How to Buy a Car, According to Cars.com Experts
Shopping for a car can be a lot of things — exciting, frustrating, complicated — none of them easy, and there are loads of considerations that go into the often time-consuming process. That’s where our buying guide comes in. Our experts answer the questions you have and detail the steps you should take when buying a car to ensure you get the right one for you at the right price.
How Much Should I Spend on a Car?
- A good rule is to spend no more than 10% to 15% of your monthly income on a car (assuming a four-year loan); you can use our affordability calculator to determine your budget.
- If you won’t be paying cash, it’s important to shop for financing. Start with your local bank or credit union and compare those offers with the dealership’s financing offer; check out Cars.com’s loan prequalification tool.
- Don’t forget that vehicle incentives can play a big role in the final price of a car — particularly new cars, which tend to have the biggest discounts.
More Budget and Financing Information From Cars.com:
- What’s the Best Time of Year to Buy a Car?
- How to Get a Car Loan
- How to Use New-Car Incentives, Rebates and Finance Deals
- What’s the Average Car Payment?
- What Is an APR?
- What Does MSRP Mean?
- What Makes Up a Destination Charge?
- Is Employee Discount Pricing Really a Deal?
- More Finance Advice
Should I Buy a New Car?
- Once you’ve figured out your budget, it’s time to determine which fits best: a new or used car.
- The upsides of a new car include peace-of-mind perks such as warranties, roadside assistance and covered maintenance, as well as that new-car smell.
- Downsides for a new car include high upfront costs and depreciation during ownership.
More New-Car Information From Cars.com:
- Should I Buy a New or Used Car?
- Research All-New and Redesigned Vehicles
- Can I Order a Car From the Factory?
- What’s on a Car’s Window Sticker?
- How Long Does It Take to Order a Car?
- How to Negotiate With a Car Dealer
- Sticker Shock: How Much More Than the Starting Price Will That Car Really Cost You?
- Making Sense of New-Car Warranties
Should I Buy a Used Car?
- While used cars typically come with lower upfront costs, they can sometimes be expensive in terms of maintenance costs, especially higher-mileage vehicles.
- A dealership is one option for where you can buy a used car; check out Cars.com’s dealership ratings before you head out.
- Private sellers could be another good source, and oftentimes, they offer lower prices.
More Used-Car Information From Cars.com:
- Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Used Car?
- Questions to Ask a Car Seller
- How Do I Find Out if a Car Is Still Under Warranty?
- Making Sense of Used Car Warranties
- What Should a Used-Car Inspection Include?
- How to Buy a Beater: 5 Tips for Bargain-Basement Used-Car Shoppers
- What Is a Fleet Vehicle, and Should I Buy One?
- How to Avoid Used-Car Scams
- What to Know Before Buying a Used Electric Car
- Benefits of Buying a Used Car
- More Used-Car Advice
Should I Get a CPO Car?
- A certified pre-owned car is often less expensive than a new car but more expensive than a regular used car.
- CPO cars often offer some peace-of-mind extras, such as a short warranty and multipoint inspection.
More CPO-Car Information From Cars.com:
- Can a CPO Car Help You Get a Better Auto Loan Rate?
- Should I Buy a New, Used or Certified Pre-Owned Car?
- Should You Buy a CPO Electric Car?
- What Are the Best Perks of Buying a CPO Car?
- Can You Negotiate Price on a Certified Pre-Owned Car?
- Are Certified Pre-Owned Cars Worth It?
- How to Compare CPO Programs
- Factory CPO Programs Versus Other ‘Certified’ Vehicles
- More CPO-Car Advice
Should I Lease a Car?
- The pros of leasing a new car include typically lower monthly payments as well as the ability to swap for a new car every couple of years.
- The cons of leasing a car include mileage limits and penalties, as well as paying for a car you don’t own — unless you buy out the lease.
More Lease Information From Cars.com:
- First-Time Buyers: Should I Lease My Car?
- What Does It Mean to Lease a Car?
- How Much Does It Cost to Lease a Car?
- How to Negotiate a Car Lease
- What is Residual Value?
- How Do I Calculate if a Lease Is a Good Deal?
- How Does Leasing a Car Work?
- Glossary of Car Leasing Terms
- How to Get Out of a Car Lease
- Can I Extend My Auto Lease?
- Can You Lease a Used Car?
- Can You Lease a Car With Bad Credit?
- Is Now the Time to Buy Out Your Car Lease?
- How to Get Out of a Car Lease
- Do the Math: Car Subscriptions as Lease Alternative Don’t Add Up
- What Are Car Subscription Services?
- Which Brands Offer Car Subscription Services?
- More Leasing Advice
Which Car Should I Buy?
- Figuring out what type of vehicle will meet your needs best depends on a lot of factors. Do you need space for a family and their gear? Do you need something that emphasizes utility and towing? Or maybe you’re interested in alternative fuels?
- Dive into Cars.com’s Car Seat Checks to see how various vehicles handle car seats.
- Dig into the ins and outs of owning a pickup truck or an electric vehicle.
- See how Cars.com ranks different models in a class with our multi-car comparisons.
More Car-Research Information From Cars.com:
- Research All-New and Redesigned Vehicles
- Expert New-Car Reviews
- Expert New-Car Videos
- Cars.com’s New-Car Awards
- These 10 SUVs Have the Highest Towing Capacity
- 2025 Cars.com Affordability Report: Best Value New Cars
- Should You Buy a Hail-Damaged Car?
- When Do New Cars Come Out?
- Should You Buy an Off-Lease Car?
How Do I Find a Car?
- With millions of new- and used-car listings from dealers across the country, Cars.com’s vast vehicle inventory is a powerful tool in your vehicle search.
- You can quickly find the vehicle you want by filtering by zip code, body style, price, features, dealer ratings and many more.
More Car-Shopping Information From Cars.com:
- Advanced Search: Find and Filter Cars for Sale
- Shop for CPO Vehicles
- Shop for SUVs
- Shop for Sedans
- How Do You Buy a Car Out of State?
Should I Buy From a Dealership or Private Seller?
- With a dealership, the process is more transparent and could come with extras like an additional warranty, especially in the case of a used car.
- Check out Cars.com’s dealership and salesperson ratings to see what shoppers think of a dealership you’re considering.
- You’ll likely pay more at a dealership than you would if you made your purchase from a private seller.
- Pitfalls exist with private sellers, too, including online scams and unreliable sellers, to name a few.
More Car-Buying Information From Cars.com:
- Questions to Ask a Car Seller
- How to Avoid Used-Car Scams
- Can Regular Consumers Buy a Car at Auction? It Depends
- What Does No-Haggle Price Mean?
- What Are Dealer Options and Are They Worth It?
- Are Extended Car Warranties Worth It?
- What Is Gap Insurance?
What Should I Do When at the Dealership?
- Before you go to see a car at the dealership, you need to request, via email, out-the-door price quotes for the cars you’re considering.
- This gives you an accurate picture of the total cost of the car and lets you compare prices from different dealers, which can be useful when negotiating.
More Dealership Information From Cars.com:
What Should I Do About My Current Car?
- For many shoppers, it’s a good idea to separate the purchase of a new car from a potential trade-in or sale of your old one. Combining them makes it easier for a dealer to manipulate the numbers by, for instance, giving you a lower price on your new car but less for your trade-in.
- If you’re asked at the dealership whether you have a trade-in, leave yourself options regarding your plan for your current car — whether that’s trading it in or selling it to a private party or another dealership.
- For some shoppers, the speed and convenience of the trade-in process may be enough to offset getting less money for the car than if they’d sold it themselves.
- Use Cars.com’s Instant Offer tool to get an exact, no-obligation cash offer on your car from a local dealer and read on for more tips.
More Selling and Trade-in Information From Cars.com:
- How Does Selling to a Dealer Work?
- How Does Trading in a Car Work?
- How Do I Know if a Trade-in Offer is Reasonable?
- Selling to a Dealer: Taxes and Other Considerations
- How to Get the Best Offer for Your Trade-In
- Can You Trade in or Sell a Car With a Loan?
- How Do I Trade in a Car That Has Negative Equity?
- What Does a Car Title Look Like?
- Is Your Trade-in a CPO Candidate?
- More Selling and Trade-in Advice
How to Complete the Car Purchase
- If your purchase deal will be finalized in the traditional finance and insurance office, it’s important to understand what’ll likely take place besides reviewing the taxes, fees and forms needed to complete the sale.
- The F&I office is the last chance for a dealership to sell you additional products like insurance coverage, protection plans and extended warranties.
- There’s no requirement you buy any of these extra products. If you’re not interested, be prepared to politely decline — possibly more than once.
More Car-Purchase Information From Cars.com:
- Getting the Best Deal: Financing & Insurance
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About a Dealer Doc Fee
- Inside the Finance and Insurance Room
- Is Buying a Car Tax-Deductible?
- Can You Buy a Car With a Credit Card?
- Are Extended Car Warranties Worth It?
- More Car-Buying Advice
As the above guide illustrates, there are a lot of things to consider when car shopping, and there’s bound to be some frustration along the way. Stick to the plan, and remember that the car you buy will likely be in your driveway for years, so take the time and effort now to ensure you still love it later. Your future self will thank you.
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
