How to Buy a Car!
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Vroom-vroom, let's discuss how to buy cars/automobiles! How do you negotiate the car price, or know the dealership is reliable, or REALLY find out the car is isn't a clunker, or avoid the ridiculous overpricing that first-time buyers experience?! Find out in this, one of our most frequently-requested videos EVER!
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So, I bought my first brand new car that required a loan in October of last year. I actually leaned on my dad a lot for advice because he is a car guy (not a mechanic, just a lover of cars) and buys and sells cars all of the time. He was a font of wonderful information and tips. The best tip I got from him was hit dealers near the end of the month when they're trying to make quotas and don't be afraid to walk away.
Ashley Cavell This is *such* great advice! Thank you!
- Mike
Ashley Cavell Don't be afraid to walk away is a big one. I also recommend going to a trusted dealer and both my mom and I have had luck with buying used rental cars. Many rentals get oil changes every time they come back into the shop, they're usually much better taken care of than some might assume.
I was also really glad to hear taking it to a mechanic mentioned in the video. Mine saved me from buying a car from a dealer who KNEW about the damage, but didn't disclose it because if wasn't in the carfax so there was no *proof* short of taking it to a mechanic.
adding this to my list. thank you!
.
This video could not have come at a better time. I am currently in the process of buying my first car and everything seems so daunting, but this has put my mind at ease and it seems just that much easier.
Advice: Oil is cheap, engines are expensive. Change your oil early and often, or end up replacing your engine - early, and perhaps often.
OR you could have a RUclips channel, enter a contest where Ford is giving out free cars for seven months, win one even though you literally got your license the day before you applied, then realize how terrifying driving is and never drive again. That one might only be applicable to me.
Karen Kavett #jealous
- Mike
Karen Kavett One of my best friends always had a car but didn't have her permanent drivers license until well into her twenties. She would get her learners and sometimes even her provisional and then loose it and not manage to get it again for months or even years. This happened about 3 times. She carried her passport for ID. Someone else would drive the car for her since lots of us had licenses but few of us had cars.
Karen Kavett Wouldn't you have driven with a learner's permit for months beforehand?
You know, you'd think; and that is what we'd ask her. Back then in the '80s, in the days before decent computers, when she went more than a few years between, the MVA would just loose any evidence that she'd ever had a license and she'd have to start from the beginning . She'd stay on her provisional much longer than necessary as well. It was one of those things that she just didn't get around to. Of course dealing with the MVA in those days meant taking half a day. It is much more efficient now.
Karen Kavett I don't see why people find driving so terrifying. =/
I'm 24 and in need of a car, but the whole process is overwhelming and terrifying. This helped by giving me a few ideas, thank you!
Love the "Piano Man shirt!" :) Just a helpful hint I learned during my car buying experience: ALWAYS test the car's features when testing driving. Especially in a used car. I tested the air, heat, radio, audio jack, etc, but failed to check the car charger plug in so now I've got a car that can't charge my phone and I have to carry a battery pack on my long commutes. Don't let that be you with air conditioning or heat!
Also, something else you might not think to look for until you've bought your car and your GPS tells you to "head south," is a compass. I frequently travel by GPS and found out the hard way that my car doesn't have a compass. It's caused many difficulties when traveling by GPS.
The car charger plug just might be a blown fuse. Under $10 repair if you find the fuse and buy a couple new ones from the auto store.
Stand your ground. It may not seem like it, but you are and should be the one in control when buying a new car (especially from a dealership). Don't let a salesperson pressure you into any decisions you don't want and if they are making you uncomfortable, be clear that you are happy to take your business elsewhere if they keep trying to pressure you.
I recently bought a new car and there were a few things I knew I was and wasn't going to say yes to, and several of those the dealer tried to pressure me into. It's their job to get the most out of a sale and not let you walk out without buying a car. The first day I went to the dealership I found a car I really liked and the dealer really tried to get me to buy it that day, but one thing I was determined to do was not to impulse by a car. So as soon as we started discussing things like price and financing I made it clear that I wanted to "sleep" on it, that I was not going to make a decision until at least the next day. The dealer really tried to convince me to buy it that night, but I stood my ground. The next morning I realized that while I would be happy with the car, I would regret not getting the slightly more expensive (but within my budget and had several features that were on my checklist). Also, in financing they offered a bunch of additional coverages/services I knew I didn't want. When the financing person kept trying to pressure me I made it clear that my answer was "no" and if he kept pushing I was more than willing to walk out without making the purchase.
