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NerdWallet’s Guide to Buying a Car
We break down everything you need to know about buying a new or used car.
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Updated · 4 min read
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Funto Omojola is a lead writer and content strategist on the credit cards team. Funto started writing for NerdWallet in 2020 and also has writing featured in MarketWatch, Yahoo Finance, Realtor.com, New York Post and Nasdaq, among others. Funto lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Julie Myhre-Nunes leads the Auto Loans, Student Loans and Home Services teams at NerdWallet. Julie has over a decade of experience in personal finance. Before joining NerdWallet, she led editorial teams at Red Ventures and several startups. Her personal finance insights have been featured in Forbes, The Boston Globe and CNBC, while her writing has appeared in USA Today, Business Insider, Wired Insights and more.
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The car-buying process can be draining and daunting, from navigating auto loans to determining affordability and ownership costs. And the process can get even more difficult in the current market, where low inventory and higher-than-usual prices can make it hard to find the exact car you’re looking for.
Here’s a NerdWallet car-buying guide to help simplify the process and assist you with making the smartest financial decisions throughout the journey.
1. Set your budget
Setting a budget is the first step to take when buying a car — before you even start looking for a vehicle or set foot in a dealership. If you’re paying cash, this step will be easier and faster for you. Even then, you'll still want to be aware and prepared for the other costs associated with buying a car, like registration fees, taxes and insurance.
Most Americans finance their vehicle purchases. In 2022, 80% of new vehicles were financed and 40% of used cars were financed, according to research from Experian Automotive, an auto data research company. Setting a budget means determining how much you can afford for a down payment and for monthly car payments.
Use our auto loan calculator to see an estimate of your monthly car payment and total loan amount based on the vehicle price, interest rate, loan term, down payment and more. Try entering different vehicle prices and see how the loan payment changes.
After you’ve determined your budget, it's time to find the right loan for you. The loan amount and interest rate you’ll get will largely be based on your credit score and income. If you have a higher credit score, you’ll usually have a lower interest rate. On the flip side, those with poor credit scores typically qualify for loans with higher interest rates.
To completely understand what you qualify for, get a preapproved offer for a car loan. This is beneficial even if you plan to finance through a car dealership because it’ll give you negotiating power. For example, if the dealership tries to offer you a loan with 8% interest, you can show a preapproved offer for 5% interest for the dealership to match.
Compare the following lenders and get a preapproved offer.
Car costs go beyond just making loan payments. There are additional costs that increase how much you might have to shell out monthly, including registration fees, depreciation, interest, gas, insurance, maintenance and other fees.
Here are some resources to help you calculate the ongoing costs of owning a car:
Once you’ve analyzed the costs associated with buying a car, you can start to look for options based on the budget you’ve set. Depending on whether you’re looking for new, used or certified pre-owned options, you can shop with a trusted and reliable dealer in person or online through car-shopping marketplaces. You can also purchase used cars from private-party sellers on platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
Regardless of how you decide to shop, if you’re buying a used car, the first step to determine if a car is suitable is to look at its vehicle history report. These reports provide information about a car’s record of major accidents, previous owners and usage, mileage and more. They can even sometimes give you insight into a car’s past, like its maintenance record.
The following guides can help you during the car-buying process, based on what type of car you’re looking for.
How to buy a new car: These steps can help make the car-buying process for a new vehicle easier.
How to buy a used car: Whether you purchase from a dealer, a private-party seller or an online retailer, finding the exact used car you’re looking for can be rough in the current market. This checklist can make the process smoother.
Comparing car-buying apps: Apps like Autolist, Autotrader, CarFax and more can help you compare cars in your budget or even buy your car completely online.
5. Contact the seller or visit a dealership
After you’ve selected some options you’re ready to pursue, you can contact the seller or visit the dealership to see the car(s). This might be a matter of physically driving to the dealership and talking with a salesperson or entering data to receive an exact price online.
Here’s what to do once you’re ready to contact a seller or dealer:
Request a quote from a car dealer by email, phone or by filling out an online form to compare prices and costs across dealerships or sellers.
6. Inspect and test-drive the car, if applicable
If you’re buying a new car, it’s not necessary to have it inspected because there were no previous owners. But you should always test-drive a car to get a feel for how it moves on the road. However, if you’re buying a used car, there are additional steps you need to take to make sure you’re not paying more than a car is worth or buying a damaged vehicle.
