ADVERTORIAL

Twingo, Clio, Captur

My old lump is coming to an end. Every time I come up with an excuse to keep him with me a little longer (I just filled the tank / he’s just been tidied up / now he’s been inspected again), but I really need a new car. That’s quite an expense, so one must prepare well. While my focus is mainly on model and color, there are of course a few other things to consider. Such as:

1. What do you want?

First, think carefully about what you will use the car for. Are you a city girl and want it to be quick and maneuverable and easy to park? Then it could be the Renault Twingo your car. It is famous for its short turning radius, high charm factor, and low consumption. If you drive long distances, you might really appreciate driving an automatic and want a lot of comfort. The Renault Clio comes to mind for me. Five-door, unexpectedly spacious (so kids can fit in too) and quite luxurious. I fell in love with the Bose audio system and the fact that the mirrors fold in nicely when the car is locked. Furthermore, the cruise control is a blessing when driving longer distances. The car drives at a constant speed that you have set, nice and calm, and there’s no risk of a fine. The Renault Captur is perfect if you are the both-and type. It’s good in the city, but you can also drive it off-road with a smile. It’s a crossover so a mix between a hatchback, SUV, and an MPV, and completely current. And it has a dashboard drawer where you could almost fit a baby. Just kidding. But my bulging makeup bag fits in there with ease.

2. Purchase costs

When buying a car, you need to keep two types of costs in mind. First, you have the one-time purchase costs, but then you have to deal with the monthly expenses like road tax, insurance, and premiums. The type of car you choose determines your monthly costs. For example, a diesel car is more expensive to operate, but if you drive a lot of kilometers, those costs balance each other out. So you need to think carefully about that. A Renault Twingo drives very economically. You’ll have plenty of shopping money left over each month.

3. Negotiate

Check if you see your favorite model cheaper somewhere. And ask the dealer if there happens to be an interesting promotional period coming up soon. It might be worth waiting for that. At Renault, for example, there’s Salon de Promotion every now and then with really great offers and extras. Furthermore, it’s smart to inquire about what your current car is still worth so you can be sure you get a good amount from the dealer.

4. Think about the options

Nowadays, cars have so many wonderful options. Just think of easy park assist, a touchscreen with super good navigation, Bose audio system, panoramic glass roof… And of course, the most beautiful alloy wheels and in special paint colors. Renault has a number of models for every stage of life, so it’s almost impossible not to succeed. What am I going to choose? I’m seriously still debating between fully electric (ZOE) and a slightly larger model (Kadjar). I have a lot of children to transport. And bags.