Also, make sure you pay very close attention to what the features are on the exact trim level of the car you are getting. There might be some features (like cruise control or power windows) that would seem standard but are only available on a higher trim level of the car. (I almost bought a car that didn't have power windows or doors, that's a comfort I was willing to pay extra for so I went a level up to get them)
Love watching youtube in my online class. Congrats on making it in there!
We just bought a new Prius, and I have one good tip. Our family has a Costco membership, and costco has, get this, car discounts. All we needed to do was go to the Toyota dealer and give them out costco membership card at the beginning of negotiation. The result was about $3000 (15%) off the price tag, and a better maintenance package, without having to negotiate ourselves!
I feel like this video should be named " How to buy your first car". You could spend a whole video on the buying part itself, which I felt like wasn't covered here. The most important thing when buying a car is to care more about your final amount paid vs the monthly payment. Lower monthly payment doesn't mean lower cost. It usually is the opposite when negotiating.
Sorry if you felt misled. :/ Would you like to help us write a follow-up? Message me on RUclips and we'll see if we can figure something out! (Either way, thanks so much for the tips!)
- Mike
Famous cars:
Ecto 1
Mystery Machine
Bluesmobile
One thing I do when thinking about a new car is go to a rental car place like "Enterprise" or "Budget" and rent that model for a small weekend road trip. :)
I know this is a risk if you don't know what exactly to look for but I've always bought my cars on Craigslist directly from other people. It can take some time to find a good deal for you but it is way cheaper than a dealer and I feel better talking to a real person than a slick car dealer. It's good to look up what are common issues for the kind of car you want and look for signs of those issues when checking out the car: Do they tend to have terrible transmissions? Or a blown head gasket? It also good to ask about the basic maintenance done on the car because these may be upcoming costs you have to take care of, like the timing belt, alignments, aircon, etc. Never go alone and bring some cash for a deposit if you decide you want the car but don't bring a lot of money with you. If you want to feel super safe meet up at a police station.
I've been waiting for this episode forever. So happy. I'm actually going through this process for the second time, after my VERY first car got into accident. Things to add: 1) Bring someone with you who is car savvy, I highly recommend this. 2) They are not kidding about the insurance. It's SO expensive for people under 25, but its essential. 3) DMV FEES! OMG. Registration, and getting your licence plate, and paperwork.4) Don't buy the first thing you fall in love with because it will happen. Trust me. 5) ASK QUESTIONS! How many owners, whats the millage, does it need any repairs (if used). 6) Another thing, HAVE FUN! This car will be your baby. It's a process but its worth it when you're driving it off the lot.
I don't have advice on car buying, but on car maintenance. Ask your friends and family where they get their car serviced and then mention those people when you go in the first time. This starts building a relationship with your car people, which can be very useful in the long run. I suggest sticking with one shop for all or most of your car maintenance needs. They will get to know your car and can better predict what will go wrong or how long something will last. Also, because you re a repeat customer, they will occasionally give you a deal or do a bit of extra work. For example, several times I've taken my car in for a routine oil change and gotten a free tire rotation, because the guy noticed my car was due for one soon. I've also had them check my engine more thoroughly than an oil change requires and let me know about some potential problems ahead of time.
Remember to check all the working inside parts when looking to buy a used car! Check the windshield wipers, your stereo, sunroof, etc, but most importantly, check to see if you have a doughnut in the back with a jack! I traded in my car for another where it literally was not made with a doughnut or jack anymore (2013 Kia Rio). Also, the previous owner may just take that with them so check that ahead of time and see if you can negotiate it into the deal if your car doesn't have one.
I bought a car last weekend and it went pretty well. I learned quite a lot though that experience
This is the first video of yours I've watched, and I loved it so much I'm subscribing. I don't even know what your other material is. I'm 33, a college grad, a parent and I'm still surprised I'm an adult. I'm looking to buy a car for the first time by myself soon, thanks for the pep talk!
Also, you'll need to change windshield wipers & wiper fluid.
