Are you in the market for a new vehicle? If the old family van just isn’t cutting it anymore, it might be time to shop around. Whether you want to trade in, buy a used vehicle, or purchase something brand new, there are plenty of options. However, there’s a lot to take into consideration during the process of purchasing a new car. Don’t worry—we’ve created a list of tips to consider and help you to getting the perfect new set of wheels:

1. Set a budget

The first step in purchasing a new car should be setting a budget for yourself. This will help you find what makes and models of cars you should be looking at, whether you need to consider purchasing a used vehicle, and if you should be looking into loans or financing for your new vehicle.

2. Research vehicles and features

Now that you have a general idea of what vehicles are in your budget, it’s time to do some research! Be sure to look into all the features, safety tech, gas mileage, and other important information that would help you make a decision on the kind of vehicle you need. Whether you need a spacious family SUV, an off-roading vehicle for your adventures, a truck with towing capabilities, or just an all around good car to get you to and fro, there are so many options out there.

3. Get pre-approved for a loan

If you do decide on getting a loan, getting pre-approved is a great way to help yourself in the car purchasing process. To name a few of the benefits, with a pre-approved loan, you can adjust your budget as you’ll know how much money you can get; it gives you a significant upper-hand in negotiating power; it streamlines the buying process; it allows you to focus on researching and testing vehicles; helps you avoid higher markups, and more!

4. Test-drive vehicles

Unfortunately, reading consumer reports, looking at features, and checking reviews online isn’t enough to tell you if a car is right for you. Test driving a vehicle is the best way to experience and understand features like safety, comfort, noise, smoothness, and so on. When test driving, be sure to get the most out of the opportunity and pay attention to all the qualities of the car.

5. Shop around

Shopping around is one of the most essential steps in buying a new car—you should never buy the first car you look at. There may be the same make and model offered at a lower price at a different dealership or you can use competing offers to your advantage and negotiate at dealerships. You might even find the perfect car that you wouldn’t have considered by looking around before making a decision!