Car ownership decisions
Use a Used-Car Inspection to Set an All-In Purchase Limit
Combine purchase price, identified work, reserve needs, and inspection cost before deciding whether a used car fits the budget.
Financial education
Car ownership decisions
Financing, maintenance, mileage and the cost of keeping or replacing a vehicle.
Analysis & practical guides
10 articles
Car ownership decisions
Repair the Current Car or Replace It for the Next Three Years?
Compare forward depreciation, repairs, operating differences, and transport reliability without letting past spending control the decision.
Car ownership decisions
Choose a Car Loan Term That Fits Your Replacement Calendar
Compare payments and total interest across loan lengths while testing what happens if the car is sold before the debt is repaid.
Car ownership decisions
Pay for a Higher Lease Mileage Allowance or Risk Overage Charges?
Compare a contractual mileage upgrade with conditional end-of-lease charges under different travel patterns.
Car ownership decisions
Can Fuel Savings Recover an Electric Car's Upfront Premium?
Compare a hypothetical electric-car premium with operating savings under home and public charging assumptions.
Car ownership decisions
Keep a Second Car or Pay for Occasional Substitute Transport?
Compare avoidable second-car ownership costs with a practical mix of transit, rentals, and paid trips.
Car ownership decisions
Trade In a Car with Negative Equity or Keep It Longer?
Trace the old-loan shortfall through a replacement transaction and identify the cash contribution that prevents it from enlarging the new loan.
Car ownership decisions
Pay Cash for a Car or Finance It to Preserve a Reserve?
Compare cash sufficiency with the present value of loan payments using a consistent opportunity-rate assumption.
Car ownership decisions
A Financed Car Service Contract Must Cover More Than Its Sticker Price
Compare contract coverage, deductibles, financing charges, and retained repair risk before accepting an optional add-on.
Car ownership decisions
Buy the Car at Lease End or Start with Another Vehicle?
Compare the all-in buyout of a known car with a suitable replacement while keeping prior lease payments out of the forward decision.