Another tip for the dealership: Don't go alone. If you know someone who knows cars well &/or is a good negotiator, see if they'll come along.
My dad (a state highway patrol officer) told me that leasing is the way to go if you're the kind of person who absolutely needs the newest car at all times.
The first payment date on a car loan is usually 30 days from the time of purchase. In most states in the US you also have 30 days to pay the sales tax and get your title/tags sorted. To avoid having all that money due on the same day ask if your first payment date can be moved to 45 days from the purchase date. It costs a little more in interest but it's worth it if you can get another paycheck in before making your first payment.
About 10 years ago my dad bought a second hand car for about €500-750 (550-850$ calculated now), but the car was already 15 years old. And a few weeks ago we bought a new car. And traded the old car for €1000 discount on the new one. (and in those 10 years we only bought 2 new tires and a battery, so that was a pretty good deal)
Thank you!! This is so helpful because I'm planning to buy a car in the next few weeks.
And about Mike's day job, I can see you doing something in a library or in an educational setting. Good luck!!
Thank you! This happens to be EXACTLY the time in my life that I need to know this. I've used my parents' cars a lot, but I'll have to buy a car of my own next month.
Mach 5
Delorean DMC-12 with the plutonium chamber
Knight Rider KITT
Akira Bike
Don't skip the little things like oil changes! I know it seems like something you can put off but waiting too long can really screw with other parts of your car, not just the oil. They may be separate parts but they make one car so if something stops working, nothing works.
I've only ever leased a car - which was not good, because as a new driver I had to some accidents and had to replace or paint half that car multiple times.
Thanks to insurance, this didn't cost me my lifelyhood.
Car leasing can be good in that a) you always drive a new-ish car, and b) in your contract, it usually gives you the option to buy the car instead of changing to another one after a certain period of time.
If you go for this option, all the money you previously paid for lease will count as if you've been paying off the car in the first place (check your contract for this). This gives you the option of testing out if you really like the car, and only if you do, and have no problems, that exact same car can be yours.
Set some money aside for the purchase in any case, because if you don't buy it after X years then you got a stash of cash to finance your next car - or continue leasing and keep on building your stash.
I've lived 2 years off of that cash when I moved out. Always good to have some money set aside.
Also, I hear you can put more pressure on the salespeople at a dealership if you wait until the last week, or last day of the month to buy. They may sell you the car at a loss in order to keep their sales quota.
A car care note that's worth mentioning because a lot of people, even adults, don't know about it: brakes!
Your brakes ARE a normal maintenance item. They WILL need to be replaced sometime during your car's lifetime. When that happens will depend on the car, the brakes, your driving habits, etc. but sooner or later they are going to wear out. Generally, front brakes will wear out before rear brakes, heavier vehicles will wear their brakes out before lighter ones, and frequent, aggressive braking will wear them out more quickly than braking gradually and softly.
Replacing brake pads (and shoes, if you have drum brakes) is fairly cheap and easy. Do this BEFORE worn-out parts damage the rotors and drums, which are MUCH more complicated and expensive to replace.
That screeching, nails-on-a-chalkboard sound when you brake? That's little metal tines in your brake pads rubbing against the rotors. That sound means they're worn out and need to be replaced. Don't wait!
Did you wait and ignore the horrible squealing and now they're shuddering or grinding when you stop? That's bad! Your rotors may be warped or damaged. Get them checked NOW before you run someone over!
Your brakes are one of your car's key safety features. By neglecting them, you put not only yourself at risk, but everyone around you.
I've been in two major accidents. Both times, I got rear-ended because the guy behind me had worn-out brakes and couldn't stop in time. The first driver nearly broke his wife's neck in the impact, the second totaled his car and inflicted $4500 of damage to mine. Don't be those guys.
Buying a used car is the best thing for new drivers. You will, in all likelyhood, have some bumps, some minor accidents, etc. and new parts for new cars are more expensive.
Protip: Maybe go to the scrap yard, where they sell parts from junked cars on the cheap.
It's also good to inform yourself if the model of your car is still being built, to insure that spare parts are gonna be available and cheap. The spare part market for discontinued cars can get pretty expensive.
The T.A.R.D.I.S is my favorite clásico car
Great personalities and educational, I liked it.
