Buying a car today can be very complicated and stressful especially if you are choosing as a couple. Ladies mind you; boys will always be boys. Men tend to choose the cars that would really be fast, sporty and most of the time a gas guzzler. Gas prices have been soaring high for the past years so buying an SUV packed with a bulk engine would seem like a very bad idea for the finances.
Before narrowing down to your target, always try to get as many brochures as possible and open your choices to about 5 to 10 models. Then, visit friends and dealerships that posses these models and try to get the feel of it and if possible, a test drive. Try to take note of the experience you had with the test drive or the feedback of the owners that use and own the car.
Setting up the Budget
Budgeting for a new car may be as easy as dividing the total price by the number of months you want to pay for it. You should list down your fixed monthly expenses like your average credit card bill, phone bill, water bill, electric bill, and mortgage payments if any. Sum up all of these expenses and add up the possible monthly amortization amount for the car you plan to purchase. Then try to gauge your gas consumption, insurance budget and maintenance such as oil change, spark plug replacement, and tire replacements. Sum up all of the expenses with your fixed monthly expenses, projected amortization for the new car and the projected maintenance cost to see if the expenses do not exceed your monthly income.
Buying for Your Need
By this stage you already have a rough estimate of your budget and you may have agreed on which models to focus on. This time you may project your use for the car and you may also make any provisions if you want should you have plans of adding a new member to the family. You may also want to consider the trunk space if you'll be using the car for your business so that you will not be buying another vehicle for it.
An important consideration in selecting the model you will be buying is the terrain and the weather condition in your area. If you live in a mountainous or snowy area, be sure to choose the car that is packed with muscular engine since you will be pushing through all that snow or climbing the slopes. If you live on a flat or tropical area, go with a smaller more economical engine since you will be running on flat land.
