How do I choose the right car?

It's simple. Or at least it should be. You need personal transport, and it has to meet your particular set of circumstances. Try to remain rational and pragmatic when you're tossing up which car to buy, whether it's a used car or a new car.

Practical purchasing criteria will help you narrow down the choices, quantifying everything from the number of seats to the car's dynamic ability and – be honest – engine size.

Let's be honest about this too, we all want to enjoy our purchase, whether it's used or a new car. We want to feel good driving it. And this is where emotion wanders in, muddying once clear waters.

So, here's some car buying advice for free. Before you give in to the dark side, ask yourself the following questions:

What am I transporting?

Will the car be the main family car or a second car? Will it be charged with ferrying you alone to the office/shopping centre/friend's place and back, or are there family/friends/freeloaders who'll be joining you? Two seats or four, or maybe even eight?

Don't forget the luggage, just because it doesn't have a voice. Whether bags to the airport or rubble to the tip, or anything in-between, the loads you carry will dictate the type of car that's practical for you. Ever tried loading a jetski on the roof of a Mitsubishi Lancer? Nope, neither have we. It's much easier to slide it into the tray of a ute, or on a trailer to tow.

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Power or economy?

This one's almost a straight trade-off: the more power you have the more fuel you'll burn and the more money the car will cost per kilometre.

Take a Mercedes-AMG C 63 S and a Honda Accord VTi-LX hybrid, both of which will move four adults and luggage in comfort, and with decent performance. The more powerful Mercedes will consume more than double the fuel of the Accord, and that will mean it could cost you a difference of $1200 or more each year at current petrol prices.

What terrain will I conquer?

It's no secret that the majority of 4WDs are bought more for their 'command' driving position and carrying capacity. Anecdotal evidence suggests less than one in 10 go off the tar with any regularity. So do you need to be manhandling such a big vehicle around and paying for the extra fuel, wear on tyres, et cetera?

There are alternatives: What about a passenger car wagon, like a Mazda 6, for instance? Or, if people moving is your trade, then buy a people mover. Sometimes size and weight offer their own benefits, the most obvious example is towing. And, of course, some people actually do go off-road in their 4WDs.

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Which brand for me?

Brand loyalties run deep, and shouldn't be ignored at purchase time, but not all models under the same brand come from the same source. If you've had a good ownership experience with a brand in the past, chances are it'll happen the next time too. But don't depend on it. The same goes for bad experiences. The company may have since revisited its development and production methods, resulting in (hopefully) better products.

Don't let brand loyalties swindle you out of thousands of dollars. A big BMW, for example, is not likely to get you to your destination any quicker than a Kia Stinger, and both will do it in similar style. How much is that extra BMW style and prestige really worth to you?

Then, of course, there are resale values -- how much a vehicle is worth when the time comes to sell. As a very rough rule of thumb, European models or low volume sports cars generally hold their value better, but watch out for larger luxury passenger cars. Products like these, even from German prestige brands, can depreciate like a brick in freefall.

Emotion in motion

Yes, emotion does play a necessary role in every vehicle purchase, but how much is up to you. It's a delicate balancing act that should be carefully considered if you don't want to regret the decision later.

Sometimes, rarely, the type of car you desire is the same type your lifestyle demands, and that's great. But more often than not, desire and demand are diametrically opposed. That doesn't mean you should abandon all dreams. Just decide how much you're prepared to sacrifice in the way of practical abilities just to meet your heart's desire.

After all, statistics show that we spend anywhere from eight to eighteen hours on average in our vehicle each week, so we should enjoy the experience, shouldn't we?

So, let's distil that into a simple, quickfire list of points you should consider before deciding on your next vehicle.

These points are also worth considering: