Buying a car for the first time (1 Viewer)

[wazoo11]

What are some things that you had known about buying a new or car for the first time? I live in the northeast where public transit is available but it's just not reliable anymore. I've thought about saving up 15K to buy a new KIA or Mitsubishi. There's also the Chevy Volt EV which would be 27K + tax credit.

It's not something I want now but 18-24 months from today. I don't like the feel of SUVs and just want a small compact car that can get me to and from work.

I really wish we had robust transportation here in MA but it would cut my commute in half.

 

[MTskibum]

I have had 17 cars in 25 years. You must be my exact opposite.

Chevy volt is good, but make sure the newest models have apple carplay/Android Auto. I have read that it is going away.

Subaru Crosstrek would be what I would recommend though. They are one of the cheapest new vehicles and they have superb resale value, to the point where used ones should be avoided.

However, if you find out that car ownership is not for you then you would have an easy time getting most of not all of your money back from the Crosstrek.

 

[pollardsvision]

Here is the proper formula for the most you should spend.....

$3K plus the amount of money you can afford to just light on fire.

$3K is based on if what you need is a car to get you to and from work. Anything above that is complete luxury spending on a depreciating asset. Nothing wrong with spend $60K on a car. Just nobody should do it unless they can safely light $57K on fire. The only people that think you can't find a reliable car for $3K probably have never driven a $3K car. Or at least haven't in a very long time.

It changes a little for someone in the trades that needs a truck or a van. If it's a truck they absolutely have to have, make it $10K instead of $3K. But most of the time a $4K van would do them better.

That's the most important thing. Outside of that, there are plenty of makes/models that are perfectly fine. I'm biased towards the Japanese companies, but most cars over the last few decades are pretty decent.

 

[Instinctive]

I have had 17 cars in 25 years. You must be my exact opposite.

Chevy volt is good, but make sure the newest models have apple carplay/Android Auto. I have read that it is going away.

Subaru Crosstrek would be what I would recommend though. They are one of the cheapest new vehicles and they have superb resale value, to the point where used ones should be avoided.

However, if you find out that car ownership is not for you then you would have an easy time getting most of not all of your money back from the Crosstrek.

My wife and I have a CrossTrek and it is wonderful.

 

[Nugget]

Just be prepared for the overall costs. A repair for a vehicle out of warranty could easily cost $3K plus. Price tires and maintenance items, insurance, car registration, fuel. Depreciation and interest are fun as well.

 

[matttyl]

I have had 17 cars in 25 years. You must be my exact opposite.

Chevy volt is good, but make sure the newest models have apple carplay/Android Auto. I have read that it is going away.

Subaru Crosstrek would be what I would recommend though. They are one of the cheapest new vehicles and they have superb resale value, to the point where used ones should be avoided.

However, if you find out that car ownership is not for you then you would have an easy time getting most of not all of your money back from the Crosstrek.

My wife and I have a CrossTrek and it is wonderful.

Wife and I are heading out in an hour or two to go buy a new one.

 

[Mitchie]

buy used from a dealer, 3 or 4 years old with maybe 30-40K miles

 

[Nugget]

I have had 17 cars in 25 years. You must be my exact opposite.

Chevy volt is good, but make sure the newest models have apple carplay/Android Auto. I have read that it is going away.

Subaru Crosstrek would be what I would recommend though. They are one of the cheapest new vehicles and they have superb resale value, to the point where used ones should be avoided.

However, if you find out that car ownership is not for you then you would have an easy time getting most of not all of your money back from the Crosstrek.

My wife and I have a CrossTrek and it is wonderful.

Wife and I are heading out in an hour or two to go buy a new one.

Congrats! What are you getting?

 

[Sullie]

What are some things that you had known about buying a new or car for the first time? I live in the northeast where public transit is available but it's just not reliable anymore. I've thought about saving up 15K to buy a new KIA or Mitsubishi. There's also the Chevy Volt EV which would be 27K + tax credit.

It's not something I want now but 18-24 months from today. I don't like the feel of SUVs and just want a small compact car that can get me to and from work.

I really wish we had robust transportation here in MA but it would cut my commute in half.

Well, first and foremost, I think the biggest financial mistake people make is buying a car they just don't like. So, no matter how good (or bad) of a deal you may get, it sounds simple but make sure you get something you really love, enjoy and appreciate owning. So, I would go do a lot of test drives (it's exhausting) but, as someone that appreciates honesty, when I am in "search" mode, I tell the sales folks "I am NOT buying a car today even if you offer me the car of my dreams for the deal of a lifetime, I'm not going home with a car today. However, I'm not a tire kicker, I'm a buyer and I'm in research mode right now, I would like to test drive x, y and z today because I don't know what I want yet." So take your time, do some research, watch youtube videos, jump on car forums, etc.

