying a Car on Budget? Here are Your Options.

Cars can be expensive. And while some fortunate individuals have a financial standing that allows th...
Should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

Should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

It’s not new that an increasing number of people are choosing to take their driver’s license with an...
What happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore?

What happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore?

The car is an amazing invention which enables us to cross long distances in a very short time. A str...

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Buying a Car on Budget? Here are Your Options.

Buying a Car on Budget? Here are Your Options.

Cars can be expensive. And while some fortunate individuals have a financial standing that allows th...
Should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

Should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

It’s not new that an increasing number of people are choosing to take their driver’s license with an...
What happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore?

What happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore?

The car is an amazing invention which enables us to cross long distances in a very short time. A str...
What are the Basic Car Parts, and What Do They Look Like

What are the Basic Car Parts, and What Do They Look Like

When it comes to your car's maintenance, you must take it to the auto shop once every few weeks to g...

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Buying a Car on Budget? Here are Your Options.

Buying a Car on Budget? Here are Your Options.

Cars can be expensive. And while some fortunate individuals have a financial standing that allows them to buy first-hand BMWs and Porsches, most of us have to settle for the more humble, often second-hand, cars.

When you’re buying a car on budget, you have several options. You can get it out of your pocket, with a car loan or home loan, or by buying directly from the dealer and negotiating terms with them. Let’s have a closer look at each of these options, so that you can decide on your preferred financing method and get that car.

1. Finance the Car Out of Your Pocket

Financing a used car out of your pocket is much easier than doing so for a new one. Buying second-hand cars is a smart solution for those who need either a temporary or long-term vehicle.

There are many advantages to buying a used car, as opposed to a new one, including getting a vehicle for less cost and avoiding the taking up of high-interest loans. However, you also need to be cautious when purchasing used cars, as there may be hidden issues that could come back to haunt you later on.

If you’re lucky – or just a prudent saver – you might have enough money to finance the car you want up-front. In this case, you can skip to the heading on “The Best Affordable Cars for Sale in the Market,” under which you will see some of our personal car recommendations.

2. Finance the Car with a Car Loan or Home Loan

When people go looking for a loan to buy a car, the most obvious solution would be to get a car loan. This allows you to borrow money to purchase a vehicle, with the money typically being paid back in installments over time. However, car loans are typically more expensive than home loans, because they involve greater risk for lenders.

Another option would be to refinance your home loan so that it will allow you to purchase the car with the same interest rate as you already have for your home. According to this website www.lanfordeg.no, refinancing your mortgage is actually one of the best ways to finance your new car. This will usually give you a lower interest rate than if you were to use a car loan, and can save you hundreds – even thousands – of dollars.

3. Buy Directly from a Dealer and Negotiate Terms

When buying a used vehicle from a dealer, you need to be aware of the terms and conditions of the sale. If you are not, you might end up paying more than what is fair for your purchase.

Buying a car is a complex process, which demands significant time and knowledge. This is why people tend to rely on their dealers for completion of the process. However, you can save yourself some good money by negotiating terms directly with the dealer, as stated in an article at CNBC. You’d especially do well to research prices, so that you can bargain intelligently.

Once you’ve decided on your preferred financing method, you’re ready to start looking for an affordable car that meets your heart’s desire (unless you’ve already found it).

The Best Affordable Cars for Sale in the Market

Cars can be as varied as people. They come in different shapes, sizes, and colors, and have a completely different feel. To help you in the process of figuring out what car is right for you, we want to personally recommend three affordable cars that we like, and that are selling well in the market.

The Ford Fiesta is a subcompact car that is great for commuting. It has an impressive fuel economy of 34 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway. The Ford Fiesta is known to be one of the best selling cars for years now, with over 24 million units sold worldwide.

The Volkswagen Golf ranks second in sales, with over 12 million units sold worldwide. It has an interior design that has been able to stay relevant for years now, despite being updated every few years. The Volkswagen Golf is also known for its roomy interior and strong engine performance.

