Got a New Car? The First Steps Needed to Take Right After

It is always exciting to buy a new car, especially if this is your first car. You do need to take a few important steps before hitting the road in your vehicle. In fact, the following steps should be taken right after purchasing your new car.

Transfer The Title

You need to ensure the dealership signs the title over to you. This way, you have legal documents stating you are the new owner of the car. If you are financing the car, the dealership may have to send the title to your state agency.

Register The Car

Your car cannot legally be driven until it is registered. Depending on how you purchased the car, you can register it with the dealership or the Department of Motor Vehicles. Place your registration in your glove compartment for easy access.

Maintain Your Car

It is important to have the car inspected for any issues, especially if it is a used car. You can talk to your dealership about having a mechanic inspect your vehicle. Owning a car also means taking care of routine maintenance, such as oil changes.

Make Necessary Repairs

The last thing you want is a car that is not safe or possible to drive. This is why you must make the necessary repairs as soon as possible. Remember that mechanical repairs are more important than cosmetic repairs because this could be a safety hazard.

Obtain Auto Insurance

It is illegal to drive your car without auto insurance. If you get into an accident, you also need to take care of the out-of-pocket costs for repairs. It is important to insure your car before driving it, which you can do with local companies such as Mike Pierce Insurance.

Read The Manual

Reading the owner's manual is important for learning how your car works. While you may not want to sit down and read every page of the owner's manual, you need to at least scan the manual for important information.

Learn The Features

In addition to reading the manual, you also want to take a hands-on approach to learn the features of your car. You need to know how to activate features such as your turn signal, windshield wipers, and headlights. It is also important to learn how the dashboard warning lights work.

After you take the above steps and ensure your car is safe and ready, you can hit the road and show off your new vehicle. These beginning steps will help driving be both safe and enjoyable for all.

How To Save Money And Make An Old Car Work For You

If you're living a thrifty lifestyle now with an eye to building up a comfortable cash cushion or saving for an anticipated expense, and your ego doesn't have to live in the driveway waiting for another wash & wax session, an older car can help you reach that goal.

The Financial Advantages of Older Cars

There are many different ways that older cars cost much less than newer models do. Here are just a few of those different reasons as to why having an older car can play to your advantage:

• The insurance payments are much lower, since you're insuring a smaller investment, even with the same coverage.
• Interest on a $3,000 auto loan is quite a bit less than the interest on a $30,000 auto loan.
• Older cars are simpler and easier to work on yourself.
• Liability insurance is a tempting option because you've got less to lose if you do total the car.
• People driving a Ferrari are projecting an image, and that's expensive to live up to. People driving a '97 Toyota don't feel the same pressure to spend.

If you picked your care carefully, it's entirely possible to keep it running until you retire, and maintenance on it, even when you replace an engine, will cost you much less than loan or lease payments will. 

Careful model selection is much easier with older cars. They have a history that can be checked online. It's a good sign if they have an avid fan club 20 years later.

The Downsides of Older Cars

The worst thing to ever happen to an old-car enthusiast was the Cash For Clunkers program in the late 2000s. A huge majority of the older cars that were running fine disappeared off of the market forever. 

Finding replacement parts can be tricky. You'll have to shop around for some of the rarer parts. If you can't find a part that you need anywhere, try the junkyards. 

Call around to check availability. Some junkyards will insist on pulling the part themselves, but others have a 'U Pull & Pay' policy that will save you even more money.

If you're lucky enough to find a model older than 2000, you can learn to do much of the repair and maintenance yourself, saving even more money. 

Shop manuals for the older models can be found in thrift stores, libraries, and sometimes even online. It doesn't have to be pretty to get you into a Classic Cars Club, and the other members will have valuable advice for you.

5 Common Mistakes Made When Purchasing a Car on Finance

Most people will need to acquire finance to purchase a car. The main thing to remember is not to borrow more than you can easily repay. People can be seduced by the sight of a gleaming new car and the talents of a creative sales person and end up signing up for a car and a loan that is beyond their means to repay. Do not be talked into buying something you can’t afford and end up being the victim of bad credit car loans as it will take some time to repair a bad credit rating.

Here are 5 mistakes to avoid when you are buying a car on finance.

Not Doing the Research

The biggest mistake you can make is to go car hunting without doing the research. There is a wealth of free information available on the internet that can guide you to make a smart car purchase. Research as much as you can. Find out what others are saying about different makes and models. Consumer advocacy bodies will usually post warnings about negative experiences. Check out blogs, forums and also websites published by roadside assistance groups. Avoid buying a lemon by doing your research online.

Letting Emotions Rules

Buying a car is exciting and it is easy to get caught up in your emotions at the sight of a shiny new car. A good car dealer will realise this and they will leverage your desires to try and convince you to buy. This is where your research comes into play. Remember what you have discovered on the internet. Be swayed by facts not by your imagination. While it’s normal to get excited about buying a car, make sure you keep that excitement well hidden from the salesperson. Be prepared to walk away from a car and you will be in a stronger position to negotiate price and to analyse if a certain car is really what you need.

Buying a New Car

A new car will depreciate in value the moment it leaves the showroom. If you buy a new car on finance you are not only making the monthly repayments, you are also losing a certain amount each month in depreciation, which can add up to a lot of money. While buying a new car may be appealing, you will save on depreciation by buying a second hand car. 

