Over the course of the next few weeks, I will be sharing several thoughts concerning the common financial situations in which we, as college students, find ourselves. I do not intend to make people feel stupid for past decisions, because there is no doubt that I have made plenty of them myself. Rather, I hope to inspire my fellow students to at least consider taking the road less traveled — particularly, the road that leads to greater financial health in the long term. Without further ado, let’s get started with a typically hot-button issue: college cars.

For those of us that were not fortunate enough to have a car given to us by our parents, buying a car presents us with a frighteningly open-ended decision. Should we choose the car of our dreams, or should we forgo our own vehicle entirely and ride CyRide for a year or two? While CyRide is the right decision for a number of students, the decision parameter for most of us lies in the middle of the aforementioned dichotomy. The following is my primer on the car selection process.

Taking out a loan for a college car is foolish. While many young people believe that having a car loan is unavoidable, this is simply not the case. In fact, taking out a car loan increases the cost of your car (financing charges), decreases the enjoyment of owning a car (debt hanging over your head), and causes you to buy more car than you can afford (through the presence of “easy” money). Instead of resigning to the idea that you will have to take out a loan, be more proactive in your car choice and find one that is within your cash price range.

If you choose your vehicle to compensate for an undersized phallus or an undersized purse, your motivation is in need of reassessment. Both of these options represent the triumph of form over function, and both of these decisions are going to wreck your ability to pay in cash. Not many college students can find the cash to pay for the car of their dreams. It is typically much easier, however, to pay for a reliable used car that will accommodate your needs.

Once you have selected the type of car you want, do your research. It is all too easy to just go to the nearest certified dealer representing the make that you want and purchase in haste. A much more beneficial way is to research several different ways to purchase the vehicle you desire. Sites like Craigslist and eBay are continuing to expand the number of cars bought and sold online. More traditionally, methods such as classified ads and public postings are typically ways to connect with older sellers who are typically more responsible with their vehicles. Whatever you do, always get the vehicle inspected by a knowledgeable technician before you purchase.

With that, I hope you have been forced to think differently about the car-selection process, and I wish you luck with your next purchase.