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular models of cars produced by Honda. It offers reliable performance, making it one of the best choices for people looking for a car that will last.

(thanks to the website www.autocar.co.uk for helping compile the list above!)

Buying a car on a budget can be a tricky process. After looking at the main financing options you have, and some high-quality and affordable cars, we hope it has become a little easier for you.

Should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

Should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

It’s not new that an increasing number of people are choosing to take their driver’s license with an automatic car. The used-car market is consisting of more and more automatic cars. 

Norway is a country that seems to have particularly adopted the newer technology, and about half of the cars that are being sold these days use automatic transmission. Driving schools are also seeing the changes that are taking place, and have adapted by offering automatic cars and driving licenses. The question is, should you learn to drive with a manual or an automatic car?

There used to be only one choice

In the past, we didn’t talk about automatic or manual cars. Everyone took their driver’s license with a manual transmission and had to learn how to use it. Automatic cars were also plainly less available, something that has changed during the last decade. 

As mentioned above, Norway is one of the countries with the most automatic cars, something which can be explained by the fact that more than half of new cars that are being sold are either electrical or hybrids, which only come with an automatic transmission. 

We are no longer restricted to only one choice. This both shows in the marketplace and gives us more freedom. 

As to the theoretical exam, manual or automatic makes no difference

When it comes to the theoretical exam that one has to pass in order to gain their driver’s license, learning to drive with a manual or an automatic car appears to make no difference.

Theoretical exams for driving licenses seem to focus more on traffic rules than they do on manual or automatic specific questions. Several Norwegian companies offer demo questions to the theoretical exam that closely resemble what they will be asked on the nationally controlled exam, so that they may be better prepared to pass it. On their website, bestått.no shares a demo called teoriprøven where they include 35 of these types of questions, and none or very few of them seem to address manual or automatic cars directly. In this way, learning to drive with one of the aforementioned methods seems to make no difference if we consider the theoretical exam. 

Driving schools are positive to the developments that are happening

To give a certain stance to the question of this article, we can say that most driving schools are positive to the development in the direction of more automatic cars. Several of them actually recommend that driving students take their license with an automatic car if this is their only practice option at home. It doesn’t make sense for these people to learn how to drive a manual car, as they would need to pay for more driving lessons since they can’t practice with it at home (because they don’t have it). 

Students learn to drive more quickly with automatic cars, which is why most driving schools believe it’s safer that they take that kind of license, so that they may focus better on what’s happening on the road.

Things to consider when deciding how you should learn to drive

  • Are you able to practice drive with a manual or an automatic car at home, or both? 
  • Which type of car do you consider using in the future?
  • What does your gut tell you that you should do?

What happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore?

What happens when we aren't willing to drive anywhere anymore?

The car is an amazing invention which enables us to cross long distances in a very short time. A stretch that might have taken 100 days to walk in the past, for example, 3,000 kilometers, now takes only three to six days, depending on whether we drive for 12 or 6 hours each day. 

In other words, we are enjoying a tenfold increase in the speed we can travel at, which enables us to get to work and get around a lot faster than before. This is clear, looking at the thousands of cars that are tooting and clamoring for space in big cities. 

Since the internet went “online,” it has become much easier to “get around” without actually getting around. Instead of going out into the world, the world comes into our house. Things are much simpler that way. So what happens when we aren’t willing to drive anywhere anymore? 

Some quick answers

Following is a list with short answers to the question of this article, to get you acquainted with the topic: 

  • More of us choose to work from home – if we can
  • Greenhouse gases are going away to an extent, as fewer individual vehicles are driving around, but delivery companies need to drive more
  • Public transport gets more crowded

Below, we will go into a few of the main things that are happening as we get less willing to drive.

Companies order food online

A particular trend we’re seeing is that more companies are choosing to order their food online instead of driving out to grab it for their employees. Despite being a bit more expensive, it does save some time, which might mean that more work gets done. For many companies, it’s an investment they’re willing to make. 

Why are food delivery companies so successful? 

