I was thinking about financing a car this year, and then I read something interesting at http://www.forbes.com/finance. What the article suggested was to pretend you’ve already made the purchase, but make the payment to yourself for a few months. I tried it, and I was surprised at what I learned. What I discovered is that because I don’t have a car loan already, if I just keep saving up for a while, I’ll be in a much better position. With the hefty down payment I’m saving up, I’ll be able to afford a better car, or choose lower payments, or take a shorter-term loan.