Step 5: Have you considered all of the costs of ownership?

Here is an often-overlooked fact of car ownership: One car might be cheaper to buy, but more expensive to own. Why? Even if two cars cost about the same to buy, one can depreciate at a different rate or cost significantly more to insure or maintain.

Before you commit to one car, you should estimate the long-term ownership costs of the vehicle you are considering. These include depreciation, insurance, maintenance and fuel costs. True Cost to Own ^® presents this information in an easy-to-read table.

Another valuable tool is Edmunds.com's True Market Value (TMV^®) pricing to find out what a fair price is for the car you are considering. TMV is the average price other buyers are paying for the same car in your area.

By using TMV and TCO, you can make a smart decision up front and then save hundreds of dollars over the life of the car.