?Tips on Buying Or Leasing a Car
Buying or leasing a car is an exciting time. There are many aspects to choosing a new car that you should consider, and many options to balance. Here are a few to get started:
1. New vs. Used: Gone are the days when buying used meant risking the purchase of a lemon. Although it may be cheaper to finance a used car, as soon as it leaves the lot it drops a lot in value. So if you want to buy, a used car more often makes better financial sense.
2. Buy vs. Lease: Leasing a car is a great way to drive the new car you’ve always wanted. Plus you can trade it in after a few years. When you buy, you can keep the car for a much longer time, and possibly even resell it in the distant future – though you do have to pay for maintenance.
3. Cool Features: Remote keyless entry for safety, anti-lock brakes for when the roads are wet, a GPS when you get lost, and side airbags for safety. These features are hard to live without once you have them and are common in most new cars.
4. Reliability: Certain models are more reliable than others, and if you desire certain specifics from your car (say you live in the mountains and encounter lots of rain and snow) you should know which brands are best suited for your lifestyle.
5. Fuel: A hot button issue in today’s car market. Electrics, hybrids, gas, diesel: choosing a fuel efficient car is important; buying a car that uses less gas can save you more than a grand annually. Fight global warming too, and if you do want a truck or SUV, check to see if your state penalizes gas guzzlers.
6. Insurance cost: Depending on the make, year, model and color of your car, you could wind up spending a lot more than you want on semi-annual insurance.
7. Automatic or manual: Although the former are ever more popular, manuals are cheaper and require less maintenance. Plus, you can gauge exactly how fast you are going, and get a better sense of the car, that is, if you know how to drive stick. It doesn’t take too long to learn either, and manuals use less gas.
8. Don’t buy the cheapest: Buying a car “”as is”” can lead to big expenses down the line. It’s worth it to spend a little more and buy a quality vehicle than to always be taking your thousand dollar car to the shop.
Overall, your financial situation will probably dictate the most about what kind of car you choose — whether you’re looking to buy or lease new cars. Remember, if you’re going to be driving every day, this is an investment that you want to go about the right way. Cars leasing is a great option if you can see this being a short term car, or if you plan to buy your dream car in a few years.
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