Thinking in Monthly Repayments

Car dealers will often try to talk you into a car by framing it in terms of the amount you will need to repay each month: “for only $300 a month you can have this”. Keep your focus on the purchase price and how much you are willing to pay in total. 

Buying Extras

A car dealer worth their salt will try and talk you into buying add-ons, many of which you don’t really need. They will wax lyrical about the benefits of window tinting, leather seats and an alarm system. Don’t be tricked into this.

How to Save Money on a Car

Buying a new car can be exciting, but it can also be a bit confusing if you don’t really know what kind of car you are after, or if you’re trying to buy it on a budget. As you get older, the things that you need from your car might change.

Do your research before you go to the dealership

Do your research before you go to the dealership and try and decide on a make a model of car that you want to buy, so that you could possibly haggle on the price if you need to or feel comfortable enough to do it. Don’t let yourself be bullied into buying a better model if you can’t afford it.

Buying a new car or a used one?

Perhaps one of the first decisions that anyone will make when it’s time to buy a new set of wheels is whether they want to buy a new car, or one that has been already owned by someone else. While lots of us may wish that we could afford to buy new, buying a used one could save you a lot of money, and, you may also be able to part-exchange your old car to help cover the cost. 

Think about size

Think about the size of the car that you want too. If your family is no longer young, then you may be able to buy a smaller car than you have been able to in the past, which could end up being cheaper for you. However, you should keep in mind that your family may expand if your children decide to have kids of their own, that you might wish to take on car journeys.

Shop around to get a good deal on the insurance

When it comes to getting the insurance on the car, shop around and make sure that you get the best deal for you.

Choose the time of year carefully

If you can manage to wait before you buy your new car, wait until dealers are selling off their models cheaper to make way for new ones. This isn’t always possible if your old car suddenly becomes no longer road worthy, but if you can wait, it can help save you money.

Finally, make sure that you take care not to overspend on the cost of your car and make sure that you still have savings left afterwards.

Buy or Lease? Which is Best?

It’s the classic dilemma that faces every auto-consumer out there: Pay cash upfront or forego the ownership and pay monthly settlements instead? Buy or lease for a new set of wheels?


As is the case with every other common dilemma, there is no slam-dunk answer. Each option has its own benefits and drawbacks, and it all depends on a set of financial and personal considerations.


First, your finances. Affordability is clearly key, and you need to ask the question of how stable is your job and how healthy is your general financial situation. The short-term monthly-cost of leasing is significantly lower than the monthly payments when buying: you only pay for “the portion” of the vehicle’s cost that you use up during the time you drive it. 

If you have a lot of cash upfront, then you can opt to pay the down payment, sales taxes - in cash or rolled into a loan - and the interest rate determined by your loan company. Buying effectively gives you ownership of the car and that feeling of “free driving” that goes on providing transportation. If, say, you want to get into luxury models but can’t afford the upfront cash of purchasing the vehicle than you’re a good candidate for leasing.

Unlike buying, it gives you the option of not having to fork out the down payment upfront, leaving you to pay a lower money factor that is generally similar to the interest rate on a financing loan. However, these benefits have a price: terminating a lease early or defaulting on your monthly lease payments will result in stiff financial penalties and can ruin your credit. You need to make sure you carve out the monthly lease payment in your budget for the foreseeable future, at least for the duration of the lease. 

Besides the financial aspect, making a buy or lease decision depends on your own particular lifestyle choices and preferences. Think about what the car means to you: are you the sort of person to bond with the car or would you rather have the excitement of something new? If you want to drive a car for more than fives years, negotiate carefully and buy the car you like. If, on the other hand, you don’t like the idea of ownership and 
prefer to drive a new car every two to three years then you should lease. 

Next, factor your transportation needs: How many miles do you drive a year? How properly do you maintain your cars? If you answer is: “I drive 40,000 miles a year and I don’t really care much about my cars as I don’t mind dealing with repair bills”, then you’re probably better off buying. Leasing is based on the assumption of limited-mileage, usually no more than 12,000 to 15,000 miles a year, and wear-and-tear considerations. 

Unless you can keep within the prescribed mileage limits and keep the car in a good condition at the end of your lease, you might incur hefty end-of-lease costs.

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Find the Best Value for the Money When Shopping for a Car

Ford Fiesta (Photo credit: Wikipedia)The value of a new car can fall quite quickly, which is why it's important to look for designs that will age well and retain their initial value. Although flashy, sleek cars are fun to purchase and drive, those that are most likely to mature and stay in high demand over the years are better value. The following are a few features to look for in a new car when you want to get the most out of your investment. 

Resale Value

One thing to think about is how easy it will be to resell your vehicle. For example, the Ford Fiesta is consistently ranked the most popular car amongst British consumers. When you look at a Ford Fiesta review, you'll usually see mention of this fact, along with the fact that it is moderately priced to begin with. Minis are another enduringly popular car, and they hold 54% of their value after three years. Keep this in mind when you are researching your options, because cars that are popular with consumers in your area will be easier to sell. 

Fuel Economy

Fuel efficiency is a factor that is consistently improving all the time. Choosing a car that offers 30 mpg or better is a good way to save money overall, because you will sink less into the cost of fuel over time. Although hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius offer excellent mileage, there is a wide range of vehicles that meet this need, of all shapes and sizes. The Smart car offers excellent fuel efficiency, as does the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

By looking at the cost of running a car as well as what its resale value will look like over time, you can choose the best value for your money.

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