Is Size Everything? Upgrading From A Small Car To A Bigger One
Posted by admin at 12 September 2018, at 22 : 39 PM
Is size really everything? Of course, when we are making some type of upgrade with our vehicle, the temptation can be to go for bigger. It seems that we think that bigger is better, but is this necessarily the case? If you’ve been used to driving a small vehicle around, and your Nissan Micra or Mini Cooper isn’t doing it for you anymore, the temptation is to go all out and get something massive. But what do we need to consider before getting a larger vehicle? Is it a worthy upgrade?
Space
Let’s get this out of the way, a larger car naturally has more space. But, if you are looking for space as the only reason to upgrade your car, is it worth making all of the other changes that come along with a bigger car? For example, if you need to get from A to B faster, a larger car is going to be better, because there’s infinitely more horsepower. But, if you are looking at it purely from a practical perspective, then surely it’s more beneficial for you to get a hatchback or a saloon? Hatchbacks like the Skoda Octavia are generally the choice for middle-aged drivers who have more children than zeros in their bank account, but if you are purely going from the practical perspective, and there is no point in upgrading every other part of your vehicle. SUVs can certainly come in many different forms, and there are numerous suppliers, from Robbins Chevrolet in the US to Trade Centre Wales in the UK to make sure that you are getting enough space for your money. It’s a common misconception that we have to go bigger in order to have a bit more comfort. This isn’t actually true. But, what else do we need to think about when we are upgrading to a bigger car?
What Do You Want To Use It For?
The purpose needs to be at the forefront of your mind. You need to think about your day to day life and if a big car will fit in nicely. When driving a smaller car, there can be a lot of frustration, especially if it doesn’t have the power behind it. Do you find that overtaking on a freeway is incredibly frustrating because you can’t get up to the necessary speed quickly enough? And where do you live? Is it a place with lots of hills? It can be very frustrating that time after time, you are struggling to get up a steep hill, and you’re holding up the traffic behind you. If you need to drive up hills or even fields, SUVs and other large cars, like the Ford Ranger, should form part of your checklist. When we weigh up a small car in comparison to a larger model, we think that getting bigger is better, because of the larger engine size, but of course, with that comes exponential costs. Not just in terms of the fuel, but the general upkeep too.
The Cost
The cost of a bigger car is something that we all need to be aware of. It’s not just the fuel consumption; we need to consider the servicing, the parts, as well as the insurance. But, on top of this, the depreciation of the vehicle could kick us in the butt later on. Even with the bigger saloons, and the cars that are more lusted after, such as the Volkswagen Passat, the value could depreciate by a third of the list price. When you think about the resale value, the more modern the vehicle, the higher the chance you will sell it on for a good price. With large cars, the spec is vital. When people are buying large cars, they expect the top of the range accessories, such as satellite navigation, metallic paint, and climate control. These things can have a direct impact on the resale value, while the modern needs, such as a sunroof or connectivity to a cell phone, actually isn’t as important.
The Handling
When you upgrade from a small car to a larger one, there can be quite a few shocks to the system. Notably, the handling is a very different beast. While larger vehicles are generally considered to be better to drive, with notable examples such as the Mercedes C-class and the Audi A4 are very engaging as far as the driving is concerned, you need to consider if you are up to the challenge. At the end of the day, there are fewer car parking spaces in a busy street, and while smaller cars are easier to park, and they are more agile, is it going add a few minutes to your parking time when you are adjusting to spaces a large car can fit into, and if you end up causing a scrape, this could be a major frustration.
Is Bigger Safer?
The general consensus is that a bigger car is safer, not just because there’s more space within the vehicle, and is generally more insulated, but larger cars have more sheet metal on the exterior, so if you were to get into an accident, you would fare better than a smaller counterpart. While this is generally considered to be the norm, you may want to think about the various factors that can impact your driving of a large vehicle. Are you doing long distances? If so, then a larger vehicle will suit you better for numerous reasons, not just because of the larger engine, but if you are constantly making long journeys, it’s not just the safety of you and your passengers, but the comfort of the journey that will directly impact the quality of your driving. It’s a little thing to think about, but when you are upgrading to a larger car, they are generally more comfortable. As they are more spacious, and you are going to undertake longer journeys, this will naturally have a positive effect on your ability to drive better.
Keeping An Eye On The Future
Now, there is a major emphasis on the future of motoring, mainly the hybrid market. At the moment, large cars are powered predominantly by diesel. While this doesn’t help in terms of fuel efficiency, when you are looking for a large car, you may want to go towards the approach of petrol, or even go for a hybrid. The fact is, fuel-guzzling large vehicles are not helpful to the environment, and so, with the emphasis being firmly on electric cars and hybrids as the next wave of driving efficiently, these vehicles aren’t particularly mammoth in size. The small, dinky vehicles that are benefiting the planet don’t have any pizzazz to them. It seems that, if you’re looking for a stylish way to save the planet, there really isn’t one nowadays! While it doesn’t appear to be important right now, in 20 years’ time, you will see a major loss in terms of resale value, as well as its style.
But for all the considerations in grading to a larger car, there are many reasons a smaller car is better for the vast majority of us. Of course, we need to consider what we need in our lives at this very moment in time, but when you are upgrading to a larger car, it seems that there are major price hikes that come along with it. This doesn’t have to be the case, but you have to know where to look. Of course, there are various finance packages that can make it easier on your wallet, but the running costs generally of a larger vehicle are going to increase. In today’s cash-strapped world, many people are actually downsizing from a lot of vehicles, as they have found ways to get the same amount of space in their vehicles for less money. And of course, we can’t overlook the fact that we are always after a desired brand name. When we look at the list price, this can have a big impact on our ability to buy what we really want, but when you think about the fact that premium brands can depreciate slower, although the cost is bigger up front, you need to get a calculator out. We look at Mercedes and dream of owning that type of vehicle, especially when you compare it to the mainstream brands like Ford, but when you are looking at the overall costs, and you are searching for a larger car anyway, a bit more money up front will benefit you.
It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, and with any vehicle that we buy, no matter how much money you put into it at the beginning, we still have to make sure we are giving it the care and attention it deserves, by doing the regular checks and so on. But a lot of people believe that buying a larger car, as well as a better brand, means that we don’t need to look after it as much. Effective, every car needs quite a bit of care detention, and so if you’re looking to upgrade to a larger car to make your life easier, it might not necessarily prove you right.