You might never have owned a boat before, or you might already have your own boat, but it doesn’t suit you. Here are the things that you need to consider before purchasing a boat.

How will you use it?

Are you going to be boating mostly alone? Or will you typically be fishing with one or two other people? It can be disappointing to buy a boat and then find out that it is too small for your whole family, and so you don’t get enough use out of it. Conversely, if you buy a boat that is too big, and it is only you who use it, you might find it too much of a hassle to take out. Think of how you want to use it. It is probably a safer bet to get one bigger instead of smaller just in case. You don’t want to leave your kids or your friends on shore! (Except maybe if you do: then you can get a small fishing rig just for you and for some peace and quiet!)

How often will you use it?

If you are only going to be a pleasure boater, or if you don’t live near water, you will probably want a boat that can fit on a trailer. If you will be taking it out more than just on weekends, you will want to consider keeping it in a marina. Remember to account for the costs of storing your boat when you are making your budget: a typical rule of thumb is to double your monthly payments to find out how much you will really be spending on upkeep, maintenance, and storage.

Where will you use it?

Get a boat that you will be able to access, no matter how you plan to do it. If you live far from the nearest lake or river, then you will want to figure out how you will be getting to your boat. Consider also if you will be using your boat in freshwater or saltwater, because that can sometimes make a difference to the materials that you want to buy.

If you will be in the Great Lakes or in the Ocean, you will want a different type of boat than if you are going to be in rivers. For these types of lakes, or lakes with very choppy waters, you will want a boat with a deep-V hull so that your ride isn’t as bumpy.

What kind of boat do you want?

Buying a kayak is completely different than buying a schooner. You will probably have an idea of the type of boat that you want when you go to make your purchase. Do you want one that has a motor? Do you want one that is specialized for fishing? There are many different types of fishing boats and other specialty boats. Perhaps you are interest in a sailboat.

The best way to find out what kind of boat you want is to talk to other boaters. They will be happy to tell you about their best purchases (and sometimes their worst, too, which you can learn from). They might even take you out for a spin in their boat when you are considering your options.

In the end, you will know what boat is right for you. Do your research and you will feel well-prepared to buy any boat you want!

When you are shopping for a second hand vehicle, you will want to carefully pre-screen the cars you are interested in buying before you leave home. If you have a list of questions to ask when buying a used car, you can save a lot of time and energy. The reason for this is that it is much more efficient to call ten people who have a car for sale and ask them the right questions, than it is to drive across town to look at one vehicle for sale.

My first tip to you when interviewing car sellers is as follows. When you call, it’s important to begin by saying, “I’m calling about the car for sale”. If the answer is “Yes”, then ask them to tell you about it. If they have more than one car, they may be hesitant to answer. If they are hesitant, or if the answer is “Which one?”, they may be a private car dealer, also known as a curbside car dealer, or curber.

If they respond with something like “The ‘91 Jetta?”, then you would say, “Do you have more than one car for sale?” If they do, you want to know. Don’t buy a car from a curber! If instead you ask, “Do you have a Silver 1991 Jetta for sale?”, and they have more than one vehicle they are trying to sell, all they have to do is say “Yes”, so make sure to ask your first question right. Maybe they just happen to be selling 2 cars, but it should raise a red flag.

Ask if they are the registered owner. If not, who is? This is important. You want to be dealing with the owner. You should ask them how long they have owned their car. Generally speaking, longer is better. If they haven’t owned it long, they may be selling because it has issues and is giving them grief. If they have owned it a long time, it may be an indicator that they have been happy with its service, or conversely it may indicate that they are masochists!

When buying a used car from someone, it is always worth it to ask why they are selling. Ideally they have bought a brand new car. This often indicates that they are well enough off and have maintained their old car regularly. People who are well off, often got that way by taking care of what is in their care. It’s not always true, but it is often the case.

People will have lots of other reasons for selling, but by asking this question, you can get a better feel for who they are and what they are up to. They may not tell you the truth, but pay attention to the subtle sense you get in their answers. It may help you to get a clear feeling about where they are coming from in trying to sell you their car.

If you are buying a used car, you probably want to save some money. This means that you need to prioritize what is most important to you in a car. This article will help you assess your needs and your wants, so that you can find a car that suits you perfectly.

Cost

Look at the cost of a car. There is no point in window shopping at fully-loaded $40,000 trucks if you will only be able to afford a $4,000 truck in the first place. When you are establishing your budget for your car, be sure to account for how much the insurance will likely be, how much gas you will be spending (although this figure does change, it is best to go in having at least an idea), and regular maintenance. To budget for maintenance, you will need estimate the costs of 4 oil changes a year, plus some extra money just in case. Used cars are, well, used: they aren’t new are generally not under warranty. If you want a warranty, consider buying a used car from the dealership, who can often offer warranties even on used vehicles.

Suitability

What kind of driving do you do? You probably don’t need a four-wheel drive behemoth of an SUV if you do mostly city driving. Conversely, if you live on a gravel road, you might feel more comfortable driving in winter if you have something larger than a neon. For most drivers, the way that you drive a car will mean that you are open to many options. However, if this is a limiting factor, it is important to take into consideration.

If you are a commuter, then you will have to take other factors into consideration. You might not want to buy a car with a very high mileage, because you will be adding the miles to that odometer. You might want to find a car that has very comfortable seats to make your ride go better. Things that could be less important, like the stereo, become much more important when you spend a lot of time in your car each day.

Look

Some people would rather have a car that looks good or prestigious. It’s okay to admit that you are one of those people. For instance, for $3,500 you might be able to buy a 6 year old Honda civic; this same money could also buy you a much older BMW. If you value appearances, don’t lie to yourself when you are shopping. You want to get a car that you will love, and there’s no point looking at Ford Focuses if the only thing that will spark your delight is a Ford Mustang.

Load

How many people do you normally travel with? What is the most number of people that you have taken in your current car at once? If you don’t already have a car, estimate the number of people you will have with you on a regular basis. If you only drive around 7 people during the hockey tournament once a year, you can probably skip buying a minivan. However, if you normally drive three people around, it might be a pain to get a two door vehicle. For truck drivers, you will want to consider the amount of load that you generally put in the back of your truck to help you judge your purchase.

Your Loan

Not only do you want to get the right car, you want to get the right car loan. It is wiser to have your financing lined up before you go to a dealership. You can set up used car loans at any bank: but one often overlooked type of used car loan is to go to a credit union, where you can generally get lower interest than at a major bank. For more information on loans, (and we won’t even try to sell you a loan!) visit www.theguideto-carloans.com.

In the End

You will be the one driving. Make the decisions based on your needs and what you feel is right. Though it is great to get lots of advice (and sometimes it helps to take someone savvy about mechanics along with you to check out the car), considering these facts will help make you capable of choosing the right car.