Which car should I buy?
Car shopping hands you too many numbers and one test drive that feels great. The sticker price is easy to compare. Running costs, reliability and resale sit in different places and arrive at different times, so they get guessed at or ignored.
A weighted matrix puts every cost and every preference on one page. You decide what counts most before the salesperson does.
Open the tool with this question filled in. Two to five minutes, no account.
Start this decisionWhat should you weigh?
Five factors cover most versions of this decision. Rename them, drop the ones that do not apply, and add your own. Phrase each so a higher score is always better.
- Reliability
- Owner surveys and repair records for that model and year.
- Low running costs
- Fuel or charging, insurance, tax and servicing per year.
- Low purchase price
- What you pay on the day, after trade-in and fees.
- Space
- Seats, boot, and whether the car seat or the dog crate fits.
- Resale value
- What it is likely to be worth when you sell.
What does it look like worked out?
Three cars: a used hybrid, a new compact, and a used SUV. Weights run 1 to 10, scores 1 to 5.
| Factor | Weight | Used hybrid | New compact | Used SUV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | 9 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| Low running costs | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| Low purchase price | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Space | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Resale value | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Total | 115 | 101 | 89 |
Each total is score times weight, added down the column.
Used hybrid wins by 14 points. The hybrid wins clearly. The new compact beats it on reliability, the single heaviest row, and still loses, because it costs more up front and the hybrid is cheaper to run every month.
Where do people go wrong?
Naming a factor so that higher is worse. A row called "Price" invites you to give the expensive car a 5. Call it "Low purchase price" so a high score always means better.
Scoring on the test drive glow. Score driving feel on its own row, if it matters, and keep it out of reliability and running costs.
Common questions
- Is it better to buy a new or used car?
- Put both in the same matrix. New usually wins reliability and loses purchase price. Your weights decide which of those counts more.
- How do I compare total cost of ownership?
- Estimate fuel, insurance, tax and servicing per year for each car. Score that as its own row next to the price you pay on the day.
Ready to weigh your own?
The question and starter options come filled in. Change anything. AI suggests factors; the answer comes only from your weights and scores.
Start this decision