| So much to do! |
23 Jun |
This week is totally crazy for me (which, to be honest, it’s starting to feel like I say that absolutely every week). I just finished my first year report for my PhD, which sounds totally innocuous but in fact, I have to defend it next week, which, as you can imagine, is unbelievable nerve-wracking. Just thinking about it, I feel like I’m going to pee my pants. I mean, I know my stuff (I’ve spent a year doing it after all), but it still is really scary to be judged like that. I have no idea what is going to go down. In the mean time, I work on campus, and this is the week the students leave.
You would think that means down time for me, but instead it means I need to do double shifts to get the inventory covered before the summer students start up, which means I’m basically going to be spinning like a top for the next two weeks. On top of which, my best friend from forever ago is coming to visit me, and I’m going to have to carve out some quality time to spend with her. At this point, it seems like all these things can’t possibly be happening to me at the same time! As a present though, my boyfriend took my car in for its oil change, because he said that as long as you change the oil, you can always count on my Toyota Camry parts to get me where I need to be-which, like I said, is a lot of places! Wasn’t that sweet?
read comments (0)| New Car Financing |
22 Jun |
I know it’s not the right time to get a loan, but conversely, it’s the best time to buy a car. How can that be? And where does that leave me, because I just got a job, which I know I’m ridiculously lucky to have gotten, and it’s a long, non-transportation accessible commute away. I simply cannot pass up this job, so I have to get a car. How hard is it to get a loan right now? Am I better going through a bank or the car company? I mean, I trust Toyota parts implicitly (it’s totally the brand I would buy), but I really don’t know anything about loans.
I used an online calculator to figure out what I can afford, but I still don’t know if my credit rating is any good or if I’ll even get approved; my best friend was telling me that a credit score that would have gotten you approved a year ago gets you declined today. I don’t have an extensive amount of credit history or anything, so I don’t know if I’m going to be able to manage it or not. I only have about three thousand saved up, so while I can make a great down payment I certainly can’t buy a whole car. I just find this whole process so overwhelming! Any help out there?
| Getting the Most for Your Trade-In |
20 Jun |
A popular way to upgrade is to trade in an old car for a new(er) one. However, since dealers need to turn a profit when they resell the used cars they get in trade, they usually will offer you a lower price than what you would get selling the car yourself. It’s considered the price you pay for the convenience of unloading your car without having to go through the process of selling it. Not to mention it’s rare that you can resell a car for the amount you still owe on the loan, so being able to roll the leftover you owe into the loan for the new car keeps you from being trapped in the old one until it is paid off.
Okay, so we know it’s convenience, and that’s why the low trade-in value is justified. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for TOO little. Here are a few suggestions for getting the most trade-in value out of your old car.
- Shop around and compare offers. You don’t have to trade your car in to the first dealership you go to. Talk to them about how much you’ll get in trade before you start looking at the cars on their lot — once you’ve fallen in love with a new car, it’s too late, because at that point you’ll probably accept any amount they throw at you.
- Negotiate. You also don’t have to take the dealership’s first offer. If another dealer is offering you a higher trade-in value, say so. If their offer is considerably lower than what you wanted, negotiate a higher amount.
- Watch for trade-in specials. Dealerships often have specials where they guarantee a minimum amount for any trade-in. This can be a great way to get a decent amount for your old car.
Whether you are shopping for new or used cars, in Florida or in California, approaching it from a business-like standpoint will help you to ensure you get the best possible amount for your trade-in.
