Finding the right vehicle for your needs can be a difficult process. Here, I will guide you through some of the basic thoughts surrounding purchasing a vehicle.
1. What will you be using it for?
This is not as easy as it seems. The daily commuter doesn't need a large pickup truck to commute from work to home. Pickup trucks are great, but look at your daily activities to see if one is right for you. I always have a home improvement project going on at the house, so a pickup truck for me is a way of life. I love my truck, but it is not my daily driver. The fuel economy is nothing that I want to deal with on a daily basis, so I choose to commute to work in a smaller, more efficient car. I reserve the pickup truck for the weekend projects and for work at home.
2. Price
We all want fancy leather seats, DVD, navigation, and a plethora of other toys in our vehicles. All of the toys come with a price, though. Ask yourself: "Do I really need seat warmers?" The answer: a plain and simple "No."
Our parents and grandparents never had the heated leather and DVD and navigation and integrated beverage coolers in their vehicles. The choice wasn't even there in 1972. Options were power windows, power steering, and automatic transmission, among other sparse choices. As vehicles have become more complicated throughout the years, the price has followed suit. Many of the items considered "options" 30 years in the past have now become standard equipment on cars of today. How long has it been since you've seen crank windows in a new car? Buy the base model-you'll be happier in the long run. It's a proven fact that the number one car among millionaires is the Toyota Corolla.
3. Cost of repair
This is a factor that many of us overlook when purchasing a new vehicle. Eventually the car will break; it's a fact of life. Parts can be expensive and labor can be intensive on some vehicles. My daily driver is a Mercedes-Benz, and OH BOY, do I pay for it. Granted, I work on vehicles, so labor is never an issue (other than the fact that I am away from my friends and family during the repairs), but the parts are ungodly expensive for these types of cars. As an example, I recently had to replace the air conditioner compressor. For a Chevrolet Malibu of the same vintage as my Mercedes, the part would have been around $250-$300. The Mercedes, of course, costs in upwards of $1,200. Imagine having to pay for the parts and five hours of labor at the Mercedes dealer to the tune of $115 per hour. Go domestic if you can't afford a $5,000 repair. Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors vehicles offer comfort, style, and reliability and won't break the bank when it's time for some maintenance or repair.
4. Brand
We all love our labels because they reflect the inner being of our souls. Labels define who we are and how we live our lives. Some are true, others are a facade of our need to impress others without actually living up to the hype. I am a lowly automotive technician in western Michigan that drives a Mercedes-Benz to work every day. It stays parked next to my coworkers' old Chevy trucks and Buicks and Escorts. I enjoy the feel of a German luxury automobile and I appreciate the history and scope of the Mercedes brand. They are, of course, the inventor of the automobile. Find the brand that speaks to your soul and stick with it. Brand loyalty is what has kept me in a great pickup truck for many years as well. I am a true-blue fan of Ford pickup trucks. I will have them for the rest of my life. You will find that once you find a home for your automotive mind, it will become obsessed with that brand and nothing can stop it.
5. How many people will you have to carry?
How many times have we heard the story of the guy that loves his Camaro, babies and cherishes it, gives it all the love and affection that a car should have, then finds a girl, marries, has kids, and can't manage to fit three car seats in the back? We all have to look to our future when making the difficult choice to purchase a new car. Where will you be in three years? Five years? Will you have kids and a wife? Will you be a confirmed bachelor? Are kids not the right choice for you in the future? Some of us love the feel of our Astro vans and Windstars, but others wouldn't be caught dead in a minivan. Try to find something that suits your lifestyle, even if it's something that cramps it in the short run. There are many vehicles out there that will compromise between style, utility, and features. If you're a parent of four and don't want a minivan, choose something cooler like a crossover SUV such as a Ford Edge, GMC Terrain, Chrysler Pacifica, or Mercedes M-Class. These stylish vehicles offer the utility of cargo and people capacity without cramping our beloved style.
Buying a car is always a difficult decision and not something that I particularly enjoy doing. There are many factors to consider when making the decision to go forward with the second largest purchase of our life. You will be stuck with your choice for several years, so be sure that you make the correct decision! I am always here to help, too. Feel free to email any questions or concerns about the purchasing process, brand choice, and reliability. I see broken cars all day long and I have bought several in my lifetime. Contact me at diyfixyourcar@gmail.com.
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