5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying a new Car

Buying a new car is more than just a purchase. It is a commitment and an investment, which is why you need to make the right choice. Here are five basic questions you should ask yourself when buying a new car.

1. Can you live with the car on a day to day basis?

Alfa Romeo 4C
Definitely not a car you could live with every day
By Alfa Romeo

Livability in a car is very important. You must drive it every day. Unless you live in urban areas where public transport is your main form of transport, being able to live with the car and its character is very important. If a car is too powerful for you ability or too flashy for your taste, don't buy it. After all, buying a car is an investment and pulling out of it is a very unwise and costly decision. Most of us cannot recover from such a mistake because of how expensive cars are, which is why being able to live with it on a day to day basis is important.

2. What do you need in a car?

Honda Odyssey minivan
By Honda

What you need in a car is very important. Your car is probably a tool that you use every day. I'll address the exception later. If you have a big family, you might want a minivan. If you drive an Uber, you might want a Prius. This question can also be used to choose features. If you have a minivan, what do you want it to have? Do you want a backup camera for safety and an in car entertainment system to keep the kids quiet? It all comes down to the purpose of the car and what you expect out of it. Let's move on to the exception on a car being a tool. This exception is for car people. Cars to car people are toys and they have fun with them. When car fanatics are choosing a car, they think about the potential of the car, how fun it is, and what direction they are taking their build in. 

3. What can you afford?

Ford F-150 Raptor
By Ford

What can you afford is probably the most important question. You don't want to buy a car that is too expensive for you. But this question is more than just that. What would you be willing to pay for a car and what kind of return would you get on it? Now if you told me to buy a 40 grand Toyota Camry, I would think you're out of your mind. I don't think Camry's are worth that much. But if you told me to buy a 40 grand Ford F-150 pick up truck, I wouldn't have a problem because of the amount of car I'm getting. It is the value that counts as well. not just price. This leads me on to my next point. What kind of return do you get from it? This primarily deals with businesses because they have trucks for work. Your truck is used to make money. Buying a Camry is stupid for construction but buying that F-150 allows you to get more work done and get more money. 

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