Shopping for a new car should be fun. Driving it once you own it is fun, and buying one should be as well. Most people will say that car buying is quite stressful, but you don’t need to make it so. Use the following tips to make your shopping experience more pleasurable.
Do not allow yourself to get talked into a car you can’t afford. A lot of people end up purchasing sports cars because they fell for the dealer’s slick comments about how good they look driving it. Remember that salespeople are motivated by the commissions they will make if they sell you an expensive vehicle.
You will be wasting your money if you fail to negotiate a price of the car. You should not pay for the window. These prices are purposefully high to allow negotiating room for the seller.
You need to know as much as you can before buying a car. You’ll negotiate better if you know what they’re able to offer you in financing and trade practices. Check out reviews, too.
Get your loan before you go shopping. If you have your loan pre-arranged, the purchasing process will be streamlined.
When negotiating, focus on the price of the car overall, not just the monthly payment. Dealers can make any monthly price happen, but you’ll pay monthly prices for years on the total cost of an outrageously-priced car. Focus your negotiating on getting the best deal possible on the total price and financing you receive. Then, you can negotiate the terms.
Know what type of vehicle you are looking for before going to a lot. Research online to see what works best for your budget and family needs. This also lets you an idea of the price that you should expect to pay for a specific vehicle.
Make it a policy to always pay less than the sticker price. That usually isn’t what the salesmen will expect of you anyway. If you don’t think you can properly negotiate, bring along someone who can. Make sure you research the car you are interested in first, however, so you have some idea of what to offer.
Monthly Payment
Bring along a friend. This person can act as another set of ears, and they might be more reasonable about walking away from a deal if it isn’t in your best interest to accept it. This person can be a friend, relative or spouse.
When negotiating, do not focus on the monthly payments, rather than the monthly payment. Dealers are able to get any car into a particular monthly payment level, but it will just increase the total price you pay. Negotiate the best overall deal for the car. Then you can determine what the monthly payment will cost monthly.
Make sure you’re able to be inside the dealership for hours when you’re car shopping. You never want to feel rushed so that you commit yourself to a deal that you are not really comfortable with. It is in your best interest to set aside an entire morning or afternoon. If for some reason you need to leave the dealership before you are ready, don’t panic. It is best to come back when you have more time.
You should never pay the full sticker price. This isn’t what each dealer thinks the car is worth.
If you don’t think that you can stay away from the pressure during any sales pitches, you shouldn’t go shopping alone for a vehicle. Bring a relative or friend along to help negotiate prices and remember important questions. Before you even go out to look at cars, make sure you and your friend are on the same page regarding your budget and needs.
Get recommendations from trusted family members and friends. Are they happy with their own vehicles? Do they think the decisions they made? What have they heard about other cars out on the market?
Call the bank to see if you can get the financing you need for the vehicle you are interested in. This will be for the security that you have. Usually the finance department at the dealership can find you a better rate than your bank, but it is a good idea to know what interest rate you are looking at before shopping.
Don’t drive your really expensive car to the lot.Once salespeople see your expensive vehicle, they will be less likely to make any deals with you.
Don’t roll up to the dealership in an expensive car. This will end up costing you a lot of money in the long run.
Bring a friend who isn’t personally affected by your decision. They will stop you to see mistakes so you’re not making an emotional based on emotion. Ask this person to point out any possible problems or disadvantages that they might notice as well.
Go to a car show to find out which cars you are interested in. They have all different makes and models together in one building. You can also gain insights from folks who know cars well. After the auto show, you should go home with a better idea as to what you would like to purchase.
You should have an upper limit on your number in mind before stepping onto a dealer.
Prior to shopping for a car, take a look at your budget. You need to know what you can, and what you can’t, buy. Get an idea what you can afford for your car payments. Even look for a loan prior to your car search.
Ask the dealer if you can have a mechanic to inspect the vehicle you would like to buy. The mechanic you use should be fairly trustworthy. Don’t use the mechanic your dealer recommends to you. A good mechanic can help you know what condition the vehicle is priced reasonably and free of defects.
Evaluate your finances and come up with a realistic amount that you are willing to spend before you start talking to car salesmen. This price should reflect the amount that you would not mind paying and also what the fair price is on the market for that particular make and model.
Never sign any type of auto contract until you read first. Read the whole contract before you sign it.The document binds you once signed. You can always take the contract home to look over it some more. If you are told you cannot, ask them for a copy.
Fuel economy should be considered prior to getting a car. It can be more expensive to buy a fuel efficient car, but you’ll save more over time. Keep this in mind before you buy a car if you want to save money for the long term.
Not all salespeople or dealerships operate the same. While salespeople have a reputation of being too pushy, this sales method is losing ground. Many dealerships are now using a more subtle approach to selling these days. Do not hesitate to walk away if your salesperson is overly pushy. There are a lot of nice salespeople out there that you will have to choose from.
An excellent time to go car shopping is the last week of the month. Salesmen are all about the monthly quota, and your sale might just get them there. Go car shopping during the last week of the month, take a couple of days to negotiate and you will get a good deal.
People often cringe when they hear about car shopping, but this isn’t necessary, as you’ve seen. There are several steps you can take to ensure that you have a positive experience. Make sure you put the above tips into action the next time you’re out car shopping.
Figure out what the service department does for dealers you want to visit with. Ask around to see what current customers think of the service. You may even choose to call the department yourself and ask questions to see how they respond. You should pick the dealer that has the best answer.
