Find The Right Car In 7 Steps

If you’re new to car buying or haven’t bought one in a long time, here’s a 7-step guide to help you find the car that will suit your needs for years to come:

Step 1. Assess Your Needs

The “right car” for you will depend on what you expect from the vehicle. Ask yourself these questions to determine which car you should buy:

– How many passengers do you have to seat? How much cargo space do you need?

– Do you drive primarily on highways, city streets, or off-road?

– How important is fuel economy important to you?

– What features are must-haves?

– Will you be doing any towing?

– How much parking space do you have?

Step 2. Set a Budget

Determine how much can you comfortably afford to allocate toward your monthly car payment (including fuel and insurance costs)  Ideally, this amount should not exceed 15% of your monthly income. Knowing your budget beforehand will help narrow your search and you won’t waste time looking at options that fall outside of the price range you’ve predetermined.

Step 3. Decide Whether to Lease or Buy

There are advantages to each:

Leasing

– You get to drive an expensive car for less money

– You get to switch to a new car more often

– You don’t have to worry about trading-in at the end of the lease

Buying

– You can customize the car & sell it whenever you want

– You do not have to worry about mileage penalties

– Expenses will be lower in the long run

Step 4. Check the Long-Term Ownership Costs

Some cars are expensive to own. Look for an estimate of ownership costs, including depreciation, insurance, maintenance, and fuel before you commit to a car.

Step 5. Find Cars for Sale

You don’t have to visit dealerships in-person to check their inventory. You can easily find out if a dealership has the car you want (and cover more ground) by visiting a site online.

Step 6. Set up A Test Drive

Once you’ve narrowed down your list to three models, get in touch with the dealership to schedule a day and time for a test drive. Scheduling appointments back to back will make comparing the cars easier.

If you commute regularly, make sure to test the car in stop-and-go traffic. If you’re an adventure enthusiast, test it on turns and steep slopes. Be sure to check out the legroom in the back seat and the cargo space available.

Step 7. Pick up Your Car

The choice should be clear after you test-drive the cars. If it isn’t, you might need to take a few steps back and look at more options. Remember, it’s better to take your time in the shopping phase than have buyer’s remorse later.