Car Buying Guide - V

For this segment of the car buying guide, let's discuss a hard fact that is sometimes hard to believe about car buying, and that is even with the amount of money and the financial commitment over time involved in car buying, many people impulse buy when it comes to their car.

Keeping in mind that for most of us, buying a car is a financial outlay second only to our home, is exactly why taking the time to honestly determine what kind of car genuinely fits your lifestyle is so important.

This is even more to the point if you have someone else in your life that is also going to be driving the choice of car that you decide to buy.

Take some time to frankly determine what it is that you use your car for most. If you travel a great deal, be sure to check out trunk and storage space. How does the gas mileage fit your budget? These days this is a biggie. Run the numbers and do the math, don't get caught off guard. Remember your folder? ... this is information that you should have researched.

If you do travel or spend a good bit of time on the road, you'll probably put a higher premium on a smoother, quieter, ride because even though an SUV may look attractive, over those long miles on the road, the smoother suspension will be nicer.

The point is there is not much worse in the car buying experience than getting just a few months into your car payments and realizing that the car you just bought is a mismatch for your lifestyle, your comfort, and you don't particularly like it. Be pragmatic and honest between your 'wants' and your 'needs' when it comes to car shopping.

Also, try to look at your lifestyle longer term. For example you may have young kids, which today, may fit nicely in the back of your sexy two door coupe. But, in just a couple of years are going to be too leggy and even have a time just getting them in and out of the back seat.

There were a few times indeed, when I would field a call from a someone who had not too long ago had purchased a car and at the time were quite happy, but had come to realize that their new car no longer fit the bill for them personally.

Although I would certainly like nothing more than to sell them yet another car, as you might well know there was little chance for me to be able to get them out of their current car because of the depreciation hit they took, and without some significant financial outlay on their part they were pretty much stuck.

Remember, buying a car that doesn't really fit your needs but strokes your ego, may give you a temporary lift, but eventually the reality of your needs will overshadow your initial impulses, and those payments are going to certainly continue for a while.

If you'd like to jump ahead and get all the details on the entire car buying process and how get your best possible deal, I've leveled the playing field for you with my complete car buying guide.