ItSA国际影视传媒檚 not as easy for young buyers to get a vehicle as the affordable SA国际影视传媒渟tarter carSA国际影视传媒� has disappeared, auto experts say.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 no such thing as a starter brand new car anymore,SA国际影视传媒� said Michael Bettencourt, a longtime auto journalist and co-author of an upcoming book on buying an electric vehicle in Canada. He is also a father to a 17- and 20-year old SA国际影视传媒� the latter of whom will be shopping for a car soon.

With two sons that age, insurance is a nightmare, Bettencourt said. If you have a few models in mind, check out insurance rates for those vehicles before you start shopping.

SA国际影视传媒淔ind a site that will compare multiple insurance rates at once,SA国际影视传媒� Bettencourt said.

SA国际影视传媒淚f youSA国际影视传媒檙e looking between two cars SA国际影视传媒� you could easily be paying much higher insurance rates on one versus the other. That may be (thousands a year) thatSA国际影视传媒檚 better spent on paying off student debt, right?SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淛ust five years ago, you could buy a (new) car for less than $10,000 before fees. Now you canSA国际影视传媒檛 get one for less than $20,000 before fees,SA国际影视传媒� said Stephanie Wallcraft, a freelance automotive journalist and co-host of Modern Motoring on YouTube.

For those who can afford it, Wallcraft prefers new or certified pre-owned vehicles. In both cases, what she values is the warranty SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 also why she doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 advocate for private sales or cheap used cars.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen youSA国际影视传媒檙e on a tight budget, a fixed budget, surprise repairs can really hurt you,SA国际影视传媒� Wallcraft said, nothing that younger people are less likely to have an emergency fund for such expenses. Putting costly repairs on a credit card can quickly accumulate high interest.

SA国际影视传媒淲hen you buy new or certified pre-owned, youSA国际影视传媒檙e going to have a warranty period where if anything serious comes up, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be covered.SA国际影视传媒�

Bettencourt favours off-lease vehicles that are a couple years old. When people lease new cars, they will be financially dinged if they damage or fail to maintain the car, so he thinks maintenance and handling is better. These cars wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be the cheapest on the lot, he noted.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut I do think thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a quality pool of used vehicles,SA国际影视传媒� Bettencourt said. He would only buy privately if inspection by a mechanic was part of the sale contract.

As for electric vehicles, the federal rebate was just halted in January, but there are provincial subsidies remaining in British Columbia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Yukon, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Manitoba, Bettencourt pointed out. Pre-owned is still a valuable option for this segment, he added.

SA国际影视传媒淭he resale values of EVs have tended to depreciate very quickly, so that provides, in a way, more of an incentive to buy an off-lease or a slightly used EV because of that high depreciation,SA国际影视传媒� Bettencourt said.

As for the shopping experience, Wallcraft said a salesperson at a dealership will likely ask what monthly payment you can afford SA国际影视传媒� but she calls this question a trap.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat the salesperson is doing when they ask you that question is theySA国际影视传媒檙e going to try to find the most expensive car that they can talk you into,SA国际影视传媒� Wallcraft said, SA国际影视传媒渁nd give you a really long financing term so that monthly payment is low enough that you can afford it.SA国际影视传媒�

Lately sheSA国际影视传媒檚 been hearing of nine- and ten-year financing terms, which are relatively new but she expects will become more common SA国际影视传媒� especially with a lack of affordable starter cars on the market for young people to buy.

The problem with a long financing term on an asset that depreciates quickly is that serious problems could arise or your needs could change before you fully own the vehicle, Wallcraft said. If your car suffers a catastrophic failure, your lifestyle changes, you move, you partner up, or you have kids, youSA国际影视传媒檙e still making payments on a car thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not working for you.

If you still owe money on the car when it needs to be replaced, SA国际影视传媒渢hatSA国际影视传媒檚 how you get into the trap,SA国际影视传媒� Wallcraft said. SA国际影视传媒淏ecause then youSA国际影视传媒檒l go into the dealership and theySA国际影视传媒檒l say, SA国际影视传媒榃e can roll what you still owe on your financing into your next car.SA国际影视传媒� Well, now you owe that much more on your next car, and it takes you that much longer to get back up above water.SA国际影视传媒�

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 better to pay off the car quickly, she said. YouSA国际影视传媒檒l own it outright faster, at which point youSA国际影视传媒檒l not only have no car payments, but you can easily sell it or replace it as you see fit.

At the dealership, car buyers should specify their desired financing term, not the monthly payment, Wallcraft explained. If you can afford it, get the financing term to match the warranty term. Or at least get as close as possible, she added: If the warranty is four years, try for five- or six-year financing SA国际影视传媒� not eight or nine years.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a good idea to bring someone with you when car shopping, Bettencourt said, especially if you have a partner, as itSA国际影视传媒檚 likely they will drive the car too. Go for a long test drive and connect to the Bluetooth.

SA国际影视传媒淗owever you think youSA国际影视传媒檇 use it, itSA国际影视传媒檚 worth spending a few minutes to attach your phone to the Bluetooth,SA国际影视传媒� Bettencourt said. SA国际影视传媒淲hy attach it to Bluetooth for a 10-minute drive? Well if that car has issues SA国际影视传媒� it makes any car more of a headache to drive.SA国际影视传媒�

As for add-ons, Wallcraft said she would turn down rust protection and look at an extended warranty SA国际影视传媒渧ery carefullySA国际影视传媒� to see if itSA国际影视传媒檚 worth it. Bettencourt agreed on the extended warranty SA国际影视传媒� it may cost thousands of dollars and if you can save that money yourself in an emergency fund, you at least might have some leftover at the end of the carSA国际影视传媒檚 life, whereas a warranty goes nowhere if unused.

Never be afraid to walk away and try another dealership, Wallcraft added. SheSA国际影视传媒檚 also heard of sales tactics where dealerships are telling buyers they cannot sell a car without certain add-ons.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e not allowed to do that,SA国际影视传媒� Wallcraft said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 technically illegal right now but thereSA国际影视传媒檚 actually a movement of people trying to make it outright illegal. If a dealership is trying to tell you, SA国际影视传媒榃e canSA国际影视传媒檛 sell you the car unless you take this rust protection,SA国际影视传媒� try a different dealership. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the point at which I would not hesitate to walk away.SA国际影视传媒