If you are a new car buyer or haven’t been in the car-buying market for several years, knowing where to begin can be hard. How exactly do you go about searching for a vehicle that will suit your needs for many years to come? All you need to do is plan and do a bit of research. Once you know the type of car you prefer, you can then decide whether you want to purchase a used car, lease a new car and buy a completely brand new car.  This guide will share just what you need to do.

Step 1 – Examine your needs

The best car for you depends on what your key expectations are from the car and who you are. Some individuals like to make statements with their cars, (“I’m hip and rich” or “I’m earth-loving and humble”).

Some like to go on adventure drives on weekends so would prefer a car with a loud engine and more horsepower. In most situations, practicality usually takes a back burner, how the car makes you feel is what makes better sense.

Step 2 – Check your affordability

Unless you’re buying your car cash, you’ll need to consider leasing a car or purchasing it. In this regard, you need to calculate how much you can truly afford to put away and pay towards a car every month. The general principle is that your car payment for your new car every month must not exceed 15 percent of your monthly income after deductions.

The same principle should be applied to a used car even though it will be less pricy. In essence, if you are wanting to lease, aim for a monthly repayment schedule that’s lower than 10 percent of the money you take home.

In this calculation, you will also need to factor in 7 percent of your monthly income to cover insurance and fuel expenses. Being aware of your budget before you go car shopping will help you with the negotiation process when looking for a car in an utah toyota dealer for instance, you’ll be able to close the deal much faster if you know what can afford and what you can’t.

If you are not certain, which type of vehicles fall under your monthly affordability bracket, try the Edmunds affordability calculator. This online calculator can list cars that fall into the price range you’ve previously set. Just bare in mind that the prices on the search results page will change based on taxes, trim level and finance fees.

Step 3 – Choose whether you prefer to buy or lease

Buying and leasing both have advantages and disadvantages. How you feel about these options can help you decide on which route to take.

For instance, a lease demands a small amount of money or no money at first and offers lower monthly repayments. But once the lease comes to an end, you’ll have no other choice but to go back to the car buying market once again.

On the other side of this coin, buying a car is more expensive at first and the monthly payment is much higher. Once you pay the loan off, you will have full ownership of the car, and you can drive the car for as long as it is fully operational.

Step 4 – Consider buying other cars in a particular class

Do you have your eye set on a particular car? Almost all shoppers do. However, in today’s volatile and always-changing marketplace, newly designed cars are constantly hitting the showrooms. You may even find one that you’ve never seen or thought of.

If you currently have a specific vehicle in mind, you shouldn’t stop there, you should look at other comparable vehicles that are in the same class just to ensure you haven’t missed an even better choice.

You can begin this search by selecting the same car types listed on various car finder tools available online. You can set the limitations that are important to you in your search.

Once settled on a promising prospect, you should look for detailed pricing information, features and specifications. Another good idea is to compare vehicles you select and them contrast specifications and features.

Step 5 – Will you be able to afford the car after you own it?

Some vehicles are cheaper to buy but can be more expensive to own. Even if you find that two cars are more or less the same price, one may depreciate quicker or cost more to maintain and insure.

Before you commit to buying a vehicle, you should certainly look at the ownership costs in the long term and do an estimation. In your estimation, you should factor in insurance, fuel costs, maintenance, and the degree of depreciation.

Step 6 – Search for cars on sale

The old-fashioned way of car shopping involved visiting dealerships in person, to find out if they have the vehicle options you are looking for. In contemporary society, you can cover a lot more ground fast and save money in the process. Once you have a clue of the kind of car you want, checking its availability is much easier and quicker.

If for instance, you don’t get what you want in your immediate location, you can expand your search to a greater distance. You can filter your search to find cars in a particular color and customizations.

Step 7 – Book a test drive

After finding a car that appears like it may be a good fit for you. The next step is to text, email, or call the dealership to book a time and date for a test drive. Dealerships with salespeople on the internet for intstance are fantastic allies. They seek to inform buyers, are more transparent with pricing, and are also familiar with any special offers available.

When you make this kind of appointment with your local dealership, you are making sure that the vehicle you want to test drive will be waiting for you to hit the wheel when you get there.

It’s recommended that as a person on the car-buying market, you should test drive at least three different cars so that you don’t restrict your options. Schedule a few appointments back to back, so that it will make comparing easier.

Step 8 – Choose your car

After test driving many cars, your decision will be clear. If it’s still not clear, take your time and sleep on it. The next day you may have a clear answer. If you’re still not sure take another step back and test drive more cars. It’s always better to take your time during the shopping process than to suffer from buyer’s remorse.