What is the best site to look for a car?

April 14, 2023

What is the best site to look for a car?

My younger brother is getting his driver’s license, but he has no idea what kind of car he wants to drive. He believes that a driver’s license is the key to adulthood, freedom, and independence. That is complete nonsense.

The whole purpose of obtaining a driver’s license is to pick out a car! I have always had a passion for cars. When the time came to select one, I knew the exact car that fit my budget, had the best power to weight ratio, resale value, and lowest incidence rate for repairs. Once I had established the model I wanted, the search began. I found the perfect example, but it was located in another state. I figured out how to import it to New Hampshire, which required jumping through many logistical hoops.

This takes painstaking research.

From the age of five, whether it was Legos, radio control cars, baseball bats, smartphones, or developing the perfect golf swing or swim stroke, when I became interested in something, I developed an encyclopedic knowledge base and enthusiasm for the topic. After listening to me talk about cars for an hour, some might say my enthusiasm is contagious. Others may say “please stop talking”.

In the book The Tipping Point, author Malcolm Gladwell refers to such people as Mavens – information brokers who obsessively research and help others by providing new information. I realized the research I love doing has value, and sharing it with others is incredibly rewarding. Whether acting as a math tutor, competing in sports, or being a walking Consumer Reports article, sharing my knowledge and skills is how I connect with people.

My desire to master a topic and share knowledge with others also fits well with our world’s rising need for information. The future favors organizations that give people the right information when they need it (like car buying). This has fueled my interest in studying business and data science. It is a natural extension of my personality. As Steve Jobs once said “the only way to do great work is to love what you do”.

At the moment, I am putting my knowledge of cars to work by helping my brother evaluate his options. If by some major coincidence he happens to decide my car would be perfect, I would happily give it to him and begin my search for another great deal!