We went out and asked some of the most successful delivery companies, What is it that contributes most to your success? Here are a few of the answers we got: 

  • A French company told us that “Let’s just get it out there: Yes, covid has made a big difference in the last few years. But it’s not the only reason we are the industry leaders in our country; one of the main things that got us to the top is that we have a huge stock of different foods that appeal to every taste.” 
  • A Norwegian company claimed that “When businesses in Oslo want to buy food for their employees, they expect punctuality. We have made it a priority to always deliver, not on time, but ahead of time. We have learned that good food is not enough; the delivery must come when the customer expects it. This is one of the reasons we have been able to deliver, as Norwegians say it, kantinemat Oslo (which means cantine food, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner), since 2005, and are still going strong. In addition, people are just plain not as willing to drive as they were in the past. Fewer companies go out to get food these days.” 
  • An American company said that “We like to astonish our customers. Instead of just bringing the food they ordered, we always send them a free gift as well. Whether it be a fruit basket, a candy bag, or a gift card for their next order, we want our customers to see that we go the extra mile to bring them the best service – and we really believe that it makes a difference. 

We buy things online

There’s a reason companies like eBay, Amazon, and AliExpress have become household names, pretty much around the entire globe. We can buy new phones, computers, books, water hoses, nail clippers, weapons, cutlery, and a whole lot of other stuff with a few simple clicks – and then this stuff comes right to our doorstep! 

Buying more things online naturally means we buy fewer things offline, which means that local stores are struggling to get by. When traveling to St. Petersburg, I struggled to find a lot of stores, simply because Google hadn’t updated that they were closed down a few months or a year prior to me going there. Business is tough for those who want to sell things locally.

We can’t blame people for buying stuff on the internet, however – they are often cheaper and easier to get – benefits that appeal to many in the 21st century. 

What are the Basic Car Parts, and What Do They Look Like

Car Parts

When it comes to your car’s maintenance, you must take it to the auto shop once every few weeks to get it cleaned and checked. But being fully responsible about your car means that you know about it from the inside out to solve small issues on your own. The mechanics often recommend that you learn about car parts so you can solve the problem or communicate the problem easily with them. Here are the car parts that you need to learn about as a beginner.

Battery

Battery

Your car battery is the most critical component that allows you to turn your car on. Without a battery, you will not be able to provide the initial power to your engine. Usually, the car battery is located under the hood of your car. You can find the (-) and (+) signs on top of it. Here you connect the red clamp to (+) and the black clamp to (-) to just start your engine.

Axle

Axles are the parts that help your car to move, turn, and apply the brake. Taking care of the axle is also important to smoothly run your car. It is a vital component of the steering system attached to the wheels and supports your vehicle. Most cars and vehicles today have split axles that let each wheel steer independently. If the axle is making clunking noises or experiencing vibration while turning and braking your car, your axle needs repair.

Brakes

Now we already know how important brakes are. There are different types of braking systems available today. Each braking system consists of pedals, caliper, light switch, pad, and rotor. It is usually the caliper, pad, and rotor that malfunction when there is a problem. Learn to take care of your braking system and use brake fluid.

Radiator

The radiator is underneath the hood and near the engine because it is meant to cool the engine down. You should keep the radiator in check and always fill up the engine coolant when needed. Overheating an engine can increase the temperature of the car and can also cause a fire. It can break your car in the middle of your journey. Keep your car radiator maintained with coolants, so you never face such issues.

AC Compressor

AC compressor is a comparatively new addition to vehicles today. It is found near the engine compartment. It is responsible for providing cool air inside the vehicle. Summer is the time you will need it the most. You must check your AC compressor once every few months and refer to a mechanic when you do not receive cool air inside the car.

Catalytic converter

The catalytic converter is located inside the emission system. It is essential for reducing nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons produced in the combustion process. It controls the pollution your vehicle can create. If you have your check engine light on, it can mean that your catalytic converter has stopped working. The converter can be replaced easily with the help of a mechanic.