As a guy that LOVES research, honestly, the beginning phase (finding what I want) is the most fun part of buying a car. When you do decide on what vehicle you want, again, as a guy that's purchased a lot of vehicles over my lifetime, I have found that credit unions (again, in my experience) generally have the best car loan rates I can find. So, I always get myself pre-approved first from my local credit union and I get a rate locked in so that way I have a good understanding of what rate I qualify for.

Next, I would seriously take a look https://caredge.com/ and I would consider joining that site. I've not joined it, I'm not in car buying mode right now but I would look into it. There are a TON of BS fees a lot of shady dealerships like to add on and I don't know if people are too embarrassed or proud or ignorant to admit it but car dealership salespeople are absolute sharks and they know most customers are chum in the water for them. It's my belief that if you walk into a dealership stone cold, blank, without some knowledge of which fees are legit and which are not, you're going to get hosed.

I meant to throw in there too, I would cross shop models / brands, etc. For example, maybe the Subaru CrossTrek is more popular now than the Forester or Outback but the dealership has a couple of Forester's or Outback's on their lot they can't seem to move. I would take one of them out for a spin, you may like that vehicle better, you may get a better deal, etc. Same kind of thing, going back to the CrossTrek, again, maybe it's the hot vehicle right now but the Mazda dealership around the corner has a CX30 or Toyota has the Corolla Cross or Honda has the CRV or HRV, again, I would take a look at the competitors to see if you can't get something you like just as much or even more.

Lastly, the one thing I wouldn't ever do is pay full sticker or over sticker. There are WAY too many choices out there, do your homework, research it, take your time and have fun!

 

[matttyl]

I have had 17 cars in 25 years. You must be my exact opposite.

Chevy volt is good, but make sure the newest models have apple carplay/Android Auto. I have read that it is going away.

Subaru Crosstrek would be what I would recommend though. They are one of the cheapest new vehicles and they have superb resale value, to the point where used ones should be avoided.

However, if you find out that car ownership is not for you then you would have an easy time getting most of not all of your money back from the Crosstrek.

My wife and I have a CrossTrek and it is wonderful.

Wife and I are heading out in an hour or two to go buy a new one.

Congrats! What are you getting?

Crosstrek with the 2.5l engine and leather. The light green color that she likes.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

What are some things that you had known about buying a new or car for the first time? I live in the northeast where public transit is available but it's just not reliable anymore. I've thought about saving up 15K to buy a new KIA or Mitsubishi. There's also the Chevy Volt EV which would be 27K + tax credit.

It's not something I want now but 18-24 months from today. I don't like the feel of SUVs and just want a small compact car that can get me to and from work.

I really wish we had robust transportation here in MA but it would cut my commute in half.

Well, first and foremost, I think the biggest financial mistake people make is buying a car they just don't like. So, no matter how good (or bad) of a deal you may get, it sounds simple but make sure you get something you really love, enjoy and appreciate owning. So, I would go do a lot of test drives (it's exhausting) but, as someone that appreciates honesty, when I am in "search" mode, I tell the sales folks "I am NOT buying a car today even if you offer me the car of my dreams for the deal of a lifetime, I'm not going home with a car today. However, I'm not a tire kicker, I'm a buyer and I'm in research mode right now, I would like to test drive x, y and z today because I don't know what I want yet." So take your time, do some research, watch youtube videos, jump on car forums, etc.

As a guy that LOVES research, honestly, the beginning phase (finding what I want) is the most fun part of buying a car. When you do decide on what vehicle you want, again, as a guy that's purchased a lot of vehicles over my lifetime, I have found that credit unions (again, in my experience) generally have the best car loan rates I can find. So, I always get myself pre-approved first from my local credit union and I get a rate locked in so that way I have a good understanding of what rate I qualify for.

Next, I would seriously take a look https://caredge.com/ and I would consider joining that site. I've not joined it, I'm not in car buying mode right now but I would look into it. There are a TON of BS fees a lot of shady dealerships like to add on and I don't know if people are too embarrassed or proud or ignorant to admit it but car dealership salespeople are absolute sharks and they know most customers are chum in the water for them. It's my belief that if you walk into a dealership stone cold, blank, without some knowledge of which fees are legit and which are not, you're going to get hosed.

I meant to throw in there too, I would cross shop models / brands, etc. For example, maybe the Subaru CrossTrek is more popular now than the Forester or Outback but the dealership has a couple of Forester's or Outback's on their lot they can't seem to move. I would take one of them out for a spin, you may like that vehicle better, you may get a better deal, etc. Same kind of thing, going back to the CrossTrek, again, maybe it's the hot vehicle right now but the Mazda dealership around the corner has a CX30 or Toyota has the Corolla Cross or Honda has the CRV or HRV, again, I would take a look at the competitors to see if you can't get something you like just as much or even more.

