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01-08-2015, 10:08 PM | #1 | |
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Any one of you can answer this.
Hi everyone,
I'm going to take a risk and put myself in a vulnerable position since this is a car forum after all... I know very little about cars, but have a passion for driving. After driving a car that I cannot stand for over two years, I am interested in getting a different one: but I have never gone through the process of choosing a car. That being said, I am overwhelmed and do not know where to start other than "Cars for Dummies." The biggest issue is that I do not currently have the right language to be able to articulate the types of questions I want to ask so that I can narrow down my search for a car. So my question is where do I start? Where is the best place to go so that I can learn about cars, and understand the language without being confused? Unfortunately I do not have any friends or relatives who are car enthusiasts, so I am starting from scratch. Ideally, I would like to be able to have the necessary skills to figure out what make/model car would be the best fit for me. I'm sure any one of you could point me in the right direction. Thanks! |
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01-08-2015, 11:32 PM | #2 | |
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Re: Any one of you can answer this.
Sit down and make a list of the attributes you want your next vehicle to have. IE - good performance, gas mileage, passenger and cargo capacity, options, etc. Consider how you're going to use the vehicle most of the time - If you take a lot of long trips, running at interstate speeds, a wheezing, sub compact car won't be your best choice - for example. Use your list to guide you to the class of vehicle you should look at - Sedan, CUV, SUV, Pick-up, etc. Then - figure your budget to see how much you can spend on your ideal vehicle. Then, you can research your ideal vehicle using manufacturers websites, Car magazine articles and comparisons on line (Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Road and Track, Edmunds, etc.) to help you zero in on makes and models to shop. Sites such as Edmunds will give you a good idea of what a decent price should be on your ideal vehicle, and, give you information on what incentives and special financing each manufacturer are currently offering. Then - go shopping and do your test drives - armed with enough information that you make sure you get a decent deal on the vehicle you want, can afford, and, that you get the best financing package you qualify for. In addition, consider before you get in front of a salesman, whether or not you want an extended warranty, or, a package that covers the vehicles service needs for a period of time. Costs of these are usually negotiable with the dealer as well.
Hope this helps: Oldbearcat |
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rottenstrawberries (01-09-2015)
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01-09-2015, 04:30 PM | #3 | |
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Re: Any one of you can answer this.
^ 100% ^ agreed ^
Take my advice with a grain of salt, as I'm certainly NOT the most experienced of all the folks here. Although, I do find that for a 19 year old guy, I'm significantly more knowledgeable about vehicles than most of my friends. Anyhow… Based on your driving style, and vehicle preference, whatever that may be, you should be able to determine what type of vehicle is best for you. Oldbearcat certainly hit the nail on the head, and I may reiterate what he said, along with adding more information. First thing's first! Budget! If you don't have any clue how much you want to spend, finding the right vehicle for you will be MUCH more difficult. There's a few ways to go about asking the following question, but because it can be confusing, I'll put it as simply as I can. Performance vs Fuel Efficiency? Granted, there are some performance vehicles that are fossil fuel friendly, just as there's fuel efficient vehicles that are turbocharged, AWD, etc. Then there's the practicality… Based upon the fact you've been driving the same car for two years, I'm going to assume it's your DD (daily driver). This goes hand-in-hand with performance vs fuel economy. In fact, it's really just delving deeper into the idea. Will you be needing this vehicle for utility purposes? What are your hobbies, and could you ideally cram them into your vehicle? (If such hobbies are instruments, games, etc.) Does seating number/arrangement matter to you? How tall are you? (I'm 6'3", and I'm unable to comfortably fit into certain vehicles because of it.) The list really could go on and on, if you allow it to. Somewhere out there is a vehicle that's seemingly tailor-made for you. Here's an example of how I'd do this. Take a piece of paper, and write down wants and needs, always keeping in mind that needs are clearly more important. Have three grade scores * (one star), ** (two stars), and *** (three stars), * being desirable, but not THAT desirable, and *** being an absolute must have. You can do the same thing when comparing two vehicles too! I hope I was of some help! PM me if you'd like! -Colton |
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rottenstrawberries (01-09-2015)
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