Car Buying 101: The Decision, the Big Step

So, you've decided to make the leap and buy that new car and take advantage of the "clunker" or CARS. Well, you are not the only person who has made that decision. At the moment, there are an estimated 250,000 of you who have made the decision to use the "clunker" program and buy a vehicle to replace a low-mileage, older car or truck.

What should you do first? The best place to start is with a look at what you are going to be doing with the vehicle. Is it a work vehicle or will it be a family hauler ? Or, will a sedan do the trick ?

Once you've made that fateful decision, the next one will follow. If it's a truck and you like a certain brand, GMC, for example, then you're likely to be headed with your "clunker" to a GMC dealer. That's pretty simple, especially if you're need a pickup. But, what happens if you want a smaller Sports Utility (now called a Crossover), then the universe opens and you can go just about any dealer, although a good choice would be the Mazda CX-9.

Then, it's just a matter of negotiating the final price, getting your scrap value for your "clunker" and applying any vouchers, plus the federal money.

What the "Cars for Clunkers" program has done has taken a lot of the legwork out of your quest for the perfect vehicle. It has made it a pretty straight-line proposition.

However, if you are having trouble finding just the right vehicle, you might want to look at some of the sites out there such as Edmunds.com or Autotrader.com where you will find information on vehicles. Even AOL is offering a car evaluation service.

All of these services, plus the more traditional mailers and the sales pamphlets available at the dealership will help you make your "Big Step."