Cars

Man, if there's something that drives me nuts is buying a car. I have to admit, I'm a bit schizophrenic when I deal with cars. On the one hand, I'm very practical, never 'trick out' or 'soup up' my car, get custom anything, or worry too much about status. On the other hand, I really like the art and look and feel of a car, that it's a reflection of me, that I spend each and every day either looking at, cleaning up, driving in, or paying for ... my car.

I've had 5 cars now, each of them brand spanking new. I never could get into a used car, despite the money savings and practicality. I bought (well my Dad did) my first car when I was just 16 years old, it was a sports car, probably a bit much for such a young kid. That car lasted 10 years and I really loved it. My next car, I leased myself. I had a good job and could afford it, and it was really great. It was another sports car, and I loved that as well. The lease ran out after 5 years, so I then leased an SUV, because now I was married and had a young child. When that lease ran out after 4 years, I bought another SUV, and I had been driving that ever since (about 8 years) ... well just a day or so ago.

So, now, I've been in an SUV for the past 12 years, and you get used to the height, weight, heft, and awful gas mileage. So when it was time to get a new car, I really wanted a change. Get some better gas mileage, maybe get a sports car. So, in my duality, the choice came down to a Toyota Prius and a Hyundai Sonata SE. Yes, two totally different cars.

I liked the Prius because of it's popularity, practicality, mileage, and environmental concern. I didn't like the styling, the lack of space, the lack or power, the cost, and the battery concerns. I liked the Sonata because of the styling, value, feature set, engine, spaciousness, and look and feel. I didn't like the name brand, that it was gas powered, and a little 'showy'. In the end, I got the Sonata, I could have either way. It all boiled down to the salespeople and dealership. Whoever earned my business, by treating me just like a good salesperson should, would win out. And the Hyundai folks were low-pressure, easy going, and gave me pretty close to exactly what I wanted. Sure, I bent a little, but in the end, I was very happy.

If you're shopping for a new car, be armed with information. Use the following websites and services to make sure you're getting a good deal.

www.truecar.com : Go here first, so you understand exactly how much people in your area, your regional, and nation pay for your car and features. This is a great site.

www.taxandtags.com : Go here to calculate tax, license, etc. to get an idea of the total cost of your car "out-the-door"

www.carsdirect.com : Go here and if the price looks great, have the rep do the work for you. I did both, actually. I had carsdirect work on finding me a car at their specified price, and I went into the deal armed with that information, as well as the info from the first two sites, and made sure I was inline.

www.kbb.com : Of course, if you're going to trade your car in, check the value so you don't get robbed.

In the end, a little bit of work, saves a lot of money, and gives you the peace of mind that you made an educated and informed decision. And it is interesting in my case, that even with all of the data and numbers, it really came down to something as simple as "how I was treated" by the dealership. I walked into several places, and never got that vibe or connection, that first time slice to tell me yes or no, good or bad. Once I got it, and the numbers worked, I knew I made a great decision.

Peace and Happiness, and happy car shopping ... to all of you! :)