Last weekend I saw some high school friends that I hadn’t seen since probably mid-college. We were chatting about our lives: trips we’ve been on, career moves we’ve made and accomplishments we’ve had. One of my friends got a new car last year, and I blushed, admitting that I still have the same, old Ford Taurus.

Part of me is hoping that this car lasts forever (mainly because buying a car is expensive), but also because I seriously have no idea what to do when it comes to car shopping. When you buy a house, you’ve got a loan officer, realtor, Redfin, Zillow and a gaggle of excited friends to help you dissect every inch of a house and decide whether you want it or not.