Car Finding Basics
How do I find the right car?
The best way to identify the right car for you is to have a good, solid look at your real needs. What sort of driving are you going to be doing, lot of stop and go, lot of highway speed? What sort of mileage are you going to need? If you're going to be doing a lot of distance, you want to make sure you get the most fuel economy possible. What are the uses going to be of the vehicle? Are you going to be using it for taking friends around? Are you going to be driving solo most of the time? Do you need to put a lot of cargo in the back? The beautiful thing about the American marketplace is that just about any need is covered. Don't feel pigeon-holded and just look at a certain brand or a certain style; make sure you really know what you need and then go out and find it.
What should I consider when buying a new car?
When you consider buying a new car, there's a lot of different factors to take into consideration. Should you be looking into new cars? Should you be looking into used cars? Obviously, the advantage of used is that somebody else has taken the big depreciation hit, so you might be able to get a car that's nearly new for a much better price. Should you be looking into pickup trucks, SUVs, sports cars, convertibles, sedans? There's just a plethora of options out there; it's just finding the one that really meets your needs. It requires taking some time and being very honest with yourself and really thinking about six months later, after you've gotten accustomed to the car, maybe it's lost that new-car smell a little bit, a couple scratches and dings and so forth, and you're still making payments, is that going to be the car that really is what you want to portray and what you need. If so, you're on the right track.
Should I buy a new or a used vehicle?
When finding a car, buying a new or used vehicle is really a matter of your personal needs and your personal budget. The beautiful thing about buying a used car is that you can buy a vehicle that is probably nearly new, if it's has been well maintained. The vehicles made today are all of much higher quality than they were 10 or 15 years ago. Therefore there's not going to be a big drop-off in reliability just after a few years of usage. The biggest advantage is the fact that somebody else, the first owner of the vehicle has taken the biggest depreciation hit. When looking at a used vehicle there's a very good chance that you would be able to afford and buy a used vehicle, which you couldn't be able to afford if it was new.
What are the biggest mistakes in choosing a new car?
Probably the biggest mistake a person can make when buying a new car is allowing their emotions to rule as opposed to being smart and logical about the process. We all understand how much fun it is to buy a new car. Probably the most fun is pulling into your driveway that first day, having the neighbors see it, telling your friends to come look at it. You don't want to allow those same emotions to push you into a vehicle which six months later after it loses some of that shine, but you're still saddled with the payment. You want to make sure you made a good choice. The first advice is, don't fall in love with the first vehicle that you run into; make sure you do your shopping around. The beautiful thing about the Internet is there's so much information available for research it's worth taking your time over. Identify three or four different vehicles which meet your needs and also attract you emotionally, and then do the research to find those that do the best of both.
Should I consider my environment when buying a car?
When considering a new vehicle where you're also concerned about the environment, there are two real elements to what we would call, the "greenness" of that particular vehicle. Number one is it's fuel efficiency. Obviously, if it's less dependent on fuel you're going to be taking in less, which is going to have a good impact on your wallet, but then also in the political world as well. Number two is the emissions. A lot of vehicles are held to very high standards now, as far as the allowable emissions go, so you want to make sure that they are not exceeding certain limits which are going to maybe put it in a less green stance compared to other vehicles in its class. Consideration for the environment is becoming a bigger and bigger issue in both the marketing and the sales of vehicles going forward. All stickers are required by law to identify the smog index of the vehicle; how that vehicle is going to do in emissions compared to like vehicles in its segment. So, you can do a quick glance at the sticker to see how green that vehicle is. Also, ask the sales person; have them suggest to you maybe a different engine version of the vehicle you're looking at that might be better on the environment, both from the fuel consumption, as well as the emissions that it puts out.
How important is fuel economy when buying a car?
When someone is considering buying a new car, even though it is not very exciting or sexy to consider, fuel economy has to be near the top of your points that you're really very honest with. Fuel economy is going to be something that you are going to be living with. If you buy a vehicle which is very appealing to you emotionally but then you find you're stopping at the gas station every four days to plunk down a full tank's worth, that's going to get very old fast and that's going to lessen the enthusiasm you have for that vehicle. So, regardless of how you're going to be using it, make sure that fuel efficiency and economy ratings are part of your consideration when buying it.
What is the difference between a "standard" and "automatic" transmission?
When finding a car, a ‘standard transmission' or an ‘automatic transmission' are really two different ways of driving the vehicle. A standard transmission is often referred to as a manual transmission as well, what this requires is shifting the gears manually with your hand while using your foot to depress a clutch pedal. So, it's an actual little dance that you have to process between shifting the gears and your foot and applying the gas. To some people it's a difficult thing to master, something that a lot people are somewhat afraid of. However, amongst real drivers a standard transmission is the only way to go because you're much more in touch and control with the actual dynamics of the vehicle. An automatic transmission is what most vehicles have these days, whereas you just put the gear selector into a drive position and then just using the accelerator you're able to go down the street with the gears basically changing for you automatically. An automatic transmission in a car generally appeals to people who are doing a lot of commuting, especially in stop and go traffic. With a manual transmission in a car you have to be doing a lot of manual work to keep it in the right gear, whereas the automatic will do that for you.
