What do you want?

If I’m monetarily participating the purchase, this isn’t going to be one of my first questions. For those looking to be more adventurous, I suggest breaking your thought down into cause and effect tidbits.

You may find a cause to purchase a sporty, fast vehicle. Possible effects of this purchase can be increased insurance costs, lower gas mileage, and an increased likelihood of being pulled over. On the other hand, a first-time car owner may identify the cause to purchase a vehicle with a maxed-out technology package. The follow-up effects to a technology package could be increased maintenance, and associated warranty costs.

Listen, life is a balance. The good news: With today’s innovations, quite a few wants are beginning to be included in the “need” pay range. Just be sure you don’t get in the position of trading needs for wants or you could find yourself in hot water.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to look at certified, used vehicles. In most cases, they can be found in close-to-pristine conditions, 15-25% less than a new vehicle, and with only 10,000 to 30,000 miles. Additionally, you should be benefiting from residual bumper-to-bumper and power train warranties.

Contributor: Alex Lauderdale founder of educateddriver.org