Most Credit Unions have programs with area car dealers to help you get a good price for your new car without negotiating with that dealer. I believe that some banks do this as well, but I'm all about Credit Unions.
I would love to know more about leasing. How to do it & why buying is a better option.
Hi guys, these are really good tips and if you ever want to buy a car, as for me at Gallagher Buick GMC in New Britian, CT. We have the lowest prices in our region and I'll take time to make sure you go through the process correctly.
Miguel A. Rios hi brother
I'd love a video on leasing a car. I get most of the benefits of owning vs. leasing, but I've contemplated leasing for the simplicity of it not being mine.
This is my first time watching one of your videos. Subscribed.
I have a car story. When I was younger my mom was going to help me purchase a car, we were going 50/50. She didn't want to go though a dealership since we didn't have that much money. She found a car that a gentleman was selling and I entrusted her with my money; I figured she knew what she was doing since she was much more adulty than myself. Well we paid the money and took the car. Immediately it needed repairs which I paid for and then after when I attempted to register the car I found out it had a lean on the title so we couldn't legally own the car. Now since my mother had made the purchase I asked her to take the man to court. Which she never did and so we ended up both out of money
When looking around dealerships for cars, don't give them your cell number unless you want them to call you. They will call and they will call often.
Personally I recommend going with a three-year loan rather than a five-year loan for your car. If you end up with problems with your car that make it unusable and you still owe money on it that can be a real mess. The shorter loan term means less time for that to be a possibility. It also means paying less in interest over the life of the loan. And because the payments will be larger on the shorter loan term it helps keep you from buying more car than you can really afford. If things change and you really do have to have the smaller payments of the five-year loan you can always refinance later into a longer term, and maybe even get a better deal on the rates than you could before.
I bought a VS Holden Ute for $200 and I’m planning to put a simple LS in it.
I just bought a car yesterday! but better late than never :D
Ford Angela? You dropped the ball, you two!
Side note: Extremely informative.
that standby screen looks like something from fallout
Dead Reckoning or the Landmaster, perhaps?
I just bought a 2000 Subaru Outback as my 'first' (recent) car. I'm sure the AWD will be helpful come winter.
do a HTA taking care of your car please
#protip: Open a savings account right now and deposit the equivalent of a reasonable car payment into it each month. That way, all your car payments are paid forward instead of backward, you don't have to pay interest on any loans, and you can buy all your cars with cash.
If you can't save a payment per month before you get the car how are you going to make that payment every month after? Great advice!
I can't learn how to drive, until I buy a car how will this affect auto insurance. I need help I've taken classes but need to just drive on the road naturally to pass the test
I would like a episode about leasing.
Arthur Weasley's old car is my favorite. :p
A lease is probably the worst way to buy a car. what is particularly unappealing to me is that a lot of leases require that you don't go above a certain mileage.
$20 per $1000 price. That trick actually works for mortgage payments too.
Yes
I negotiated the price of the car to include license and registration + taxes
Ecto 1. aka the Ghostbuster's ambulance
so, do you have to buy cars in dealerships in the US?
A good job for you? Have you thought about marketing? It's very creative, every business needs it so you can pick a product or service you like and believe in, there's a lot of interesting writing and problem solving, and the pay's good :)
You should be a librarian, Mike! :)
High school guidance counselor!
talk about leasing!
TY !
Hi I just turned 16 got my drivers license and I want to buy a car I had my eye on since I was 9 the is car 153000k should I buy it or get something cheaper? Do you think i should pay it in cash or should I do it another way thx
Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo
College advisor, maybe admissions counselor. Oooh! 7th grade English teacher!!!
Mike, I don't even know what kind of 9-to-5 job I would be good at, so I'm sorry but I can't help with that. O_O
You could totally teach a financial literacy program for a credit union... Basically teach all of these skills to students! Check out CU4Reality!
I strongly recommend "Don't Get Taken Every Time" by Remar Sutton as a guide for buying cars. I used his book to buy my first new car. Please, please, please do not buy a car that is older than you are. I work as a contractor for a company that takes complaints from people who do not adult very well. A ridiculous number buy really old cars from dealers and then are shocked, SHOCKED! when they have multiple, expensive mechanical issues. People don't get rid of 10-year old cars because they are problem-free and most used car dealers do not repair cars before they are sold. My sister works as a contractor for a government agency. They have a list serve for people who are buying or selling cars because people are constantly being transferred over-seas or just out of the area and are looking to get rid of cars.