Lastly, the one thing I wouldn't ever do is pay full sticker or over sticker. There are WAY too many choices out there, do your homework, research it, take your time and have fun!

Wow. I think you may be Mr R in disguise. He is the king of research.

All I ever do is pick out the color.

 

[Sullie]

What are some things that you had known about buying a new or car for the first time? I live in the northeast where public transit is available but it's just not reliable anymore. I've thought about saving up 15K to buy a new KIA or Mitsubishi. There's also the Chevy Volt EV which would be 27K + tax credit.

It's not something I want now but 18-24 months from today. I don't like the feel of SUVs and just want a small compact car that can get me to and from work.

I really wish we had robust transportation here in MA but it would cut my commute in half.

Well, first and foremost, I think the biggest financial mistake people make is buying a car they just don't like. So, no matter how good (or bad) of a deal you may get, it sounds simple but make sure you get something you really love, enjoy and appreciate owning. So, I would go do a lot of test drives (it's exhausting) but, as someone that appreciates honesty, when I am in "search" mode, I tell the sales folks "I am NOT buying a car today even if you offer me the car of my dreams for the deal of a lifetime, I'm not going home with a car today. However, I'm not a tire kicker, I'm a buyer and I'm in research mode right now, I would like to test drive x, y and z today because I don't know what I want yet." So take your time, do some research, watch youtube videos, jump on car forums, etc.

As a guy that LOVES research, honestly, the beginning phase (finding what I want) is the most fun part of buying a car. When you do decide on what vehicle you want, again, as a guy that's purchased a lot of vehicles over my lifetime, I have found that credit unions (again, in my experience) generally have the best car loan rates I can find. So, I always get myself pre-approved first from my local credit union and I get a rate locked in so that way I have a good understanding of what rate I qualify for.

Next, I would seriously take a look https://caredge.com/ and I would consider joining that site. I've not joined it, I'm not in car buying mode right now but I would look into it. There are a TON of BS fees a lot of shady dealerships like to add on and I don't know if people are too embarrassed or proud or ignorant to admit it but car dealership salespeople are absolute sharks and they know most customers are chum in the water for them. It's my belief that if you walk into a dealership stone cold, blank, without some knowledge of which fees are legit and which are not, you're going to get hosed.

I meant to throw in there too, I would cross shop models / brands, etc. For example, maybe the Subaru CrossTrek is more popular now than the Forester or Outback but the dealership has a couple of Forester's or Outback's on their lot they can't seem to move. I would take one of them out for a spin, you may like that vehicle better, you may get a better deal, etc. Same kind of thing, going back to the CrossTrek, again, maybe it's the hot vehicle right now but the Mazda dealership around the corner has a CX30 or Toyota has the Corolla Cross or Honda has the CRV or HRV, again, I would take a look at the competitors to see if you can't get something you like just as much or even more.

Lastly, the one thing I wouldn't ever do is pay full sticker or over sticker. There are WAY too many choices out there, do your homework, research it, take your time and have fun!

Wow. I think you may be Mr R in disguise. He is the king of research.

All I ever do is pick out the color.

Ha! Sounds like my wife except she always says "I really don't care, just make sure it has heated seats and heated mirrors."

 

[Runkle]

Money Guy says always put at least 20% down, no more than 3 years to pay it off, and keep payments below 8% of your income.

But as for the car itself, do all the research you can.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

What are some things that you had known about buying a new or car for the first time? I live in the northeast where public transit is available but it's just not reliable anymore. I've thought about saving up 15K to buy a new KIA or Mitsubishi. There's also the Chevy Volt EV which would be 27K + tax credit.

It's not something I want now but 18-24 months from today. I don't like the feel of SUVs and just want a small compact car that can get me to and from work.

I really wish we had robust transportation here in MA but it would cut my commute in half.

Well, first and foremost, I think the biggest financial mistake people make is buying a car they just don't like. So, no matter how good (or bad) of a deal you may get, it sounds simple but make sure you get something you really love, enjoy and appreciate owning. So, I would go do a lot of test drives (it's exhausting) but, as someone that appreciates honesty, when I am in "search" mode, I tell the sales folks "I am NOT buying a car today even if you offer me the car of my dreams for the deal of a lifetime, I'm not going home with a car today. However, I'm not a tire kicker, I'm a buyer and I'm in research mode right now, I would like to test drive x, y and z today because I don't know what I want yet." So take your time, do some research, watch youtube videos, jump on car forums, etc.

