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I spend a lot of time in the car – commuting for work, carpooling the kids, and just plain traveling. It takes about 40 minutes in the morning and 40 minutes in the evening, each day. That’s 1 hour and 20 minutes.
I drink coffee on the way into work, the kids often have snacks and drinks, and sometimes I’m so busy running errands that I’m eating lunch in the car.
So, there can be crumbs, trash, half eaten snacks, partially full drink bottles, and God knows what else in the cracks and crevices of my car.
While I’m not immediately on the hunt for a new car, mine is about 15 years old with nearly 300,000 miles on it. Let’s just say I’m building up my car replacement fund!
Here are four things I plan to do as I search for my next car:
1. Research
Research the make, model and price of your car. Cars.com is a great resource for learning about your potential purchase. There is a huge selection of information that will provide you with everything you need to make an informed purchase. You’ll love the “Videos & Reviews” feature. They provide extensive reviews and essential information about a wide variety of different cars. You’ll receive just honest facts. Not just the good, but the bad, too, including poor ratings, poor performance, or bad purchases.
2. Shop Around
Do not stick with one dealer. Not all prices are industry competitive. You should visit multiple dealers to get an understanding of what you should be paying in order to get the best price. Visit other dealers and research similar cars you are interested in to get a baseline price for the vehicle.
3. Be Educated
Show the car dealer or seller that you are educated. Buying a car can be tricky, and people selling cars can take advantage of you very easily. Your research helps you learn the true value and worth of the cars you are shopping for. This will help you get a fair price.
4. Pick the Right Fit
Recently my car went into the body shop for some repairs and I needed a car to commute to work and get the kids where they needed to be. I drive a Ford Explorer and was excited to test out a newer SUV to see how this vehicle compared. I really liked the sporty look and feel.
What’s right for your family will differ from what’s right for mine. Here’s what’s on my wish list:
- Fabrics that us a specially formulated fabric treatment to protect the carfrom spills, stains, and other hazards. This is an absolute essential with kids. Something ALWAYS gets spilled!
- Seating for five (or more!)
- AM/FM/CD/MP3/SiriusXM® Audio System
- Surround Sound Audio System with Upgraded Speakers, External Amplifier & Subwoofer, HD Radio™
- Voice-Command Navigation
- Rear-Camera Display
- Back-Up Warning System
- BLUETOOTH® Wireless Technology Hands-Free Connectivity
- USB/Auxiliary Input Jack, USB 2.1 Charger Ports, 12-Volt Power Outlets
- 2nd-Row Seats split folding seats
- 3rd-Row Seats (split folding seats would be nice on this row, too!)
- Plenty of room for book bags, sports bags, lunch bags, and more.
- Lots of cup holders and compartments to hold books, electronic devices, or other fun activities
- Fuel efficiency (Imperative since I commute about 20 miles each direction to work. I love being able to drive the whole week on one tank of gas. – Here are 7 FREE & EASY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON GAS.
I would also include getting financing beforehand because the dealerships will steer you towards their lenders which will give them points from your financing making it more expensive for you in the long run. Thanks for sharing!
Research is the key to getting the best deal. Knowledge is power and you will end up with what you really want instead of what they want to sell you. Great info.