Buying a Car : Know what you need first…
Well, as it turns out, figuring out the difference between our needs and wants was tricky but fun!
Budgeting for a car
At first, we considered our budget. I didn’t want to commit to huge monthly payments for the next couple of years as our main goal is to OWE 0. We had 3K set aside to purchase a 3K car so I told my husband that if the car would cost us 3K in payments for the year, I would be comfortable with that. With a budget of $250 a month, my husband and I realized that there were many many options available to us. Wouhou! Exciting!!
Making a list of basic needs and wants.
I need a safe car. Seems pretty self evident but after driving around for the last year in a car that had bad brakes, a faulty battery, a leaking radiator and a gas pedal that would stay stuck in cold weather…. safety was my top priority. I also really wanted a sun roof or a convertible of some sort… hey a girl can dream right?
Francis (my husband) needed something pretty robust with lots of storage space because he carries tools around for his work. (He is a self-employed handy man and he specializes in the installation of kitchen cabinets and other custom built-in furniture). He also wanted a sporty car with Mag Wheels…. go figure.
My son just wanted to have a back door and window that opened and closed properly… both back doors on the Jetta were locked shut and one of the windows was also locked in place. We called it the ultimate in child lock safety. The only way for him to get out was through the front doors. (Sigh…)
Considering our options
So at first, we thought about getting a minivan (safe and roomy but no sun roof and not sporty) perhaps like a Mazda MPV or maybe a small SUV… Those were easy to find… We almost bought a Jeep Cherokee but the dealer sold it on the day we were coming by to have it tested. (The Universe was watching out for us because the Cherokee would have been a really bad choice for us and for the Planet… Cherokees are gas guzzlers doncha know?)
To be added to our needs list - Fuel economy, and fun!
After getting over the frustration of not getting the Cherokee and then the realization that I would have to start looking for another car to buy… I got sidetracked and started day dreaming. All of a sudden, I was convinced that I wanted to have a red Jeep. I’ve always wanted one and I figured why not have what I’ve always wanted… major sunroof possibilities. I even convinced my husband that we could get a little trailer to hook up to my (err… our) jeep and we could get it stickered up for his business. Makes sense right?
