Purchasing an automobile is a big decision and you should truly give it some consideration. There are numerous options and temptations when in the market to buy an automobile. The potential car purchaser needs to ask themselves what kind of car they would like, or instead, what kind of car they require - and is it affordable.

There are a couple of questions you can ask yourself, that will assist in your decision in buying a new car. Are you looking for a certain “look” or symbol, or do you want it to make your life easier? Are you going to use it to carpool some children around, or are you just going to use it to get to work? Do you think you will require the space that a minivan would allow for, for a family? Do you want four wheel drive, or will a two wheel drive car be good enough?

- It’s a good idea to go over your budget and determine what you can spend on transportation every month. Another thought is to think about leasing a car, particularly if the cost of owning one is going to be more than 10% of your net income - so you should determine your budget.

- Believe it or not, thousand dollar discounts are usually available with most new car purchases, so you should really try and figure out the target price.

- The auto market is a really competitive market! You should always try and haggle with the sellers or dealerships. And definitely shop and compare car prices, especially on the internet.

- Remember the sticker price is not the final price. Besides haggling the price down, there are other offers that may be in place, like upgraded audio systems, or low financing. And remember to ask what, if any, other options will cost and what the final price will be. These options will sometimes surprise you by how much more they contribute to the price.

- Trading your car in? Remember to get your own assessment of how much it’s worth now before you take the dealerships first offer.

- Compare new car prices. You should go to at least 3 dealerships to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

You need to be practical when purchasing a car. It doesn’t matter how great it looks or makes you feel, because you shouldn’t buy it based on emotion. You might not feel the same later on and may regret the decision.