Buying a car during a global health crisis is one of the best investments you can make. With the need for reduced person-to-person interaction, driving a car is one way you’ll ensure that you have more control over your environment and sanitation. This is especially true if you currently don’t own a car and are taking public transport daily.
While it’s not completely possible to eliminate the option of going out in public spaces for this endeavor, there are ways you can cut back on social contact. From picking a model and having the car delivered right at your doorstep, there’s nothing you can’t do from the comfort of your home nowadays.
Shop Online
There’s barely any industry that hasn’t converted its services online at this point in the pandemic. Shopping for cars on your laptop? Yes, it’s possible. You no longer have to go to a dealership and spend hours being tailed by a salesperson. It’s a convenience many people have enjoyed over the years as more and more consumers turn to the web for their needs.
That being said, just because it’s a legitimate alternative and there are plenty of success stories out there doesn’t mean you should be complacent. Do your homework and find out which dealerships have a good reputation. If you have friends who’ve tried it before, ask for details and let them help you throughout the process.
Have It Delivered
No matter how excited you are to go on your first road trip in your new car, it’s best to go for the safer option: delivery. It’s a practical choice, especially if the dealership where you made the purchase is located in San Diego, and you’re residing in Arizona.
Make sure to watch out for add-on fees, though. When having it shipped through an open-transport car service, your dealership will likely charge you for documentation fees, state and local taxes, and state registration and licensing fees. Discuss with them beforehand any possible means to lessen these expenses so that you won’t exceed your budget.
Coordinate Off-site
You can also lessen your social contact by coordinating off-site with banks and loan companies. While you have to go to their office to finalize things and sign some documents, you can work with them early on how you can hold most of the orientation and negotiation virtually. Chances are they’ve already established new protocols to comply with the health restrictions in public spaces.
If it’s possible to sign the documents and receive the loan off-site as well, why not? With today’s technology, there’s hardly anything companies can’t verify and process online.
Sanitize It
Regardless of any promise from your dealer and transport car service that they’ve sanitized the car before making the delivery, sanitize it again yourself. You’ve got everything to gain by being extra cautious when touching surfaces that others have handled.
Pay special attention to touchpoints like radio knobs, door handles, gear shifts, steering wheels, grab handles, armrests, cup holders, rearview mirrors, and A/C vents. Wipe every surface with a sanitizing gel using microfiber material, and store hygiene kits inside your car.
Take the New Normal in Stride
Life might never go back to the way it was before the pandemic, but it doesn’t mean that moving forward with your purchases need to be difficult. Go ahead and buy your first car online and enjoy safer ways of doing things in the new normal.
