Top 10 Worst Car Owner Mistakes

Have you ever wondered what mistakes are made by car owners from purchase htrough to ownership, well we have, and here they are…

1) PPRS or POST Purchase Research Syndrome – One massive piece of advice, buying a car works better when research PREDATES purchase.

Don’t wait until you’ve handed over your hard earned cash and are now the proud new owner of a trouble-some vehicle.

It’s the old measure twice cut once rule.

Don’t have buyers regret.

Do your homework BEFORE you buy a new car, for the price of your morning coffee you can do a PPSR check which will show if your chosen vehicle has been written-off, stolen or there is money still owing on it.

If you come up with a red light on any of these options, walk away, it’s just going to be easier in the long run.

Written-off vehicles will inherently have ongoing issues, however minor, even if they are a “repairable write-off”.

Stolen vehicles are just that, even if the person selling it doesn’t know.

If you purchase a vehicle with money still owing on it and the financial institution owed the money find out the car is now yours, it won’t be for long.

Do the PPSR check and if all clear, go for it. If not, just walk away.

2) Mr Fixated – Are you the type of person who you will not be happy if you are experiencing “too few” problems and need to find something wrong with your new vehicle?

Just don’t.

Don’t try and fix something that’s not there. If you are searching for something to go wrong in the end you will find it, maybe even after creating the problem yourself.

I have heard many times how “my car pulls to the left” and after driving myself realise you are one of these people.

Do you understand our roads are sloped to the left on purpose for drainage of rain, otherwise we would all be aqua-planing through puddles everytime it rained!

Your new car is there to be enjoyed, don’t create something that is just not there.

3) Are you nuts? – If you drive your car like you stole it or truly believe you are the next Peter Brock/Craig Lowndes or Chaz Mostert, don’t expect it to drive perfectly forever and a day.

If you get bogged in sand and have some bogan rip off your bumper because you didn’t hook it up correctly, don’t go back to the dealer for help.

There is a certain level of common sense required knowing what your dealer will help with you.

4) Service history – Even though your car is a machine, it still requires attention.

So, service your car, regularly!

It will last a lot longer and run a lot better if you take care of it, much like our own bodies!

Don’t run it into the ground and hope the dealer will pick up the tab when your engine blows up because you haven’t changed or added oil in over 18 months.

Also when you look at selling your car, it will be much more palatable to the potential buyer to know the car has a great service history.

5) Man vs entropy – everything in the world will experience entropy

What is entropy you ask?

a. PHYSICS – a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system’s thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system. “the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with time”

b. lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder. “a marketplace where entropy reigns supreme”

Be realistic and understand that as with everything in our universe, your car will not last forever.

6) The Mod Squad – There is nothing wrong with wanting to make your car look/feel/sound better or bigger or louder.

Just be aware that some modifications will void your warranty, so don’t go adding extra mods to spruce up your engine size if the engine size is huge to start with.

7) War of attrition – when you end up fighting with the dealership over replacing the clutch for the third, fourth or fifith time and they just won’t come to the party, it’s time to look at cutting your losses.

Some cars are just dogs and the sooner you get them out of your life, the happier you will be, even if that means taking a hit to your back pocket.

Keep in mind, what price do you put on your sanity?

8) Metadufus – if you know the history of certain cars is terrible, then don’t buy it hoping it might be different for you.

You want to try and avoid owning a car that is unreliable.

Don’t go and purchase a car that has many issues, and there are quite a few cars like this.

Yes there will be examples of where these particular cars have performed admirably without issue over many years, but the there are many more stories of the complete opposite.

If the car is cheap and “too good to be true” there will be a reason why. Do your research.

9) Free Radicals – The ACCC does not act for individuals so don’t expect to be getting support when your engine blows and the dealer won’t come to the party.

Try and take it to the car manufacturer, if they brush you too and you’re staring down the barrel of a $8000 engine replacement, be smart and spend a couple of hundred bucks on a solicitor to see if you have a leg to stand on.

If you do have a case, happy days but even if you don’t you’re only adding a couple of hundred bucks to an already large debt.

10) Glowing reviews – Don’t always believe what you read. Many of our well known car magazines will “take care” of their reporters with world-wide travel, accommodation and perks for receiving a “puff piece” on a car they know has many issues.

There will be times where a glowing tan from poolside cocktails for certain reporters will translate into glowing reviews, so read more than one article on your preferred car of choice.

So there you have it, try not to make any of our Top 10 Worst Car Owner Mistakes and you will be well on the way to enjoying your car for many years.

We grab a lot of our ideas from one of the internets biggest and best You Tube stars, John Cadogan who is a “colourful” creator and reporter on all things car related. I’ve added the link to his video about the topic discussed in this blog.

BEWARE: John tells it exactly as it is, so if you are easily offended you may not enjoy his hard truths as John calls a spade a f%$#@ing shovel!

Remember if you’re looking for a new car or need to sell your current car, talk to me! Call Paul on 0411 362 229.