Even though housing prices have taken a sharp turn up in the last couple of years they are still by far the largest purchase most people will make in their lifetime, however with the prices of the average new car now nearing $30,000 they are definitely the second largest purchase for many. Knowing that this is such an important decision you should not allow yourself to be bullied or rushed into a fast decision like what is done in many car dealerships.
To make sure that you don't make a mistake and that you buy the best possible vehicle for you and that it will accomplish all that you need it to you should do a little research and some soul searching as well.
The first consideration will be whether you are single or have a family. If you have a family and this will be the primary transportation for taking everyone out and around then you may opt for a minivan. For those soccer moms and baseball dads out there the new dual sliding door minivans offer convenience, plenty of room and decent fuel economy. If you can't quite see yourself in a minivan you may decide on a sport utility like the ?cowboy Cadillac?, the Chevy Suburban or maybe a Ford Expedition.
If you are a weekend warrior that enjoys going camping and hanging out with friends in the woods or going on weekend surf trips you may decide on the sporty new Nissan Pathfinder. The Pathfinder is designed with the outdoor lover in mind with built in roof racks and storage standard. With any vehicle that you may be considering don't be talked into 4-wheel drive unless you really need it and intend to use it regularly. A 4-wheel drive transmission adds thousands to the price, is much heavier, and will also cost you more money for insurance and gasoline due to decreased gas mileage.
When deciding on a color although many will say it is a matter of personal preference there are a few guidelines you should follow for particular types of vehicles if you are concerned about resale value. Regardless of the type of vehicle stay away from off the wall colors like purple or yellow unless you plan to keep the vehicle forever. Another color that has been proven to be ?cold? for resale in light blue or ?ice blue? as it is known in the industry. If you plan to trade every 2-4 years you are far better off choosing a normal color like white, silver, beige, etc. If you are buying a sports car you will not go wrong if you stay with white, red, or black.
For your interior choices you may have the choice of leather or cloth. Unless you are the type of person who will take the time necessary to maintain leather, not to mention the fact that they can be unbearably hot in the summer and unless they are heated they are very cold in the winter.
You will also want to take insurance cost into consideration when choosing a car, especially if buying for a teenager. Overall, sports cars and 4-wheel drives are more expensive to insure.
Another good move to make is to consult a local mechanic and ask them about what cars they have the most problems with. They can tell you which cars they see with the most problems and what the common problems are.
So take the time to think it over and come up with some guidelines of your own as well so that your new car purchase will be like a dream and not a nightmare.
I cannot help you pay your rising gas bills or grocery tabs, but I might be able to help you shave another bill that may be causing budget strain! Car insurance is very competitive these days, and you should be looking around for the best rates from top companies that are available in your town or city. In other words, every so often, you owe it to your budget to do some car insurance shopping.
See, your premiums will depend upon many factors, but the company you use is a big one. Other factors that different insurers consider are age, driving history, zip code, and even the type of car. Additional consideration is given to defensive driving class, safety features and anti-theft devices, and even a consumer credit report.
You need to find the company that gives the best discounts for the things you already have in your favor. For instance, you could have a great driving history with long years of ticket free and accident free driving. But a lower credit score can still keep some companies from giving you the best rate! You need to find an insurer who does not consider credit, and which gives more credit for a good driving history. Of course, if your credit report is great, but you have had a couple of claims in the last few years, you would want to look for a company that will forgive accidents, but looks at credit reports!
Another popular discount comes from combining multiple policies with one insurer. If you have more than one driver in your household, or you also need home insurance, be sure to get quotes for everything you need. One insurer may be 10% higher on their auto premium, but give you a 30% discount on your home insurance when it is combined with another policy!
You cannot always assume the popular discount insurers will be the cheapest ones for you! Some of them do not insure homes, for instance, and a multiple policy discount may actually work out better for your family.
If you are shopping for a new car, be sure and consider the cost of your premiums in your new budget. Sometimes a newer and safer car will actually be cheaper to insure than an older model. However, a high horsepower car will almost certainly get assigned a higher premium rate than a nice, sedate sedan.
If you are not purchasing a new car, but just want to keep your rates lower, you may want to find out if you can do anything to earn a discount from insurers. For instance, driver's safety courses are inexpensive and do not take that much time. And yet, a few hours spent in a course can save you hundreds of dollars in premiums every year.
These extra steps are particularly important if you need to insure a younger driver, or a driver who has had some claims in the last few years. A 10% to 20% discount may not seem like much if your premium is only $50 a month. But a more challenged driver, with a $200 a month driver can save almost $500 a year by finding a 20% discount!
Keep in mind, that the discounts keep adding up. For instance, some safety features are worth a 30% discount, and a driver safety course may shave off another 10%, and so you have actually saved 40%!
If your family insurance adds up to a few hundred dollars every month, this is worth looking into. A $300 a month premium for auto and home policies could be reduced to $180! That $120 in savings, spread over a year, is over $1400. So you can see that a little time spent doing some car insurance shopping can certainly pay off for you!
Both Gregg Hall & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gregg Hall has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lingerie, Desserts and Mortgage. Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For great products fo. Gregg Hall's top article generates over 3350000 views. to your Favourites.
has sinced written about articles on various topics from . . 's top article . to your Favourites.