by: Robert Arthur Step #1 : What Kind of Vehicle Do You Need? Answer the following questions to help decide which kind of vehicle is right for you: How many people will you be transporting? How long is your commute? What kind of gas mileage do you expect? What conditions will you be driving in? Which safety features do you want? What size of vehicle do you want? Do you want an automatic or manual transmission? Step #2 : How Much Can You Afford to Spend? In order to distinguish the range of vehicles, you must decide how much you can afford to spend. Remember to take into consideration additional costs such as title, tax, registration, insurance, and additional costs. In most cases when you are going to finance the vehicle, it is best to get preapproved so that you will know how much you can spend. Other questions to ask yourself are: How much can you put down as a down payment? How much can you afford to pay in monthly payments? Step #3 : Will You Buy the Vehicle or Lease It? Deciding o...