What all do I need to buy a car???

Question

I am 19 years old and I have to look for a car on my own .
I dont no where to start and I have no one to help me buy one.
So I need some help on getting started!!

Answer 1

You need to find out how much you can afford. Try http://bankrate.com they have auto loan calculators to help. If you belong to a credit union you can let them know you’re looking for a pre-approved auto loan. You can also use places like capital one auto finance if you don't want to use the auto dealer’s lenders.

Try to stay away from small used car sales places and look for more reputable dealer with certified pre-owned vehicles. It's sad but some auto dealers may try to take advantage of you because you are young and a female. Try to get a guy friend, your brother or other family member to go with you. They don't have to know a lot about cars. Have them ask questions like gas milage, saftey rating etc.

Do not impulse buy. Don't buy a car because it's cool or is a color you like. Buy a vehicle that suites your needs, if you need 4-wheel drive, etc. Don't feel like you have to buy the 1st car you see. Take a few days, test drive cars. If you don't understand something ask questions.

Finally after you've decided on a vehicle you'd like to purchase discuss manufactures warrantees and extended warrantees and use other web resources like http://www.carfax.com to verify the car has not been damaged previously.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Here are two resources for you:

Consumer Reports (NOT Consumer Digest!)
www.Edmunds.com

Consumer Reports does not take advertising dollars, and tests most consumer products sold in the US--including cars. Look for a good used car (a lease return of a Toyota or Honda is a great place to start). Shop on a Sunday at the end of the month. If it's raining or snowing, all the better. Sales people and managers are very ready to make deals on those days.

Edmunds has a lot of information on car prices and what you can expect to pay for new/used cars in your area. These are general, and a lot depends on the condition of the car, options, where you are, the make/model of the car, and the year of the car.

Avoid small used car lots--you can easily get ripped off at one of these. And, you don't know the condition of the car, if it's been in an accident, etc. If you go to a Toyota or Honda dealer, you can get a pretty good deal on a lease return, and even get a warranty on it up to 100,000 miles. You're more assured of getting a car that will last and will give you fewer headaches in the long run.

Make it a fun experience, and see what kind of great deal you can get on a car!

Answer 3

Hopefully you are working or have some money because you really haven't had time to establish any credit. Though there are some new car companies that will give you a credit break if you are a working student.

Take your time. Look around to see what you like and, more importantly, what you can afford. Once you find something, go to kelleybluebook.com with the year, make, and model to see what the appropriate selling price for that car is.

And don't forget that you'll need auto insurance. Contact an agent, perhaps your parents' agent, to see if he will insure it and see what the premium would be for the car you are considering. Consider that premium a MUST in your budget. If you can't afford it, look for a cheaper car and just get liability insurance on it.

Good luck.

Answer 4

well, you need to pull your credit report and make sure there's nothing negative on there. You can do this by going to www.annualcreditreport.com.

once you find a car, you will need proof of income, current, valid insurance, and other things, like a list of references(people who will speak highly of you)

if you're getting a newer vehicle, you'll need a down payment. This could vary. Depending on the dealership and your credit rating, this could be a couple of hundred dollars, or a couple thousand.

if you do find a car you like, before anything else, look it up on kelley blue book. www.kbb.com this site will tell you how much the car is actually worth.

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

pay it all off with cash straight up. maybe you can get lucky and the guy will bring down the price-no joke. never buy a brand new car b/c once it leaves the car dealers place the price of the car goes down by 60% or so. buy a used car thats 2yrs old.

Answer 6

find out what you can afford monthly. take into consideration that you will also be paying car ins., and for a 19yr old it's usually higher than the car payment. You will also most likely need a co-signer, so check with any relative or close friend to see if they'd co-sign a loan for you.

for cars, i'd start with toyotas, hondas, subarus.

Answer 7

You will need to do quite a bit of research as you don't want anyone to rip you off. You need a budget to start with and then research online under something like the Which website. Good luck.

Answer 8

Money