Guide to Finding the Right Vehicle
In the market for a new luxury car or SUV? The search for your next vehicle can be easy and rewarding if you plan ahead, and at Mercedes-Benz of Roanoke, we want to help you every step of the way. Let's go over the car-shopping essentials to help you make the right choices.
Identify What You Need
First, consider what you need from your next vehicle. Along with your essential transportation, is there anything else your vehicle should facilitate? If your car will need to provide transportation for family and friends, a larger SUV with ample passenger space in the interior would be helpful. If you don't need the extra cabin space, then a more compact SUV or even a sleek sedan or coupe could be the right fit. Of course, with any situation, it's always important to prioritize safety and reliability as well.
Set a Budget
The next step is to determine how much money you should allocate for your vehicle. By setting a budget, you can keep costs within your comfort zone and eliminate options that sit outside of it, further narrowing down your list of options. To set your vehicle budget, consider the conventional wisdom that your transportation expenses shouldn't exceed 15 percent of your monthly income.
Consider the True Cost to Own
Be sure to examine the true cost of ownership for each vehicle you're considering. That goes beyond the number on the price tag, as ownership also entails car insurance, fuel costs, auto loan interest, registration and fees, and maintenance.
Take a Test Drive
When you've narrowed your list down to your top two or three vehicle choices, it's time to take each one for a test drive for a hands-on impression. Schedule your drives in advance to ensure that each model will be ready at the dealership, and once you're behind the wheel, ask yourself these questions:
- Are you comfortable with the handling, brakes, and acceleration?
- Is the interior comfortable with enough room for your passengers?
- Do you have clear visibility out all sides of the vehicle?
Auto Financing
If you don't want to pay the full price of your next vehicle out of pocket, you can finance it with an auto loan. When applying for your loan, you'll provide a lender with your income and credit info, which they'll use to determine how much money they'll let you borrow for your purchase. Once you've bought your vehicle, you'll then repay that amount with interest. There's a variety of auto loan options fit for different situations, so ask our team about what financing options are available to you.
How to Choose the Right Car
When you're ready to choose your next luxury car, you'll need to recognize which one checks all the essential boxes on your wishlist. If each option delivers on all the must-have qualities, then it might come down to your personal preference. Is there one model that suits your sense of style more than the others, or is there a vehicle that comes with more amenities and safety features? Remember that this will be your car for the foreseeable future, so choose the model that will make you happy to start the engine each and every day for years to come.
Find the Right Vehicle at Mercedes-Benz of Roanoke
If you want a convenient luxury car-shopping experience with professional help from start to finish, call or come see us at Mercedes-Benz of Roanoke. We'll help you find the luxury model with all the features that matter to you, and we'd love to go over your checklist to identify the ideal model vehicle in our inventory. Our luxury dealership is conveniently located at 5000 Franklin Road Southwest, Roanoke, Virginia 24014, and we look forward to seeing you here soon.
