Your students will have many questions, especially at the beginning of the project. Questions such as, "How do we do this?" or "What's the answer?" should be politely ignored or turned back to the student, but questions such as, "Do I have a trade-in?" or "Am I leasing or buying" should definitely be answered.
In this section, we have included possible questions that students may have and responses to those questions which are in the flavor of PBL. The idea is to give the students necessary information without giving them the answer.
How much does my vehicle cost?
This and all information concerning options, dealer cost, additional cost, etc., can be found at the web sites listed in the resources section.
What options can I get?
You may get any options you can afford. Information on options can be found at the Web sites listed in the resources section.
What's my budget?
The goal with this project is to personalize the information as much as possible without forcing people to reveal any private information. Students should use as much of their own budget as they feel comfortable and can feel free to substitute in reasonable numerical values in place of their own.
Do I have a down payment?
For the basis of this project, the students may use up to $5000 as a down payment.
Is the car I am getting new or used?
NEW car of their choice.
Do I determine my salary before or after taxes?
Determine gross pay.
Am I leasing or buying?
This project is based on buying a car, but students who wish to investigate leasing and compare it to actually buying may do so.
Any math-type question covering material in the textbook.
These questions will be learning issues for them and they should refer to their textbook or an appropriate resource.
How do I qualify for a loan?
There are many steps involved in this process. Refer to the "Everybody's Money" pamphlet listed on the resources. Also refer to the debt-to-income ratio information in the "What it means to afford a car" section.
What are the maintenance costs for my vehicle?
This information can be found at one of the web sites listed in the resources section.
What is the sales tax for my purchase?
This will vary from state-to-state. For Arizona, assume 6.5% tax.
Do I have a trade-in and how much is it worth?
Students will use their car (or their parent's car) as a trade-in. Trade-in values can be determined using web sites listed in the resources section.
