What To Consider When Purchasing a High-Performance Car
Are you in the market for a new sports car? Before you make a final decision, check out our guide on important points to consider when purchasing a high-performance car, from how you’ll use it to the ideal transmission for your vehicle.
How You Will Use the Car
Before you search for the ideal high-performance vehicle, you should consider how you’ll use it. Are you looking for a slick and fun daily driver that you’ll use to commute or a sensational sports car that you’ll only drive occasionally on weekends or special occasions?
Plenty of high-performance cars are also durable enough to work as daily drivers, but many sports cars are better if you only drive them sporadically. Knowing the primary use for the vehicle will inform the rest of your decisions and affect other options when buying, like the insurance policy.
Used vs. New
Another important aspect to consider when purchasing a high-performance car is whether to shop new or used. Both have advantages and are worthy options: a new car will feel tremendous, and you’ll have more options for personalization and customization as you are the first to own it, but it will cost extra.
New cars are obviously more expensive than used ones, and you will often find the best value for sports cars in the pre-owned section. You ideally want a vehicle that doesn’t have a lot of miles on it when purchasing a used sports car; around 10,000 miles is a good benchmark, and ensure it has maintenance and service records to show the previous owners have been taking care of it.
Transmission
The vehicle’s transmission is another critical factor when choosing a high-performance car, as it’s directly related to its performance and drivability. You should research the vehicle and its available transmissions before purchase and study the basics of performance car transmission, like the differences between manual and dual-clutch transmissions.
Manual transmission is the only way to drive a sports car for some to truly feel its performance and connect with the vehicle more meaningfully. However, a dual-clutch transmission unlocks a high-powered engine’s incredible performance better, so each choice has pros and cons.
Size & Engine Specs
Of course, you’ll also want to consider the size and engine of the sports car. Do you want something nimble and punchy, like a sleek two-door coupe, or something bigger with a more sizable and throatier engine, like a muscular Camaro or Mustang?
While many will always gravitate towards the cars with the biggest engines and the most horsepower and torque, buyers should remember that size isn’t everything. Some of the best sports cars to drive are smaller compacts with relatively small engines that offer much better handling, control, and drivability. Take different high-performance cars on plenty of test drives to see what feels best for you!