Step Two

You've just hung your flyers around the neighborhood and now it's time to do that research your parents want. Before you can do effective research, you need to know what kind of car you want.

The types of cars are:
Convertible - any car you can take the top down on
Coupe - a car with only two doors
Hybrid - a car that uses electronic motors in addition to gas engine
Luxury - an expensive or particularly well-made car
SUV - four or all wheel drive combined with raised ground clearance
Sedan - a car with four doors
Truck - two or four doors and a cargo box
Van (includes minivan) - a short hood and large enclosed passenger area
Wagon - four doors and a roofline that extends past the passenger area

When you’ve chosen the type of car you want, write it on the list in the back of the room.

You will use the internet to conduct this research. One website that your Mom gave you as a good source is www.edmunds.com. Stay within one type, but look at 5 different cars that you would consider owning.

Create a spreadsheet or database that includes at least eight pieces of data about each car you've researched. Some data points you may be interested in include price, engine specs, safety features, heated seats, mileage, horsepower, drivers head room, etc. The one data point you MUST have is the monthly payment. Use $3000 as the amount down since you expect to have $1500 to contribute and your parents are matching that. Choose data that you actually care about, data that will help you make a good decision and help you convince your parents. This spreadsheet should look nice and be easy to read because it is going into the packet that you will give your parents. Choose a color scheme and fonts and stick with them throughout the project.

You may use Excel or Access for the comparison grid.

The Edmunds site has a loan calculator, you can use for your monthy payment.

For the most points...

Make sure your grid:

  • has 8-10 relevant features
  • is organized
  • effectively uses font to enhance readability
  • effectively uses color to enhance readability
  • prints on one sheet of paper either landscape or portrait

Go on to the next step...