Before you buy a car ask yourself

just 5 simple questions. This will give you an idea of what you need to know about cars. Most importantly it will suggest what car is the best car for your purpose and purse.

It's best if you write the answers down.

1. What's your present car's make, model, body style, engine size, transmission and trim level? For example a Renault Clio, small 5-door hatchback, 1.2 petrol engine, manual gearbox, Dynamique trim. This helps with question #2.
2. What do you like about your car - it's performance, versatility, comfort, reliability, durability, appearance, prestige, economy, safety? Try to list them by importance.
3. Who drives the car now and who will be driving the car in the future?
4. What do you carry in the car - people, luggage, equipment - now and in the foreseeable future?
5. What's your annual mileage and is it mainly in the town, country or on motorways?

Describing your present situation should bring to mind changes and improvements you might have been thinking about. Some answers may stick out as very important to you. All this gives you the topics for your research on car comparison sites.

You might or might not decide performance, durability and reliability are suffice in all cars and not a consideration. 

Versatility may be important with family changes or you're intending taking up a hobby or sport. Second partnerships can bring together children from two previous partnerships and the need for a roomy family car. So it raises the questions, which MPV is best or would a Crossover/SUV style be better?

You may deny the importance of appearance and prestige. If you drive mainly in town then the urban mpg could be important if you do enough miles. 

It would be a mistake to buy the 2.0 Clio RenaultSport of your dreams if a 17-year old will be sharing the car and be on your car insurance in the near future. The cheapest car for insurance might be most important. There are loads of issues I could raise.

Regards
Ralph