Many factors go into price of a vehicle
Posted Mar 11, 2010 By Brian Turner
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Tweet ThisEMC Lifestyle - The following is the third part of a series on buying a first car.
So far we've looked at the reasons for buying a car, how to determine what type of vehicle is right for you, and ran down the pros and cons of new versus used. How about we add some dollar values to the equation? Disclaimer, when it comes to discussing vehicle prices and liability insurance costs, figures can vary wildly. Almost everyone you'll talk to has a story of a great deal like that $1,500 car they bought and drove for 10 years and never put a dime into. Like most urban legends, when you dig a little deeper their tall tales tend to fall apart.
The best thing available today for pricing used (and new) vehicles are great web-sites like www.autotrader.ca or www.driving.ca. In minutes you can browse through hundreds of vehicles and get a really good idea of how much your dream machine is going to set you back. A helpful tip here is to remember the major price differences a small item like a trim level designation can create. For example a DX level Honda Civic has fewer features and equipment than a LX which has less than an EX and all are topped in price by the Si level. If creature comforts like power windows and air conditioning aren't of much bother to you, then shop for the best price.
But if you'd like all the extras, then check the auto makers' own websites to familiarize yourself with the number and types of features and accessories than each trim level brings. A word of warning to the wise, any trim level specifically aimed at driving enthusiasts (or wannabe NASCAR dweebs) such as a 'sports' model in a used car should generally be avoided like the plague. These vehicles were designed with the image that they can be driven hard, and that is usually the way they were (mis)treated. In reality this just leads to higher repair bills and expensive parts.
In very general terms for vehicles in the non-luxury compact class, anything priced under $4,000 is not a vehicle you can expect to drive for more than a year or two in our climate without repair costs above and beyond routine maintenance. This isn't to say you might find a reliable gem for $3,000 or spend more than $40,000 on a piece of junk. And of course you need to remember the golden rule,
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