Tuesday, February 24, 2009

In Search for a Car or Truck

I've been searching for a car or truck for one of my family members. Because of e-mail, I've found that it's quite easy to shop around and get quotes. You simply find some dealers in your local area, ask them for their best price, and then compare all of them. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Well, it's not always that simple. You have to think about the exterior color, the trim, the sound system, the interior color, window treatments, and so many other options.

Pickup trucks can be especially difficult to choose because of the different specs found on Ford, Honda, Chevrolet, Toyota, GM, Nissan, etc. You want to find something that will suit your needs without guzzling gas. Fortunately, gas prices have been coming down a bit. However, there's no way of knowing whether they will stay low or suddenly shoot back up. Once the summer hits, I won't be surprised if the gas prices exceed $3/gallon again. I've also been looking at some of the smaller SUV series made by Lexus, Acura, and BMW. I doubt I'll go with an SUV since I really need the features of a truck. Well, since I'm not shopping for myself, I suppose it really isn't about what I need or want. If it were up to me, I think I'd go with a luxury hybrid. I really like the principle of a hybrid, but I just wonder about their long-term reliability. If I were to lease an SUV, I think I'd definitely go with a hybrid since I doubt I'd run into any major problems in two years. I know several people who have the Toyota Prius and they love having a vehicle that only needs to be filled up every month (they don't have much of a commute). My commute isn't that long either, so sometimes I think about getting a Segway personal transporter. If I still lived in the city, I'd definitely invest in a Segway.

Lease or buy? Well, have you done all your research? I've been looking at different manufacturers for several months now. I like Subaru, but they don't make trucks (anymore, if you count the Baja as a truck). I've been looking at domestic trucks as well as imports. You can get a really good lease for 0% APR from several different companies. To purchase a Honda or Toyota (some of the most popular brands), you can expect to find APRs of 3-6%. A website like thecarconnection.com can be very useful when you're doing research. I also use Edmunds.com and Yahoo! autos when I'm looking up car specs.

This blog entry is brought to you by your friends at www.thecarconnection.com

1 comment:

  1. I also find car connection to be a good source in searching for cars you wanted to buy or lease. They provide great car reviews.

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