| Car sales are one area of life that finding a good deal | | | | important part of daily life, but it is never an |
| really pays off. Purchasing a vehicle is a big financial | | | | investment that will gain value. Even a new car loses |
| investment for both the short term and for the long | | | | much of its value when the odometer rolls off of |
| term. Buying the wrong used cars, even at a steal, | | | | zero miles. |
| can cause major headaches if the car is stuck in the | | | | When financing used cars, the rule of thumb is to not |
| shop or stranded on the highway. Asking the right | | | | exceed 20% of your monthly take home pay for |
| questions and doing a little bit of homework will pay | | | | ALL car payments. There are many ways to tweak |
| dividends over the life of a vehicle. Let's take a look | | | | the monthly payment by shopping around for |
| at 3 questions and tips when it comes to shopping | | | | financing and changing terms. The down payment |
| for used cars. | | | | amount, length of loan, and interest rate will all |
| Examining Your Needs | | | | determine the final monthly payment amount. |
| Car sales are strictly a "needs versus wants" question | | | | Consider Other Vehicles In The Same Class |
| at the beginning. Go into a dealership with the right | | | | After answering the needs versus wants and financial |
| mindset, that is, look for the vehicle that fits your | | | | questions, you've narrowed down your options quite |
| needs and don't shop for something that fills your | | | | a bit. At this point, one class of used cars should |
| wants. No matter how nice that convertible looks, it | | | | stand out and meeting your needs at the right price |
| is not going to be able seat the entire family or help | | | | point. |
| haul a toolbox. | | | | With this in mind, look at comparable car sales in that |
| Forget about styling and trends, ask yourself these | | | | same class. Vehicles can vary widely in price, options, |
| questions. Are you going to commute with this | | | | durability, and true cost of ownership between |
| vehicle and for how long each day? How many | | | | manufacturers even within the same class. Many |
| people and how much cargo will you need to | | | | times, the observant shopper can find what they |
| accommodate? Will the vehicle do mostly city or | | | | want in similar used cars while paying significantly less. |
| highway driving, or a combination of both? Prioritize | | | | These questions and tips should get you to the point |
| which options are important and forget about the | | | | where you've selected the make and model of the |
| rest, such as manual versus automatic transmission, | | | | right vehicle. When considering particular used cars, |
| safety features, and all wheel or four wheel drive. | | | | keep in mind their individual conditions, histories, and |
| What You Can Afford | | | | warranties to help finalize the search for the right |
| It is usually not worth it to overstep your means | | | | vehicle. |
| when it comes to car sales. Sure, a vehicle is an | | | | |