Q. My wife and I are going to buy a car. Can you give us some tips?

The View from Venus . . .

If both of you will be driving and/or traveling in the car I urge you to go car shopping together. There will be a higher level of comfort and joy with a new car if both of you can agree on the purchase. Here are some questions you both may want to answer before the purchase if complete:

• Do we both "fit" in the car? That is, can both of us see well from the driver's seat and do the seats "both" both of us comfortably?
• If there are any blind spots, can we easily work with them when driving?
• If both of us will be driving at one time or another, did we both test drive the car and like it?
• Have we discussed what we want to use the car for: hobbies, taking the kids to school, towing a boat, vacations and luggage racks, etc.? Does the car provide for thee needs?
• If the color an issue? If yes, what colors will you both accept? Are the interior colors important? If yes, is there an appearance we both can accept?
• What accessories do you both want? If you do not agree at first, it will probably help to test-drive cars with different accessories so you can see how their existence or absence affects your driving experience.

The View from Mars . . .

The first thing to remember is that a car is an expense, not an investment. You will lose value on your everyday car, truck, van, or S.U.V. The newer the car, the more you'll lose. So if you plan on getting a brand new car, figure the first year you'll lose about 25% and the second year another 20% of the purchase price. With this in mind, you'll have to first decide on the budgeting. Another consideration is how much the insurance you will be paying. So before you "fall in love" with your "hunk of steel" call your insurance agent and ask how safe and costly the car and the insurance may be. I'd also stay away from buying the first or second year of a new model. Sure it's stylish, but the risks are higher, too. Talk to your repair shop and ask their opinion on your selection. They will give you the history of that particular vehicle and either encourage or discourage the purchase. Also you need to decide if buying or leasing is best for you. Personally, if you can't deduct the lease payment on taxes, I'd prefer buying over leasing. Last and more important, if you're buying used, have it inspected by a repair ship BEFORE you buy.

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