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How To Handle The Adjustment Of Driving A New Car

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There’s a lot to enjoy about driving a new car off the forecourt for the first time. As you get to grips with the new purchase, you’ll be checking all of the new features it’s got and enjoying that new car smell. While it may involve something of a learning curve, you’ll definitely appreciate the functionality of the vehicle as well – on average, we change our cars every three years, and in that time you’ll usually find that advances in technology have made each new car that little bit more exciting to drive.

You will also want to ensure you’re getting the most from your new car, so the first few days behind the wheel will involve a bit of a crash course (pun absolutely not intended!).  To get through the adjustment period as quickly and as completely as possible, it is essential to follow a few key bits of advice. The most important ones are set out below…

Look around the cockpit

As we’ve said, there are always new gadgets and bits of tech in a new car, and they’re one of the best parts of driving away for the first time. Having said that, the newness of the cockpit layout will be one of the things you need to adjust to. Are the indicators where they were in your old vehicle? Do you know how to quickly silence the sound system if you need to focus completely on what you’re doing? Also, how are you positioned in the car? Get your seat settings right straight away, and you’ll be in a position to get to grips with everything else.

Get the paperwork ironed out

When you have a choice between getting excited about the new features in your exciting new drive, and plowing through mounds of paperwork, the former is probably where your focus is going to be most of the time. This makes it all the more vital that you’re proactive in getting everything sorted out on the admin side.  Read and sign the financing agreement, register yout ownership of the new vehicle, sign up for pay-per-mile liability car insurance and all of the coverage that you’re going to need.  When you’ve got the paperwork done and dusted, you can drive your new purchase to your heart’s content.

Run an errand in it

It’s more than possible that when you bought your new car, you were picturing yourself driving along open country roads, maybe somewhere in the mountains or down by the beach. However, the best idea – after maybe 15-20 minutes of quiet driving around a quiet residential area – might be to take it on an errand which involves being somewhere busy. You’ll need to get to grips with all of the controls soon enough, so going into an area which requires you to have mastery of those controls is just a smart move. Nothing will get you more of an understanding for the workings of your car than a stop-start drive in traffic.

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