No Car loans!! No Car loans!!
TheKchar Yes. Yes. YEEEESSSSS! Always paid cash for cars!
Jo Norman What if you don't have 40k of spare cash?
Alexandre Boucher Don't buy a 40k car. There are lots of used, reliable cars that are way way way below 40k.
Never trust first months interest free or zero money down. NEVER.
FLYING FORD ANGLIA FTW!!!!!
Id like a Furrarri, a fuzzy Ferrari!
I would like to know about leasing please. ;)
Thank you
But but but but but i wanna lease because its cheaper :c
35k loan = 620$ a month! OMGGG
I could see you being like a teacher, an accountant, or some kind of compliance person. Now I'm curious as to why you're asking....
ToniMorgan14 A fair question. :] I'm going to continue writing novels and doing How to Adult, of course. But I'm looking for a more day job-y situation for a few reasons:
1. Dolla billz, y'all: My wife and I want to start a family soon and can't currently afford to do so.
2. The people: Both of my jobs are super isolating, which I've found is pretty nasty for my mental health.
3. Expanded horizons: I like new challenges. After completing 2 novels with HarperCollins, and making 100+ RUclips videos, I'm ready to see what else I can do.
Thanks for the tips!
- Mike
PS - Oh Lordy, I would be the world's worst accountant. :D
:D Good luck! You'll have to let us know what you end up doing and teaching us about that!
TARDIS!!!!!
Does that count as a vehicle or a lifestyle?
I just bought my first car all on my own a week and a half ago! You're a week and a half late! >_
Oh god, we had that exact same programmable typewriter at my office.
Of course, no-one wanted to be bothered to learn how to programm it, so that was my task.
And, without failure, twice a day this older lady, who refused to learn how to do anything with it, would speed-type on it and hit a wrong key in combination with the F-key. She couldn't tell me what exactly she'd done, but it was my responsebility to fix it.
An hour of guess-gaming later I'd figured it out and could go back to my normal work - only to be called back 10 minutes later for the exact same problem.
A good example of adults failing to adult - which you will sadly encounter in day-to-day life.
would it be possible to include additional content on purchasing cars not from a new dealer. Like a used car lot or just a neighbor/craigslist add (even the black market ;) ) i would love to hear more about that. great vid!
Taking out a loan is NOT BUYING! Putting people I debt is not helping them be adult, jerks! If you can not afford a car do not buy it. Purchase a clunker and save up for a car! That is called being responsible I.E. A mature ADULT!
. only easy way to buy a car is to buy one from ur neighbor or some shit.
Cringeeeeeee
A good idea so you can eventually pay cash for your car is to pay yourself a car payment into a savings account every month for a while leading up to the purchase. Then sell your current car, add your savings & buy a better car. Eventually you'll be in a pretty good place! =]
...says the woman who just bought a car and is now very poor because her former car died earlier than expected, but hey- I had that money saved so I wasn't stranded!
-maggie.
macmarge sounds like the Dave Ramsey plan. I recommend that too. I feel avoiding debt is always a great plan. I have had too many problems with debt in the past and have made a commitment to never borrow any new money. The borrower is slave to the lender.
NEVER BUY NEW!!! Classic cars DO increase in value. :) If you can't afford to make a payment into your savings every month to save up for a car how are you going to afford a payment when you get the car? And always be prepared to walk away.
Also dealers make more money off of the financing than from the car itself, that means they have no incentive to stock plain Jane cars for people trying to save by paying cash. Cars with all of the bells and whistles are much more appealing to gullible people who borrow the full amount even though the electronic doodads will be going to heck long before it's paid off. And with the infotainment systems in cars, they are outdated when they are new compared to your cellphone, but you will be replacing the phone every year or two, you'll be paying for the car for six years.
I'm surprised you didn't include tips of how to negotiate. (attitude, how to go about it, phrases that would help/hurt)
I found that I needed to have a definitive reasons for why I wanted a price lower, and a specific amount for each reason.
