Everyone could use a fresh set of wheels at some point. The difficult part is knowing where to start, especially if you aren’t a knowledgeable person on vehicles. This article will assist the average college student in deciding where to start in picking out a vehicle. Here is the list of things to consider:
Your Budget
This is something that might change in the process of searching for a vehicle. However, you should create a budget of how much money you can allocate towards a vehicle per month, including leaving room for expenses when your vehicle will need maintenance. Some things to consider in this budget is the average price of some vehicles you’re currently looking at, how much the vehicle would cost per month on loans, room for tax-title-registration of the vehicle, and discounts you could receive on specific models of vehicles (link to student discounts).
Your Local Weather
Some people reading this might live in Miami, while other may live in Minneapolis. Those two locations have completely different weather variations that may change what type of vehicles you might want to buy. If you live in Miami, you can probably consider any type of vehicle, including little race-cars. If you live in Minneapolis, you might want to only consider vehicles that have 4wd/AWD, or even just SUV’s, due to the winter storms you might be plowing through when work doesn’t close when you get five feet of wet snow overnight.
General Knowledge on Vehicles
Believe it or not, some vehicles are way more expensive in maintenance than others. I’ve personally noticed that large trucks become expensive (probably due to the wear and tear users are likely to inflict on them), as well as small Volkswagens. However, if you want to get the best bang for your buck or discover what type of vehicle best fits your personality and values, then do some research.
Where to Look & Compare
You’re going to want to look literally everywhere when looking to buy. While dealerships might have some great sale events going on, there could also be someone on craigslist selling for cheaper. However, buying online can run some risks since they don’t have to show or tell you about things that are wrong about the vehicle. Nevertheless, this is why research and looking everywhere is ideal. But looking on the sides of the road, online websites, and dealerships are all great ideas to where to buy a vehicle.
Your Needs vs Wants
If you can’t distinguish between your needs and wants, start making a list of everything you are looking for in a vehicle. Some things on your list might be reliability rating, large trunk, great mpg, or AWD. You might have a specific color you want to buy and another you refuse to buy, or maybe you even want to narrow it down to a specific model of a vehicle. Either way, when looking for a vehicle, first look for your needs, then narrow it down to items in your wants. Making a list will help you be much more satisfied with your purchase.
Found your perfect vehicle? Here’s a list of things to consider after you purchase your vehicle (link here). Congratulations and let me know what you chose in the comments below!