Buying Your First Car

The following is a guest post.

Buying a new car is really a great and exciting experience, right?  I felt the same way when I was shopping for my first car way back in the year 2007.  It was unforgettable because it took me 5 months to choose the perfect car.  Yay!  I never thought it would be that long, but it was worth the wait!

For some people, buying their first car is very stressful.  I don’t know about you, but I agree with it.  Because I myself experienced how stressful it is.  Actually, the first time I planned to buy, I don’t know where to start and I don’t have any idea on what to do when buying a car.  It was a series of Q & A with friends and families.  Also, searching through the internet for the best tips and tricks in buying a new car is one of the things that I did.  But I am lucky  to good advice from friends who are car owners and automobile mechanics.  That makes the buying process for my first car a little easier and less stressful.

If you’re planning to buy your first car and don’t know where to start and what to do.  Consider these steps that you can use and try.  It might also help save a bit of your money.  You like that?  But this is possible only if you’re prepared to do a little work and research.

3 Steps To Take When Buying Your First Car

1.  Buy the car that you can afford.  I’m sure you have saved a fair amount of money for your first car and that’s good.  Most new car buyers can’t pay cash for a new car, but if you can, then buy only what you can afford.  One of the benefits of paying cash for a new car is that it substantially increases your negotiating power. However, if you need an auto loan or plan to lease your first car, then you should budget for the car payment that you can afford every month.  You also need to get a few car insurance quotes before buying a new car. Some cars cost more to insure and doing a little research can substantially reduce your car insurance payment.

2.  Check the manufacturer’s website of the car you want to buy.  Checking the manufacturer’s website of the car you want to buy will help you see and view the servicing costs of the car.  You can also look at the fuel efficiency and the maintenance of the car.  This is very important and will reduce the total cost of ownership.

3.  Get your car insured.  The main purpose of car insurance is to provide you financial protection against damages caused by traffic accidents.  There are different types of policies and you should find one that fits your need.  As mentioned above, you should get a few car insurance quotes before you buy a new car. In fact, the car dealer won’t let you drive a car off the lot without an insurance policy so you need to get an insurance policy ready to ensure a smooth transaction.

Buying your first car can be daunting if you’re not really prepared for it.  What you just read are based on my personal experience. I suggest that you too should follow these 3 simple steps to improve your car buying experience.

Do you have any first time car buying experience tips?  Feel free to share it all here! 

Photo credit: flickr DenverDwight