With gas prices high right now, drivers may not have a ton of money to spend on a new vehicle. Yet even if you don't have lots of cash at the moment, that doesn't mean you can't opt for a new car.
Technology has advanced considerably in recent years, and many models now come with high EPA fuel economy ratings. That's great news for drivers who are currently stuck driving around a gas guzzler. It seems like every automaker has come out with a high-MPG vehicle in recent years, and best of all is that they're not too expensive. In fact, if you can find them on the used car market the savings can really start to add up.
A recent survey by the Consumer Federation of America found that the average family will spend $3,100 on fuel this year, up from $2,000 in 2009. That's a significant chunk of change to set aside in a recovering economy. The reality is that many drivers can't purchase a car outright. So instead, they opt for financing – which can be a great move when times are tight.
The important thing to keep in mind when doing this is to keep your car loan what's known as "rightside up." An "upside-down" loan is when you ultimately owe more on the car than the vehicle is actually worth. This creates a sticky situation for drivers, as they can't sell off the car to pay the loan.
When you're buying a vehicle for a specific purpose – like its miles per gallon rating – this is an important consideration. That hatchback may look attractive now with gas prices hovering around $4 per gallon, but if prices drop then you might be feeling a bit cramped in a year or two, or starving for a bit more horsepower. The great thing about auto financing is that you don't ultimately have to stick with the vehicle – as long as you remain rightside up, you can always sell it off and put the equity toward a new car.
Drivers should also keep in mind that high gas prices may be a good reason to look into refinancing as well. Refinancing is typically a term reserved for the mortgage industry, but it applies for car loans as well. Those who already have a loan can restructure the terms and lower their monthly payments. This can be a good way to offset the increased price you're paying for fuel by lowering the amount you're putting toward the loan. Just be careful here, as paying too little toward the loan can have the aforementioned effect of making the loan go upside-down.