7 Reasons Why Getting a Car Might be a Good Idea

Owning a car can feel like a rite of passage. You've seen your peers driving their dream cars. Now that you can afford a car or at least afford to finance it, you're seriously thinking about getting one too.

Buying a car is a big financial decision since most cars, especially the new ones, don't come cheap. While many people may caution you against buying a car before other appreciating assets like land or a home, a car can also be a good investment and its benefits might outweigh its liabilities in some instances. 

Sometimes you need to block out the noise and evaluate your needs. Here are 7 good reasons why you should consider becoming a car owner. 

1. Welcome Flexibility and Convenience

It can get overwhelming when you have to juggle between meeting with a client, getting your hair done, doing some shopping, attending your Chama meeting, and picking up your kids from school. If you have to run many errands several times a week, having a car affords you the convenience of moving around and an easier way to carry your belongings. 

You also enjoy freedom and flexibility when you are behind the wheel. In case roads are bad or there’s too much traffic, you can follow alternative routes or shortcuts to get to your destination instead of getting stuck in traffic while you’re on public transportation. You also get to choose your travel speed or stop any time you want.

A car also helps you move around when the weather is nasty, like on rainy occasions. If you don't have a car, you may have to delay your plans until the weather gets better. With a car, you can go on with your schedule without much interruption.

Read Also: 5 Signs You Are Financially Ready to Buy a Car

2. You Can Ditch Unreliable Matatus 

It's annoying when you want to get to work early, only to get to the matatu stop and you have to wait for 20 or more minutes for a matatu to arrive or fill before you can get moving. Even worse, you waste much more time as the matatu makes several stops to pick up and drop off passengers along the way. 

Relying on public transportation keeps you anxious about getting to your stop point in time. With a car, you can work on your own schedule and not have to worry about delays. 

When you own a car, you can also navigate irregular schedules like when you need to be on the road too early, say 4 a.m., or come out of work late, say 10 p.m. All you have to worry about is topping up your car fuel.

Read Also: Buying Your First Car? 8 Things You Need to Learn Now

3. A Car Eases Access

If you live in a suburb that is not well-integrated into the city's public transportation system, you may have to walk or take a bike through the long stretches to get to the matatu stage. Even when you get to the stage, you're probably going to have to exercise more patience as a vehicle may not be readily available.

Having a car will help ease access and get you to your destination on time. If you are on the road very early in the morning or late into the night, moving in your car makes you feel safer. 

4. You Can Efficiently Do Business Using Your Car

Another good reason to own a car is when you want to use it to facilitate your business and generate revenue.

Many people are now using their cars as shops, selling groceries from their car boots. A car creates convenience when you need to move around selling your goods in different places and you can also drive away when the weather turns unpleasant.

If you have a full-time job, you can use your car over the weekend to make some money, say by renting your car to people going on a weekend getaway. 

Another viable business opportunity that can help you make money using your car is to partner with brands that use your car for branded advertising. You make money as you move around minding your business, like when you're driving to and from work.

Using your car for side hustles is great especially if you've taken your car on loan since the car will act as an asset, helping you to make money which you can direct toward your loan payments. 

Read Also: 10 Questions to Ask Your Lender Before Getting a Car Loan in Kenya

5. When Family Comes Into the Picture 

When you have elderly parents or relatives whom you have to visit often or who need regular medical checkups, having a car eases movements and helps you avoid the cost of expensive uber rides.

Also, everything changes when you start a family. When you are single, you are mostly okay with a carefree life because you only have yourself to worry about. 

Having a family is a big motivator to have a car because of the convenience it provides as your family grows.

A car equals comfort and privacy when you need to move about instead of struggling to keep your family together in a public vehicle. 

Having a car may be a necessity for the safety and comfort of your small children and to have enough space to keep all the baby stuff. Babies are also very needy. Between comforting them, feeding them, and playing with them, you need all the privacy you can get and a car offers you that. 

Vehicles are also great during health emergencies to help you get medical care as soon as possible. You also get to save on certain costs like hiring an ambulance which can be as much as Ksh8,500. 

Read Also: Is Taking a Loan to Buy a Car Worth it? The Pros and Cons of Auto Loans

6. Enjoying Your Privacy 

Noise pollution has become the norm in today’s public transport vehicles. Having a car affords you privacy and helps you escape the chaos of matatus and buses. You can listen to your music or even have those special moments with your kids when you are on the move, things that are difficult to do when using public transportation.

Traveling in your own car affords you the luxury of enjoying fantastic nature free from the overwhelming crowd in a bus or matatu.

On those days when you need some 'me' time, your car serves as an extension of your private space. You can either sit in your car or take a long, slow drive to have your alone moments and meditate. 

7. You're in Control of Your Safety

Accidents have lately been on the rise due to careless driving. You can only hope that a driver does not overtake wrongly, speed, or break other traffic rules and endanger your life. 

Being behind the wheel puts your safety in your own hands so that you don't have to worry about someone else’s incompetence on the road. You control the outcome of your drives.

While you can’t control the actions of other drivers on the road with you, you can be safe on the road if you’re a smart driver since you’ll know when to use turn signals, speed limit, or when you should stop or give way.  

Wrapping Up

Whether or not you should buy a car depends on your immediate needs and circumstances. But generally, having a car makes life easier and gives you the comfort and convenience that helps you lead a higher quality life. You also get to save time that's usually wasted when commuting. Time is money, remember? 

When you use your car for some side hustle, you also make some money on the side which makes your car ownership all the more worth it.

If you wish to buy a car on loan, it’s important to work within your budget so that you don’t end up financially stressed as you struggle to meet your monthly obligations. Money254 helps match you to the most suitable auto lenders. Choose from our flexible auto loan deals today. 

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