What to consider before buying your dream car.

Besides knowing the type of car you want to buy and its price, there are a number of things you need to consider before paying for it.

 Car requirements

·         driving safety

·         handling

Handling characteristics include the properties:

_ high coefficients of friction in all operating conditions;

_ steady build-up of lateral forces without

sudden changes;

_ good cornering stability;

_ direct and immediate response to steering movements;

_ guarantee requirement of sustained maximum speed;

_ small fluctuations in wheel load.

·         Comfort

_ good suspension and damping properties (little rolling hardness);

_ high smoothness as a result of low radial tyre

run-out and imbalances;

_ little steering effort required during parking and driving;

_ low running noise.

·         service life

·          economy

Economic efficiency is essentially determined by the following:

_ purchase cost;

_ mileage (including the possibility of profile regrooving in the case of lorry tyres);

_ wear;

_ rolling resistance;

_ the necessary volume, which determines

_ the amount of room required in the wheel houses and spare-wheel well;

_ load rating.

·         environmental compatibility

Of increasing importance is environmental compatibility, which includes:

_ tyre noise;

_ raw material and energy consumption during manufacture and disposal;

_ possibility of complete remoulding inherent in the construction.