Ex. I want $620 off because the car has 62 miles on it from strangers test driving it. The dealer said yes every time I did this, and I ended up saving about $5,000 before he realized what I was doing. It's like nickel and dimming the dealer, but in reverse.
Hey there & hello! Want to give me job suggestions? Feel free to put them in a reply to this comment! :D
- Mike
How to Adult content manager. Also drop the catchphrase stick...it isn't doing it for you.
How to Adult Clearly you have writing and presentation chops. Something in journalism, then?
How to Adult
Maybe work at a college or university. You're teaching us How to Adult here, and at those places you can teach people 'how to adult' over there.
How to Adult it totally depends on what job you want and what you're qualified for. I know next to nothing about you. Do you have a degree in something? I recommend going to webpages that tell you what kind of jobs you can do with a degree and going from there. If you're a recent graduate, your college or university probably has a special counseling office that can help you with job searching, starting with self-exploration to figure out what you want out of a job. I also recommend looking into your MBTI which can be done for free online (though the paid tests are more in-depth) and once you have your type in mind, you can read up on what's important to a person like that. When I took the Meyers Briggs through my university, they even had a list of suggested careers that match or mesh well with my type. (I'm INTP)
How to Adult You should definitely be a used car salesman. Or a girl scout cookie salesman. Or an adorable puppy salesman (and by sales I mean free. Free adoption for all puppies. And older dogs. All dogs.)
This is going to sound irresponsible and non-adult, but when you're doing your research, allow yourself some weight on how much you *like* the car. You'll probably be sitting in it for several hours a week over the course of many years so it's important to get one that you like to be in and you shouldn't feel bad if the one you like isn't the one with the best grade from Consumer Reports or Motor Trend.
Every car has a slightly different driving position and every person has a slightly different body. No car review is going to be able to tell you if you will feel comfortable in one car vs. another.
I actually really agree with this. I bought a car that doesn't get good ratings by car websites (A Jeep Compass) but I don't care because I LOVE my car. I live an hour away from my University and a half hour away from work. I spend up to 15 hours a week in my car and I love my car. We're perfect for each other. Get the car that fits YOU not some car reporter on a car website.
Seriously how the heck have I NOT come across this channel?!?! Instead of reading some boring book I would much rather watch your videos! :D YAY for learning everything that my parents/school never taught me!
Tip: Many dealerships have "new graduate" incentives. If you have graduated from college within the last year or two your local car lot may cut you some slack on the purchase price. I brought in my diploma and they knocked almost two grand off my '09 civic. Fuel efficient and never gave me any mechanical problems too this day. So, yeah. Just ask. Hope this helps.
+nunavyour biznas Oh, and to answer your other request; KITT.
Protip from my dad. When buying a used car make sure you get one that you know you can easily get parts for if something goes wrong. If the nearest dealer is hundreds of miles away it can be a hassle to get things done.
Can you do a video explaining choosing the right health plan? I was presented with two options through my work and it took forever to choose - deductibles are confusing!
Maybe you should do a video "Why Buy a Car?"
I have my own rules for car ownership (I was 33 when I was able to afford my first 5 year old car, I drove it for 8).
1. Do you have a savings account with actual savings in it? Nope? No car.
2. Buying a car means writing a cheque for it. No loans!
3. The day you buy your car, start saving for the next one. I got my second car in 2008 (a 2005 model I felt like a millionaire driving a 3 YEAR OLD CAR!) and immediately started saving for car 2017. I might not replace my car when it dies, but elect to join a car share service.
4. Consider a car sharing service if you only drive occasionally.
Every car I own I bought used in a private party transaction, usually on Craigslist. And I have a lot of cars...
2005 Dodge Magnum RT (daily driver)
2001 Dodge Ram 4x4 with plow (plow truck, winter truck, off-roader)
1979 Chevy Malibu (toy, previous daily driver)
1987 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 (wife's car, winter-mobile)
1997 Ford E-350 box truck (driveable storage shed)
1957 M62 Military Crane Truck 6x6 (good for moving heavy things around)
1981 Case 580D Backhoe (good for digging and moving dirt)
All are in very good mechanical condition. Combined purchase price for all of those over several years: under $30k
I have saved untold thousands contacting people on Craigslist, educating myself on mechanical necessities, and making educated decisions - not risk-free decisions, mind you, but educated, and profitable ones. I have saved untold thousands maintaining and repairing said vehicles myself, and I have saved untold thousands on top of that by purchasing vehicles to do jobs I would normally have to pay some contractor or company to do.