Even after viewing a car’s vehicle history report, it's still important to view a car in person if you're able to and also have it inspected by a trusted and reliable mechanic. Pre-purchase inspections typically include test drives and can help to make sure there are no underlying problems with the car in question. Note that if you’re buying a car online, test driving may not be an option, but you should receive inspection documents at the very least.
Here’s what you need to know about a used car inspection:
Warranties and maintenance plans are not right for every buyer. But sometimes having the additional protection can make you feel safer and give you peace of mind. To determine if a warranty is right for you when buying, consider how long you expect to keep the car, how reliable the car is, and if it makes sense to waive a warranty at the time of buying and opt for it later on in the car’s life.
Note that you can buy other types of coverage — such as gap coverage and road hazard protection — from your auto insurer, which can often be cheaper.
Consider the following when deciding on a warranty plan:
Determine if you need an extended car warranty at all. If you have a reliable car and have some money saved to cover the cost of unexpected repairs, for example, you might not need one.
Deals are harder to find in the current market, but buyers can still try to negotiate down car prices to stay within their budget. Note that dealers might often charge more than the sticker price by adding fees and dealer options. Because of this, you'll want to compare the dealer’s asking price with the average market price.
When negotiating, be clear about whether you’re discussing the car’s “out-the-door” price, which includes taxes and fees, or only the sale price of the car. The following guide can help you while you negotiate.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
Best for borrowers with good or excellent credit who want fast approval and funding to buy a new car.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
4.5
Est. APR:
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
6.74 - 15.24%
Term: 24 - 84 months
You will be redirected to the partner's website.
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you
in finding a great lender. The terms may vary based on the partner's terms
and conditions.
You will be redirected to the partner's website
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you in finding a great lender. The monthly payment amount, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and any other terms are based on standard Consumers Credit Union rates and terms for your NerdWallet provided credit score, zip code, and the other self-provided information. These terms may vary based on your credit history, your individual income, or other terms of the lender.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
Best for applicants who want to compare multiple new car purchase loan offers.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account factors like maximum rates, variety of loan options, visibility of borrower requirements, accessibility, speed of funding, fees and more.
4.0
Est. APR:
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
6.24 - 29.90%
Term: 24 - 84 months
You will be redirected to the partner's website.
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you
in finding a great lender. The terms may vary based on the partner's terms
and conditions.
You will be redirected to the partner's website
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you in finding a great lender. The monthly payment amount, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and any other terms are based on standard Consumers Credit Union rates and terms for your NerdWallet provided credit score, zip code, and the other self-provided information. These terms may vary based on your credit history, your individual income, or other terms of the lender.
Auto Credit Express
New car purchase loan
Not yet rated
Best for new-car buyers who can’t qualify for a lower-rate loan through a traditional lender and need help finding a dealer with subprime lending.
Min score: 525
Amount: $5,000 - $50,000
Min. Amount$5,000
Max. Amount$50,000
Not yet rated
Est. APR:
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
Annual percentage rate (APR) represents the true cost of
borrowing money. It is your interest rate plus any loan fees,
and is expressed as a percentage.
N/A - N/A
Term: 24 - 84 months
You will be redirected to the partner's website.
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you
in finding a great lender. The terms may vary based on the partner's terms
and conditions.
You will be redirected to the partner's website
The terms presented here are estimated and provided solely to assist you in finding a great lender. The monthly payment amount, Annual Percentage Rate (APR), and any other terms are based on standard Consumers Credit Union rates and terms for your NerdWallet provided credit score, zip code, and the other self-provided information. These terms may vary based on your credit history, your individual income, or other terms of the lender.
If you’re trading in a car to purchase another, make sure you're getting the best trade-in price for your vehicle. The trade-in value is how much you’ll get toward the cost of another car when you trade in your car at a dealership. To get the best price for your trade-in, negotiate the trade-in value and the new car price separately.
Keep the following in mind as well, when trading in your car:
Now that you've decided on a car, it's time to make the purchase. This process includes reviewing and understanding your loan terms, questioning any unnecessary fees like dealer add-ons or advertising fees, understanding who your loan servicer is, where and how to make your payments, then signing to complete the process.
Before signing the contract, make sure to do the following:
Review your auto loan agreement by checking for things like what warranties are included or any unnecessary additional products and services, for example. Also, make sure any down payment or trade-in is credited.
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