How To Choose a New Car

  • July 2, 2009
  • 1,708 Views
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With so many new cars to choose from, it’s difficult to know where to start. We’ve got you covered.

You Will Need

  • Time
  • Patience
  • A clear idea of what you want and what you need
How To Choose a New Car: Set a budget

Step 1: Set a budget

Set a budget. If you’re going to get financing, figure out exactly how much you can afford to pay per month.

Don’t forget the costs of owning the car, like insurance, gas, parking and storage, and maintenance, which will depend on the model you choose.

How To Choose a New Car: Decide the basics

Step 2: Decide the basics

Decide the basics. Do you want a small, fuel-efficient car, or a larger car that can haul a lot of passengers and cargo from place to place? A two-door or four-door? Four cylinders or a more powerful six?

If you purchase a hybrid vehicle, you can receive incentives on your income taxes.

How To Choose a New Car: Find models

Step 3: Find models

Now that you have a basic idea of the kind of car you want, find models that fit your criteria.

How To Choose a New Car: Compare models

Step 4: Compare models

Nowadays, comparing models head-to-head in categories like safety, fuel economy, and reliability is as easy as hitting a few keys. Just go online and find one of the many web sites that provide this information.

How To Choose a New Car: Schedule test drives

Step 5: Schedule test drives

Once you’ve winnowed the possibilities down to a dozen or so cars, set aside a weekend to test-drive them.

Test-drive as many cars as you can on the same day to make comparisons easier.

How To Choose a New Car: Time to negotiate

Step 6: Time to negotiate

Now that you’ve settled on a car, it’s time to negotiate with the dealer.

The average buyer keeps a new car for five and a half years.

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Comments (2)

dogtide

I applied to do this HT but you beat me to it. Nice job, well done.

over 2 years ago by dogtide

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HeatherM

Love the graphics, great job!

over 2 years ago by HeatherM

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