We can find the car for you!
Choosing the right car is as simple as determining your needs. Expert advise on how to choose the right size and type of car , truck , van or SUV
Choosing a car that's right for you!
By Drew Ercolono
I have been in the car business for twenty years. I
have helped thousands of people in choosing a car that satisfies their needs
and wants. The process is very simple:
Needs. This article will help you determine your needs in choosing a car.
Find out your needs and pay attention to them first. This will make your
purchase sensible and it will work better for you! If you prioritize the
most important factors first, your wants can be handled buy taking the
time to compare qualities.
Needs are the necessities. For example;
A family of seven can not fit in a Corvette. A family of seven need at lease seven seats with seat belts. I have seen families that allow their children to ride in the bed of a pick up truck. Safety and comfort are priorities. That is the criterion (or most important feature to look for) So, the size of the vehicle you are looking for should match the usage. Choose wrong and someone may have to stay home!
If you have a family of five or six people or a work crew of five or six and need to haul things an extra cab pick up is a good solution. This will get the seating capacity and the cargo space. A family of six can fit in larger American sedans that have a bench seat in the front. Ford Crown Victoria, Lincolns, some Cadillac's, and Chevrolet Impalas may have this feature. These may be a less expensive alternative to choosing a larger SUV or station wagon to get that extra seat. Many people prefer the drive of these on long trips too! Most older SUVs only seat five, so think that over!
If you have a family of four or less, then a standard car two-door or four-door will suffice (work for you). A SUV (sport utility vehicle) may be an option too! I had a lady customer many years ago that wasn't sure what type of car she wanted. She told the salesman that she had to have a two-door. She didn't have much money or very good credit so her choices were limited. I interviewed her and asked why she felt she needed a two-door (At the time I only had a four-door available for her) She said she was afraid that her child would open the door while she was driving. I offered her the four-door car and we took the inside door handles off. This allowed her to open the back doors from the outside to load her child , yet prevented her child from opening the door from the inside. That made the sale! Most modern four-door-cars have a lever that allows the selection of whether or not to activate the inside door handles. The point here is to make sure you set your priorities and figure out which features you really must have.If you are single or a couple any car should work. If you like to bring your friends or family along a two-seater may not be the right choice. That is unless you want the excuse that there is no room! You have the most flexibility so consider other factors like, fuel economy, insurability, and ease of driving and parking.
The economics of choice. In a perfect world gas and insurance would be free. In reality they are not. Buzzing down the freeway in an Escalade or a Suburban makes you feel like the king of the road. Having such a vehicle and not being able to operate it is no fun. I have witnessed hundreds of people that gave their car back to the finance companies because they couldn't afford the payments, gas, insurance and maintenance. Most repossessions are destined to be, on the day of the sale, because the buyer chose then bought a car they want, rather than need! Choosing, using needs, rather than wants will help you in the long run!
Some basic rules of thumb. Your car payment should be 10-20 percent of your income. If you make under $1500 per month and your car payment is over $300 per month you will inevitably run into financial problems. The average cost of insurance is $100 per month in California. Gas can run from $80 per month up to a few hundred or more. If you work is located within a few miles of where you live, gas-mileage it is not a major consideration. If you are under thirty, have a poor driving record, newly licensed, are buying a four wheel drive or an exotic car, the cost of insurance can be much higher! If you are young and like to cruise, or are a student living on a tight budget, get a four cylinder car! It's as simple as that! Bigger engines also make it easier to speed and tickets cost money too! This should all be considered before you buy.
Unless you are extra savvy when you buy you car, it requires more money from your pocket to change the vehicle in the first half of the finance term. Maintaining an automobile can cost anywhere from fifteen dollars per month for oil, transmission fluid, light bulbs etc., to several hundred or thousand dollars for major work like engine, transmission or differential. Exotic-imported-cars have hefty repair bills. An inexpensive Range Rover I sold cost over $1000 to reline the brakes! The internet has a wealth of information about the cost of repairs for a certain vehicle. Most four-cylinder-cars domestic or imported are cheap to run as they are light and the drive train (engine-transmission) don't have to work as hard. I also suggest four cylinder-cars for your first car, at least if you are financing, so you can gauge the other expenses of operation.
Low mileage cars are better. Anyone that tells you different is not being honest. There are a few exceptions. Low mileage, (less than fifteen thousand miles per year) older cars, (say over five years old) may have issues because they sat around. Oil leaks, transmission slippage, square tires are among the things to look for. A low-mileage older vehicle could be suspect for odometer tampering too. Running a Carfax report may save you a bundle in the long run! A vehicle that has normal mileage and has been driven daily and maintained correctly might be a better choice. Now economics are the next consideration. Low mileage cost more. In California most cars are driven 20,000 miles per year (higher than the national average) Finding a low-mileage car that you can afford might be an issue. Is low-mileage a decision maker? If you are an older person and not prone to changing your car frequently look for the low-mileage and compromise on other factors. Is a 10 compact disc stacker, fancy wheels and the moon roof really a necessity? If you are like most people you will want to change your car in eighteen months. This is a true number on both used and new automobiles.
Mileage wont affect your trade in price that greatly assuming you originally don't pay way too much. If you drive the car a lot, the car will depreciate faster however mileage ceases being a deduction in the Kelly Blue Book value at one hundred and seventy five thousand miles. The Kelly Blue Book changes every sixty days. I kept a high mileage SUV for a year and the book value actually was a higher amount because of the cessation of the high-mileage-deduction. Mileage is just one consideration in determining the wholesale and retail values of a car.
On the point of how much a car is worth,
the closer you pay to the Kelly Blue Book wholesale price, the quicker you
will accrue equity. That means the faster you will owe less on the
car, than it's trade-in value. The ability to purchase close to wholesale
will be determined by your knowledge of prices, and you preparedness to buy
(i.e. credit rating, down payment, etc...) and the desirability of the car
on the market.
A higher mileage vehicle that was maintained correctly can last a long
time. I have driven many cars with three hundred thousand miles that run
fine! Really! I was once in chauffeured in a New York City Taxi with three
hundred thousand miles that the original owner/driver kept in pristine
condition as it was his lively hood and retirement! He kept a car in the
streets of New York City, with snow and all the other issues there in top
shape a daily cruiser in Los Angles freeways with 120,000 miles shouldn't be
a concern! If you can only afford a higher mileage car you can make a
better deal for yourself if you put the emotions in the back seat (It was
red, with those cool wheels and so cute! Duh!) and use your eyes. Look for
obvious problems before you buy! Want to know how to inspect a used car?
Read my article
here.
How long can a car last?
Options are just that options. If you have small children power windows and door locks become pretty important. If you are on a tight budget you may be forced to compromise this. Convenience costs more, like buying groceries at the corner market rather than going to a food warehouse. If you find a car that does all the things you need , you can always add the CD player or the fancy wheels later! I have seen unimaginable numbers of buyers that turn on the radio before they hear the engine run! Choosing a car because of the options may results in buyers remorse!
Buying a car on credit. If you have established a good credit rating shop for your money first, (Get pre approved here!
How many people do you need to transport?
How much do you drive?
How much can you afford?
What compromises are you willing to make?
© Wefindyourcar.com 2004 All rights reserved!
13728 Victory Blvd
Van Nuys, CA 91401
818-781-8840
Reprints not allowed without our permission.
Contact us mailto:wefindyourcar.com links
How to inspect a used car
Understanding Automotive Financing
Fuel Saving Tips
Car Leaking Fluids