Shopping for a New Car on a Budget

Driving a new car is a lot of fun, but buying one can be a major pain. Throw in the tight credit market due to the economic crisis, and that makes shopping for a new car on a budget all the more frustrating.

But you can get a good deal on a car without breaking your budget. First of all, figure out what you can afford. This is the most important step and should be the first place you start. Sit down and take a good, hard look at your budget. Figure out what you can realistically afford. Make sure you include insurance premiums, gas, maintenance, license and registration in your costs. Once you have a shopping budget, you can move on to the next step.

Second, think about how you will use your vehicle. Will you be doing a lot of city driving? Highway driving? Do you need room for several passengers or room to haul luggage or equipment? Your budget and needs will determine what kind of car you should shop for.

Next, decided whether your next car needs to be new to the world or just new to you. In the past, most people bought new cars because they were considered to be, and generally were, more reliable. With improvements in technology, however, previously owned cars are more reliable?but you do have to access the vehicle’s maintenance and repair history. You do not want to buy a used car that has had major repairs you do not know about.

Then decide whether to buy or lease. If you trade cars every two or three years, then leasing may be for you. It costs less per month and requires a lower down payment. But if you drive your cars for five, seven, even ten years or more, there is no doubt you will be better off buying them outright. That’s also true if you drive a lot of miles per year, such as driving from your suburban home to a job in the city every day or using your car in outside sales. If you lease a car, you are limited to a preset number of miles per year without having to pay a stiff penalty. Drive it too much, and you may have to spend a small fortune to pay off your lease.

Regardless of whether you buy or lease, be prepared to negotiate. Get bids on cars from several dealers. Shop around for sales and specials, especially if you are buying a car at the end of the year. Dealers often want to get rid of cars at the end of the year in order to make room for new models. The internet makes it easier than ever to negotiate and shop around for good car deals.

Finally, if you plan to finance, have your loan approved even before you go to the dealer. Having that preapproval makes you a much more attractive customer to the dealership, and makes it much more likely they will negotiate with you and give you the best deal.

Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.