All of those untold thousands are cash in my pocket. I would think this type of thinking deserves, at the very least, an honorable mention in your video.
What kind of car is cheapest will depend on your area. I personally live in a "up and coming" (I guess) area, and many dealers list way over MSRP - especially with used cars. There are many lower end new cars that are cheaper than what you'd find used around me. On that note, if you find a make/model you like, it's also worth it to look online for dealerships 1-2 hours away that might have the car you want for cheaper.
I just came across you guys Channel and I'm super grateful because I'm 19 and now learning how to adult 😂
I understand why you guys skipped leasing as an option - in the big picture, it's absolutely not the best option for long-term financial investment. However, it would have been nice if you had mentioned the two cases in which it IS a good option - one, for someone who doesn't have sufficient money for a down payment, but does have a steady income, and has a good credit rating; two, if it's important to you to have a new car, not worry about long-term maintenance, and have a good credit rating.
Let me use my mom and I as examples. My mother has a steady job, great savings, and has reached a point in her life where dealing with the inevitabilities of car ownership (new tires, burnt-out tail lights) are more frustrating than she wants to deal with. Because her finances are already all set, she's not too concerned about the most efficient use of her money.
For me, my 9-year-old, 124k mile car died just a few months in to my new job. I'd taken great care of it, but the transmission had just had enough. I'd cleared out my savings relocating for my new job, so I only had a few hundred for down payment (The old car was literally only worth scrap). While it likely isn't the best long-term financial decision, leasing gave me a much better deal than buying (and it's so cool to have a car with working breaks. Really! They stop all the way! Every time!). Leasing allowed options for both a lower down payment and a lower monthly payment. Of course, I don't "get" anything for my car, which kills some of the capitalist part of my soul. However, to get ownership on a car that was equivalent would have required a much higher down payment or much (much!) larger monthly payment. To keep my monthly payment, I would have had to settle for a car that didn't have the characteristics I wanted.
Also, with some of the legal changes to leases, they're not nearly as bad of a deal as they used to be. In particular, a lot of the old conventional wisdom on residuals was blown out the window by the laws enacted by the bailout.. They're still not a *great* plan for most folks in most situations, but they're different than they used to be. I think they'd be a cool topic for a video. (How the assumed residual played in to my monthly payment took a couple rounds of math to make sense to me, and I literally have a master's degree in Engineering).
i went back to find out if this video existed and i am so happy it does, especially since the howtogrowthefuckup tumblr's only car-related guide is about how to winterproof your vehicle and i live in california... but my car was having a lot of issues remembering how to car and it turned out to be a supposedly simple fix but when i got it back today it still doesn't feel 100% back to normal so i'm worried there's a more expensive issue coming in the future and this is the car that i've been driving since i was 16 ("borrowing" it from my grandparents after it hadn't been driven in 5 years) and i'm 23 now and my mom and grandpa still pay the insurance and whatnot... i'm very gradually becoming an adult lol
Oh, and, while negotiating, it's good to think about tires.
IDK whether or not you Americans use different summer & winter tires with different grains, or just all-year-all-weather tires on your cars.
The all-year-ones: Can't hurt to have a spare set somewhere in your garage.
In case of changing summer and winter tires based on time of the year: Storage? Do you have it? If not - your mechanic probably offers that. See if he doesn't throw that into the deal.
Or, if you're buying a car with summer tires, see if he doesn't include winter ones in the deal and vice versa.
Tires use up over time, so the more you can haggle the better.
Buying used cars - there is a ton of TV shows where so-called "pros" go car hunting for participants of the show.
Watch some of those for a couple of weeks before you go to pick up on such hints as:
Are all the gaps in the car body (hood, trunk, doors, roof-to-body) still symmetrical. If not - this could mean the car's been in an accident.
Check if the underside is smeared with black oil - a common tactic to hide rust. Are the tires shiny? Might be silicone spray to bump up old tires to make them look like new.