Columbia College Alumni Association

Close Search

You are here

How to Get a Car

New Car Image noncommercial reuse

Photograph: Flickr, Pictures of Money

Moving to a new place can be a big undertaking, especially when you consider that where you live next might not have quite as many transportation options as, say, living near 116th Street and Broadway.

Cliff Massey CC’10 experienced this challenge a few years ago when he moved cross-country to Los Angeles to earn a master’s. Here are his tips for getting a set of wheels.


  1. Edmunds Auto Calculator

    Edmunds.com/calculator

    Decide if you even need a car. In some places, it’s assumed that you need a car to get around, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Public transit is a thing, as are biking and ridesharing. Plus, buying or leasing a car is a big financial decision and comes with expenses above and beyond your car payment: insurance, fuel and maintenance. Use a cost calculator from a trustworthy source (such as this one from Edmunds) to get an estimate of the impact a car could have on your bottom line.

  2. Determine if buying or leasing is best. There are many factors that go into making this decision, but here are the ones I find most helpful:

    Buying a car is generally more expensive, as you must cover the entire cost of the vehicle, but you end up with equity at the end of your auto loan, meaning you can recoup some of the cost of the vehicle if you sell it. The loans for buying are typically long-term, so depending on your credit and a few other factors, your monthly payments can be lower than if you lease.

    CPO examples

    Decide if you want a new or a used car. The trade-off is straightforward: Used cars are cheaper — and repurposing cars reduces the carbon footprint — but new cars are, well, new. If you’re going for a used car, you might want to look for certified pre-owned. These are typically newer cars that have passed a multipoint inspection and have been certified by an automaker as in good condition.

    Leasing a car is essentially a fancy, long-term car rental, and therefore is ideal in a few circumstances: Maybe you only need a car for a defined period of time — say, three years of grad school — or if you’re someone who likes to always have a new car with the latest features and tech. When you lease, you’re essentially paying to borrow the car for a fixed amount of time and a fixed amount of miles, and then you return the car at the end of that time period and can upgrade to a new one.

  3. Research cars that interest you. Visit manufacturers websites or use one of the many online tools that can help you narrow down your search. Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds are the most reputable sources, but there are many others. You’ll also want to look for the prices that cars sell or lease for in your area, as taxes and fees can vary based on state and local law.

  4. Visit a few dealerships and take a few test drives. Car salespeople are notoriously pushy, so I’ve found it’s helpful to bring someone with you to bounce ideas off of (or just for moral support). This goes a long way toward putting you at ease when faced with an overly intrepid salesperson.

  5. Consider a credit union. If you’re a member of a credit union, you might be able to get a better auto loan deal than if you were to go through a big bank. Most manufacturers have their own preferred bank (e.g., Mazda uses Chase), especially if you’re leasing. But for buying a car, you should be able to use your own bank. Just be sure to talk to someone at the bank ahead of time to see what kind of rates you have access to, based on your credit.

  6. MSRP example

    Ford Fusion Energi

    Negotiate the price. Each vehicle has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), the starting point for any negotiations. Ask if the dealership has any promotions for buying or leasing, and don’t be afraid to be honest with the salesperson about what you can afford. Tell him or her the monthly price you’re looking to pay, and he or she can usually work with you to make that happen (or get close, at least).
  7. Get behind the wheel. Once you’ve settled on the car you want, jump through the paperwork hoops and you’re all set. Dealerships are generally good at explaining the licensing and registration process for new vehicles, and in some states (like California), they’ll handle much of that process for you.

  8. Zero Emissions Sample - Matt Gray Photo

    BONUS: Consider driving a NZEV or ZEV. Driving a near-zero-emissions vehicle (NZEV) or zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) is a great way to reduce your impact on climate change. Traditional hybrids, plug-in hybrids and low-carbon fuel vehicles are considered near-zero-emissions, while electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are considered zero-emissions. These cars are more expensive than the traditional gas-powered car, but if reducing your carbon footprint is high on your list of criteria, check out these options. There are also federal and state rebates for some vehicles, which will lower the cost of buying or leasing. Check out the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center for some tools that will help you figure out the relationships among cost, emissions and other factors.

    Disclaimer: Any vehicle that plugs into a socket is only zero tailpipe emissions, meaning the engine itself doesn’t emit anything. But the electricity to charge it has to come from somewhere, so if your utility generates a portion of its electricity from coal, for example, your car still has carbon emissions associated with it. They’re just coming out of a power plant rather than out of your tailpipe.


Cliff Massey CC'10

Cliff Massey CC‘10 lives in Los Angeles and works in public policy. He specializes in energy and environmental policy, especially regulation and legislation related to renewable energy integration, energy storage and emerging technologies. He is EVP of the Columbia Alumni Association of Southern California and a member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia College Alumni Association.