Upgrading Your Car: How to Streamline the Process
October 24, 2016This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Capital One. All opinions are mine alone.
There comes a point in time in every car owner’s life, where the following question comes up: Is it time for an upgrade? Maybe you recently had kids and you now want a car with safety as a primary priority. Or perhaps your family needs more cargo storage space to handle all the traveling you’re doing. Or maybe your vehicle has exceeded its useful lifespan and it’s more economical to just get a new car rather than continue with costly repairs. Whatever the case may be, we’ve all been faced with the decision of upgrading a car at some point. Although the process may seem overwhelming at first, the Capital One Auto Navigator® site simplifies the process of finding and financing a car – all from the comfort of home!
My husband and I have been discussing the need for an upgrade for a few months now. Our primary car is four years old and only has about 35K miles on it, so we are not interested in replacing that vehicle any time soon. However, our secondary car – the car my husband uses to commute to work every day – is quite old! It’s almost ten years old, and while it only has ~60K miles on it (pretty low mileage for a 10-year-old car), the repair bills have been adding up recently. First, it was all four tires. Next, the whole brake system (rotors, pads, … the works!) had to be replaced. Then the “check engine” light came on and that required yet another big repair bill. It seems like there’s always a problem with that car.
Upgrading the Car
It’s clear that we need to replace that car, but to be honest, I will be a bit sad to see it go. This was the first car I ever owned and I purchased it after securing my first engineering job after grad school! In fact, I used this car to drive from NY to NJ every day to get to my place of employment. I will always have fond memories of this car and the milestones that came along with it. However, for the peace of mind of our family, it’s time to upgrade this car!
Upgrading the Car
Although it’s crystal-clear to us that we need to replace the car, taking the first steps on doing so can seem a bit overwhelming at first. Which new car makes the most sense for our needs and our budget? How do we ensure that we secure financing that makes the most sense for us financially? Can we trade in our current vehicle in the process? These were just some of the questions we had when considering a car upgrade! However, the Capital One Auto Navigator® site streamlines the whole process and takes all the stress out of the equation.
Upgrading the Car
Did you know that the Capital One Auto Navigator® site lets you “test drive” different cars, allowing you to select a vehicle based on price, size, needs, etc.? In fact, the site is a veritable one-stop-shop for all your car buying needs, making this a fabulously convenient option for busy families! It’s so easy to find your dream car with this site!
Upgrading the Car
On the Capital One Auto Navigator® site, you can start by exploring cars to find the one that best suits your needs. You can search by any of the following categories: body style, make, model, price range and new/preowned. You can even enter in your zip code to find specific vehicles for sale in your area that meet your criteria. There are over 12,000 dealerships in the database! Nowadays, driving around to twenty dealerships to find the right car is not necessary. Take advantage of the power of the Internet and let the Capital One Auto Navigator® site simplify your car search!
Another thing you can do on this site is pre-qualify for a loan risk-free. You can find out in a matter of minutes whether you will qualify for auto financing- without affecting your credit score! There’s even a way to “test drive” your financing online using a handy dandy loan calculator. You simply enter in some basic information (approximate credit score, loan amount, length of term, etc.) and the calculator will provide an estimated monthly payment & estimated APR. How convenient is that? If the monthly payment seems too high, you can try increasing the loan term to reduce the monthly payment. Being able to fine-tune auto financing from the comfort of home is such a convenient feature that saves time & money in the long run!
Upgrading the Car
For the past few weeks, we have been exploring all the features of the site and fine-tuning our car buying details. By the time we are ready to walk into the dealership, we will be ahead of the game. By doing all our research on the Capital One Auto Navigator® site ahead of time, we will know exactly what we want to purchase and how we will pay for it!
Upgrading the Car
Now, learn more about the Capital One Auto Navigator® site and tell me: Are you in the market for a new car in the near future? Does walking into a dealership ever seem intimidating to you?
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I purchased a new SUV a couple of years ago, so I’m good to go. My daughter is in the market for a new car and I’ll have to show her this because it looks like a pain-free way to purchase a car.
Thanks for sharing this, Alli!
It really helps that you can test drive the different cars. It will help you know which one you are most comfortable with.
My husband’s car is having a ton of issues. It is definitely time for a new car, but we haven’t started the process yet. We should probably start doing some research because I’m not sure how long his car is going to hang in there. This definitely makes it easier to do research from home.
We just bought a new car and we did almost all the things you mentioned above! It is much easier to get a car when you are knowledgable about everything!
I just bought a car a couple years ago, so I’m good. My daughter is next in line for a car next summer when she gets her driver’s license. Hopefully we won’t have a car payment, but, this is great info! Thanks!
I am a car girl. Actually a truck girl, but whatever. I actually enjoy looking at vehicles because I know exactly what I want and we’ve been really lucky with our car shopping over the years.
This is a great help. We lease a new car every year and go by price, but we also lease the exact same car so we do not end up doing any research, and we should! So I will save this article, thanks,
Mitch
It’s always good to be prepared and have all your ducks in a roll before making such a big change.
I have a car like that as well. I still have the one I bought in college that has gone to PA and back several times. I would be sad to see mine go as well!
Oh wow this is a really great way to streamline the process of car buying, glad you shared these tips today!
One of our cars definitely needs to go. We’re going to have to replace it at some point and the Capital One Auto Navigator site seems like it would be help us make informed decisions!
I just bought a new car about a year ago and am so happy with my purchase. This is a great financial option to get a car you can be proud of.
This is great advice – we are still in our contract for our last car but in a few years time I will remember your tips so thank you!
Capital One Auto Navigator site sounds like a great place to check out before purchasing a new vehicle. I will have to share this with my sons who will both be looking for a new car soon. It is so important to do research before purchasing a big purchase. Thanks for sharing the information.
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This is so neat. We use Capital One already, I will have check out this navigator site now.
My truck just turned a year old this summer. Great list though, this would be a big help.
I initially wanted to upgrade my car this year but I decided to focus on improving my house instead. I think this is a nice guide for people who are thinking of getting a new car.
I just had to go through this process. It can be SO difficult to get the right information. This is a good guide to get started.