As you start down the road to your automotive purchase, you might begin by establishing what kinds of cars best suit the way you live and the features you’ll find most useful. Make a list of questions focused on your specific driving needs, similar to the ones below. Your answers should help you build a short list of size and types of vehicles to consider.

The purchase price is just part of a car’s total expense. In addition to monthly payments, you’ll have to budget for its use and care—which generally means insurance, maintenance, gasoline (or charging for electric vehicles), repairs and parking.

A new car, by definition, hasn’t been mistreated or in an accident. It has a warranty, the newest safety features and even that new-car smell. What’s not to love? Well, there’s the price. A new model can run you appreciably more than a used one. It also has higher insurance rates. And a new car’s value falls sharply the moment you drive it off the lot.

Because used vehicles are less expensive, you might be able to step up to a nicer model. Your insurance will be more affordable, and the car’s value generally will drop more slowly than if you bought new. At the same time, your car will have a lower trade-in value and may be more likely to develop maintenance problems. Be sure to ask for a Carfax report, which details a used vehicle’s history, including any accidents.

Car buyers are choosing electric vehicles (EVs) in increasing numbers, along with hybrid vehicles, which combine power from an electric motor and a gasoline engine. Because both produce significantly lower emissions, they’re considered more environmentally friendly than gasoline-powered cars.

Other pluses for EVs are less engine noise and lower fuel costs than gas-powered cars—just how much lower depends on gas prices and electric rates where you live. While EVs are usually are more expensive, rebate and incentive programs, such as tax credits, may help with the cost.

Charging an electric car can be done at home or a public charging station. Fully charging a car takes as little as 30 minutes or as long as half a day, depending on the size of the battery and speed of the charging station. Finding charging stations has become easier over the past few years, and most EVs can get more than 200 miles on a charge.

In addition to their environmental benefits over gas-only vehicles, hybrids offer the peace of mind of being able to pull into a gas station when you’re driving in areas that might not have charging stations.

Once you have a general idea of the type of vehicle you want, going online can give you access to an enormous range of dealerships and sellers, both local and outside of your area. This provides you with more car choices in your price range and allows you to shop extensively before you even set foot in a showroom. If you’re looking at a new car, ask multiple dealers to quote you prices.

Additionally, many digital tools, available both on dealer and general auto websites, allow you to fine-tune your research according to price, reliability, safety, incentives, reviews and other factors. These can be convenient ways to shop for—and even finance—a car online.

Looking for a car loan before shopping for a car may seem counterintuitive, but it can be very useful. It gives you an idea of how much you can borrow and at what interest rate, which enables you to avoid making financing decisions on the fly at the dealership. Start with your bank or credit union, then get quotes from dealerships and other lenders and compare rates to make sure you get the best one.

Beyond the interest rate, consider the length of the loan and how long you think you’ll own the car. You want to avoid owing more than the car is worth when the time comes to sell it or trade for a newer one.

While shopping for a car loan, you’ll probably hear the terms “pre-qualification” and “pre-approval.” Here’s what they mean:

After you’ve made all the preparations, now comes the fun part of the car-buying quest—where you learn how the car performs and how you feel in it. After you’ve identified a few cars that might be right for you, try to drive them all on the same day. You might want to call ahead and make appointments to use your time most efficiently. This allows you not only to better compare vehicles, but also the customer service at each dealership.