Life is full of "first times" and they can be pretty stressful, sometimes. One of the most notable "first time" for many people is the purchase of their first vehicle. If you are currently in this process and are worried about making a mistake, don't panic: here is the basics of what you should know to make the best of this transaction.
Do You Really Need a Car?
This question may seem trivial, but it is not so much for people who live in urban areas and who systematically travel in neighborhoods in their city that are well served by public transit (and where parking spots are rare). If this is your case, ask yourself if your weekend outings really require the purchase of a vehicle or if there is a way to make a deal with your parents, or even to negotiate with one of your grandparents to get the car he or she drives only few times a year. The last thing you want is to pay for a car you do not really need.
Maintenance Costs
We are all guilty of this: when we calculate mentally if we can afford to pay for a given car, we all forget (or simply ignore) the maintenance costs. If this is your first car and you don't know anything about it, assume that your vehicle will cost you about 3000 $ worth of maintenance and repairs during its useful life (from which 1000 $ for a set summer or winter tires alone, depending on which type of tires the car is mounted on), and the older your car is, the higher this number will be. If you don't have this money on hand at the time of the purchase, start saving it immediately.
Buying New or Second-hand?
This is a semi-philosophical question to which there is no good answer. If you already know that you'll be the type that want to switch between cars frequently, go for a used car for which someone else has already paid most of the retail value, and that you can sell with a minimal loss a few years later (if you maintain it properly). If, on the contrary, you don't want to deal with problems caused by others and you are confident that you will keep the same car throughout its useful life, choose a new car instead. Regarding payments, it's up to you to decide whether you prefer to front high monthly payments to clear your debt within a reasonable time (3-5 years) or stretch it for 6 or 7 years. It's a personal choice, but you have to understand the implications of each of these options.
If you decide to go for a used vehicle, don't go anywhere else thanStyle Auto, your second-hand car dealer in Laval, located near Montreal. The best inventory, the best prices and the best service are waiting for you visit us for in-house financing service.