Tips For Buying Your First Car

Buying your first vehicle is a very important step in your life. Think back to the important things that have happened to you; turning 16, your first kiss, your first boy friend or girl friend, buying that first vehicle. You will always remember that first vehicle purchase. When you are young you have expectations for your first vehicle but as we all know those expectations can be a bit of a reach unless money is no object. So, you need to really do some research and make sure your purchase is a good one. Here is a list of things that I have used to help me make decisions on purchasing vehicles. Things that I didn’t initially think about that really ended up being a factor in my purchases or leases. 1) First and foremost, know what you can afford. The vehicle you may be able to afford may not be the vehicle you want to drive. The first time you set in the vehicle you just purchased, regardless of what kind it is, you will love it. 2) Speak with an insurance agent about cost and options. You are going to need the insurance to protect your purchase and you need to not only know what kind of coverage you can get, you also need to factor in the insurance payment into your budget. 3) Know the cost for putting and keeping your vehicle on the road. You will need to factor licensing and registration fees into your budget. You can get this information from you Department of Motor Vehicles. Note that dealerships typically handle this for you but know that you still are going to pay for it and upon renewal you are on your own. 4) Make sure the vehicle you purchase is compatible with your life style. If you play an instrument or a sport that requires a lot or room, vehicle that seats two without a back seat may not be the best purchase for you. 5) Make sure the vehicle is comfortable to set in and drive. Not having enough leg room or head room can make for a very uncomfortable ride. 6) Use the Internet to research and compare different vehicles to one another to determine which has options that fit your wants and needs best. 7) Ask people you trust about dealerships and salesman that they would recommend. Dealerships and salesman can either make the first time buyers experience great or destroy it completely. If you don’t feel comfortable with either, move on. 8) Look to the Internet for purchases or leasing. There are various sites such as www.autobytel.com that you can use to purchase, lease or just research. I suggest Autobytel because I have personally used it to purchase and lease vehicles before and I have found it to be a wonderful tool. 9) Use Consumer Reports to get additional information about the vehicle you are looking at purchasing. You can get a lot of additional safety information here such as crash test rating and air bag information. 10) Looking into leasing options. Leasing options are very nice and each vehicle company offers different options which may make the transaction more affordable. 11) Look into different financing options. I would strongly suggest that if you belong to a Credit Union, look at that for you financing option. When you are making decisions on major purchases like vehicles refer to “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs” as a guide. Maslow’s hierarchy is based on a person’s needs with the base line needs such as food and water being the foundation, once these needs are filled then you can move to the next level. (See link for more information). So make sure that the base needs are filled. In this case if the vehicle fits your budget, gas mileage needs, life style, and has good safety ratings then you can worry about color, leather vs. cloth seats and such. Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil