Choosing the best car as a college student can involve balancing a range of issues from safety and technology to costs and practicality. Buying a car for college involves working out your budget and making a choice, weighing what you need against what you might want. You might have to compromise depending on how much support you're receiving from your family, how much you can borrow, financing rates, and whether it's worth it once you account for operating and parking costs.
Overall, you need to think carefully about the reasons you need a car. Cars can be a distraction, aren't that useful if you want to drink alcohol regularly, and might not be very cost-effective once you add up the daily costs. On the other hand, owning a car opens the possibility of working off campus, allows you to visit home easily, and can make you the fulcrum of your friendship group.
How Much Do You Really Need a Car?
The first thing you need to decide is whether you really need a car. A car is always useful, but if your campus has limited parking or you live on campus, then you need to establish how much you'll be using the car off campus. There's a danger that you could invest a lot of your allowance in a car that spends most of the week sitting around, costing you in insurance and possibly parking expenses.
So before you start browsing cars that are available, check that your college allows cars, what the parking situation is, and whether you can manage without one for a couple of years. At the same time, also remember that the car isn't just for college, but you're likely to depend on it for transportation for a few years after you graduate. Thinking about how much you need a car might not mean that you don't get one, but it could make the difference in terms of which car you choose.
Insurance and Fuel Costs
Insurance is an important factor to consider when buying a car for college. It's a regular cost that can vary quite considerably between cars, parts of the country, states, and even different streets. If you're under 25, insurance can be higher than it is for older drivers, so for most college students, the cost of car insurance will factor more substantively in the costs of owning a car than it does for others. It's best to shop around and check what sort of insurance costs you might face before making a decision.
Gasoline costs are a little more difficult to estimate. These can vary from month to month, and this volatility means that what might seem a cheap car to run can suddenly become a lot more expensive within a year. One way to guard against this issue is to investigate electric or hybrid vehicles, particularly on the secondhand market. These might cost more initially but could save you money in the long run.
Features
When choosing a car for college, you need to be aware of the various elements that contribute to its suitability for student life. The kinds of storage options, such as spaces in which you can stow your laptop, can be important. Four doors and seats that can collapse are important considerations if you see yourself wanting to move between residences or help friends move their things.
It's also important to consider safety features. A small cheap car might not be the safest, so keep in mind the performance of the vehicle in safety tests. A good place to look is independent tests conducted by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Alternatively, you can have a look at reports published on SaferCar.gov.
Infotainment and voice-activated controls are good considerations if staying connected is important to you. Each of these features may be significant, but they may mean that you'd need a more recent car for the modern technology, or a larger car for the cargo space. You’ll need to balance these factors against fuel efficiency and insurance costs. However, a more recent car that has some tech perks such as lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and traction control can greatly improve your safety.
Market Considerations
There are a few things to consider when shopping around for a new or used car. Parts shortages might mean that some newer cars are in lower supply. And, when times are tight, people are less likely to replace their cars, reducing the supply of used cars on the market.
The most important thing to do is to decide where you can compromise. You might not get precisely the car you want, but think about whether that color really is a deal breaker if the vehicle has everything else you need. Remember, the precise make or model might not be available, so make sure you have options and stay flexible.
When looking for a used car, reliability is important. Some cars have a better reputation for longevity than others, and some have higher running costs after a few years. There are some rules of thumb, but overall, it's best to investigate each individual model. Beware of lemons — remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
One way to get the best support is to go with a trusted dealer. It's a good idea to buy from a dealer as you're more likely to get a reliable vehicle that mechanics have checked, and you can continue to depend on the support of the seller after you've made your purchase.
At the very least, a dealer is a good place to start. At Sioux Falls Ford, there is a large inventory of used and new vehicles, and you can browse the whole inventory to get a good idea of what you might need. It's not recommended to buy a car as an impulse purchase, so have a look, have a think, and take your time.
Image by Marek Studzinski is licensed with Unsplash License