Author: user
Last saved by: Katelyn M. Monteiro
Company: HP

Comparison Shopping Project:  Car Shopping (200 points)
Objective:  Comparison shopping using the DECIDE process is an important strategy to use as part of your financial plan to save money.  In this project scenario, you need reliable transportation to get to and from your job and/or school.  Your parents work full time and are unable to drive you to work.  You have decided it is time to shop for a car.  You have been saving money for a few years and you also received money from parents/grandparents.  You have $17,000 to spend on a car, including the cost of insurance.  You will use the DECIDE process to select an automobile that will best fit your needs and fit into your financial plan.   
•	Define your goal
•	Establish criteria for an acceptable outcome
•	Choose 2 or 3 good options
•	Identify pros and cons of the options
•	Decide the best option that matches criteria
•	Evaluate the results.
Directions & Process:  
Your task is to research different automobiles to determine the “best” deal, based on the type of car  you need as an individual.  You will use the Internet to research and locate information to compare at least 3 different cars.  You will create a table in Microsoft Word or in Excel to put all research data.  Some suggested websites to help you begin your research include:  http://auto.howstuffworks.com/buying-selling/car-buying2.htm
http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/10-steps-to-finding-the-right-car-for-you.html 
http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/ 
http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/index.htm
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/

Once you have gathered all required information, you will analyze the data to decide which car is best to meet your needs.  You will type out your decision, including your explanation as to how you arrived at your decision, using the DECIDE process above.  It is important to justify your decision with full details to obtain full credit for this project.   Your detailed research will be assessed using the school-wide research rubric and your fully explained rationale will be assessed using the school-wide writing rubric.  
Automobile Comparison Project
Automobile Make | Pontiac | Volkswagen | Honda
Model | G5 GT | Beetle GLS | Accord LX
Year | 2008 | 2002 | 2006
Reliability rating | 8 | 7.3 | 8.7
Annual insurance cost | $9,000 | $5,000 | $8,000
Total cost to purchase | | |

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