Change Your Approach On How To Shop

Know what kind of vehicle you want.  Perhaps you want a family car with high safety ratings?  Or maybe you’re looking for luxury?  Whichever avenue you take, you should have an idea of what you want before going shopping.  Once you identify the features you’re looking for, then you can focus on which vehicle fits your lifestyle best.  The list of examples below are great starting points for your car search.

• Size and cargo space
• Reliability
• Safety
• Looks
• Value (price/quality)
• Utility/Versatility
• New/Used

Maybe your career is in the trades; if so, you’ll be looking for a truck with some power that can withstand wear and tear. Another circumstance to consider is what your hobbies are outside of work. While the weekend warrior is looking for a fuel efficient vehicle, the outdoor adventure seekers will search for trucks that can tow their UTVs and boats. It’s important to think about how you’ll be using your vehicle in every way so that you can get the most use out of your investment.

What can you afford? What is your budget? According to Kelly Blue Book, “Wise buyers shop for a new vehicle based on what they can afford. Keep an open mind, and you could be pleasantly surprised by the list of cars within your price range.

Start by calculating how much you can afford. What is your monthly budget? Be honest with yourself about expenses so that you are well prepared for the long term. You should know that just because it fits in your monthly budget, doesn’t mean you can afford it. You have to take into account other things like insurance and gas costs associated with the certain vehicle you are looking at. There are many tools online that can help calculate what you can afford for a car payment, like Auto Trader’s affordability calculator.

After you calculate what you can afford, then you can start shopping and reviewing loans that will fit your budget!