Jason Fisher, regional director of StraightLine, talks about what type of vehicles students and faculty should look for and how to test out the newest cars during an event sponsored by General Motors Corp. and StraightLine on Tuesday and Wednesday in front of Spartan Stadium.
With a variety of makes, models and pricing points, owning a new vehicle might be one of the first expensive and confusing purchases a college student can make.
Jason Fisher, the regional director of the investment company StraightLine, said that as a college student, it is necessary to think about the most important aspects of buying a vehicle — especially cost.
“One thing you want to look at is what you can afford,” Fisher said. “You want to be conscious what the payments are going to be and what the terms are. Understanding what fits in your budget and what fits your needs (is important).”
Officials with StraightLine and General Motors Corp.’s Vehicle Advocate Program sectioned off Lot 79 in front of Spartan Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday to allow students, faculty and anyone with a driver’s license the opportunity to test drive new GM vehicles — even some that might not fit a student’s budget.
Pat Robinson, a quality engineer at GM, said the experience of sitting behind the wheel of a brand new car is always thrilling. Making that first purchase of a new vehicle is a lot to consider because of the many options, he said.
“I would think as a college student, you should be looking at economy to start with — something with 30-plus miles per gallon,” Robinson said. “I would be concerned about reliability, durability, fit and finish and customer appeal. You want people looking at you when you’re driving down the road.”
From a silver 2011 Chevrolet Camaro to the new 2011 Chevrolet Silverado hybrid, officials with the event attempted to have numerous of options available to drivers.
Although the long-awaited Chevrolet Volt was not on the lot, Andrew Herman, a test engineer at GM, said anticipation is growing for the new hybrid electric vehicle.
But the recently announced $41,000 price tag — before tax deductions — might not appeal to most students at MSU, he said.
“Like everything else, new technology comes out at a higher price,” Herman said.
“I can’t give you a specific number off the top of my head because no one really knows what the price will be down the line, but I would imagine the price would come down — only time can tell.”
Alexander Miller, a mechanical engineering senior, said not buying new might help many students out in the long term as a first vehicle purchase.
“I tend to look for used cars because they tend to be more economical,” Miller said. “The only way to know for sure about a reliable car is to know its history — buy off a friend or family. I guess that would be the cheapest and easiest way to go.”
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