As a guy that LOVES research, honestly, the beginning phase (finding what I want) is the most fun part of buying a car. When you do decide on what vehicle you want, again, as a guy that's purchased a lot of vehicles over my lifetime, I have found that credit unions (again, in my experience) generally have the best car loan rates I can find. So, I always get myself pre-approved first from my local credit union and I get a rate locked in so that way I have a good understanding of what rate I qualify for.

Next, I would seriously take a look https://caredge.com/ and I would consider joining that site. I've not joined it, I'm not in car buying mode right now but I would look into it. There are a TON of BS fees a lot of shady dealerships like to add on and I don't know if people are too embarrassed or proud or ignorant to admit it but car dealership salespeople are absolute sharks and they know most customers are chum in the water for them. It's my belief that if you walk into a dealership stone cold, blank, without some knowledge of which fees are legit and which are not, you're going to get hosed.

I meant to throw in there too, I would cross shop models / brands, etc. For example, maybe the Subaru CrossTrek is more popular now than the Forester or Outback but the dealership has a couple of Forester's or Outback's on their lot they can't seem to move. I would take one of them out for a spin, you may like that vehicle better, you may get a better deal, etc. Same kind of thing, going back to the CrossTrek, again, maybe it's the hot vehicle right now but the Mazda dealership around the corner has a CX30 or Toyota has the Corolla Cross or Honda has the CRV or HRV, again, I would take a look at the competitors to see if you can't get something you like just as much or even more.

Lastly, the one thing I wouldn't ever do is pay full sticker or over sticker. There are WAY too many choices out there, do your homework, research it, take your time and have fun!

Wow. I think you may be Mr R in disguise. He is the king of research.

All I ever do is pick out the color.

Ha! Sounds like my wife except she always says "I really don't care, just make sure it has heated seats and heated mirrors."

I'm pretty much quoting Kitty Forman from That '70s Show, much to Red's horror.

 

[Sullie]

What are some things that you had known about buying a new or car for the first time? I live in the northeast where public transit is available but it's just not reliable anymore. I've thought about saving up 15K to buy a new KIA or Mitsubishi. There's also the Chevy Volt EV which would be 27K + tax credit.

It's not something I want now but 18-24 months from today. I don't like the feel of SUVs and just want a small compact car that can get me to and from work.

I really wish we had robust transportation here in MA but it would cut my commute in half.

Well, first and foremost, I think the biggest financial mistake people make is buying a car they just don't like. So, no matter how good (or bad) of a deal you may get, it sounds simple but make sure you get something you really love, enjoy and appreciate owning. So, I would go do a lot of test drives (it's exhausting) but, as someone that appreciates honesty, when I am in "search" mode, I tell the sales folks "I am NOT buying a car today even if you offer me the car of my dreams for the deal of a lifetime, I'm not going home with a car today. However, I'm not a tire kicker, I'm a buyer and I'm in research mode right now, I would like to test drive x, y and z today because I don't know what I want yet." So take your time, do some research, watch youtube videos, jump on car forums, etc.

As a guy that LOVES research, honestly, the beginning phase (finding what I want) is the most fun part of buying a car. When you do decide on what vehicle you want, again, as a guy that's purchased a lot of vehicles over my lifetime, I have found that credit unions (again, in my experience) generally have the best car loan rates I can find. So, I always get myself pre-approved first from my local credit union and I get a rate locked in so that way I have a good understanding of what rate I qualify for.

Next, I would seriously take a look https://caredge.com/ and I would consider joining that site. I've not joined it, I'm not in car buying mode right now but I would look into it. There are a TON of BS fees a lot of shady dealerships like to add on and I don't know if people are too embarrassed or proud or ignorant to admit it but car dealership salespeople are absolute sharks and they know most customers are chum in the water for them. It's my belief that if you walk into a dealership stone cold, blank, without some knowledge of which fees are legit and which are not, you're going to get hosed.

I meant to throw in there too, I would cross shop models / brands, etc. For example, maybe the Subaru CrossTrek is more popular now than the Forester or Outback but the dealership has a couple of Forester's or Outback's on their lot they can't seem to move. I would take one of them out for a spin, you may like that vehicle better, you may get a better deal, etc. Same kind of thing, going back to the CrossTrek, again, maybe it's the hot vehicle right now but the Mazda dealership around the corner has a CX30 or Toyota has the Corolla Cross or Honda has the CRV or HRV, again, I would take a look at the competitors to see if you can't get something you like just as much or even more.

Lastly, the one thing I wouldn't ever do is pay full sticker or over sticker. There are WAY too many choices out there, do your homework, research it, take your time and have fun!

Wow. I think you may be Mr R in disguise. He is the king of research.

All I ever do is pick out the color.

Ha! Sounds like my wife except she always says "I really don't care, just make sure it has heated seats and heated mirrors."

I'm pretty much quoting Kitty Forman from That '70s Show, much to Red's horror.

Ah, right over my head.