Essential tips to get you the best deal when buying a car – words Al Woods
Like many of us, you most probably hate with a passion the process of buying a new car. Salespeople can be pushy and sometimes even rude, the process per se can be frustrating and many of us simply avoid buying a new car due to it.
Many of us do everything possible to maintain our current vehicles in perfect shape only because we want to avoid the whole ordeal. But if you manage to plan ahead and follow some essential pieces of advice, you will be more likely to have an easy and sometimes, even pleasurable experience while car shopping. Follow the advice below for more information.
Never Skip the Research Part
Before buying a car, you must make sure that you closely analyse and research your options. Skipping this part is one of the biggest mistakes that you can ever make. Do you want to arrive at a car dealership without knowing exactly what you’re looking for? Not knowing exactly what you’re looking for will make you more vulnerable in face of pushy salespeople and you will most likely end up purchasing the car that they want you to purchase, not the car that you need.
There are available plenty of online resources that you can use in your research and even by simply performing a Google search will offer you plenty of information on the vehicles that fall into your price range. If you plan on buying a new car, make sure that you research your options based on the invoice price, not the MSRP. The first price is the rate at which the dealership bought the vehicle at from the manufacturer and it will help you get the desired price once the negotiations begin.
When buying a used car, make sure that you check online and see recent resale prices for the vehicle model that you plan on buying. Knowing the market will allow you to better practice your negotiation skills and will make you more successful in the entire process.
Shop Around
If you don’t have to buy a vehicle urgently, shop around. The process should involve at least one dealership that you don’t buy from and shouldn’t be limited to in-town dealerships. Out of town ones are also amazing. This will offer you a better idea of each dealership’s rock-bottom price and will offer you a good advantage when it comes to choosing your piece. If you shop around, you will discover how much prices can vary from dealership to dealership.
Negotiate
Buying a car is an immense investment, maybe one of the most important that you will make in your lifetime, after purchasing a home. You will be paying it for the next five or even six years, so make sure that those salespeople know that you can’t be taken for a fool. Be upfront about this fact. Negotiate the price as much as you can. Try to bring it down as much as possible. Start off with a ridiculous number. Then negotiate backwards to make it look like you start being more reasonable. Make sure that when you step into a dealership, you step in with confidence and a big smile on your face. Make it look like you know exactly what you’re doing. Never feel bad about walking away from any offers. It will offer you more power and control over the whole process.
Look into Financing Options
Good or bad credit score, you must find a financing option for the loan on your car. As a main rule, you have to make sure that you never settle for a dealership loan since you may end up regretting it for the rest of your life. look into auto loans that are designed for those with a bad credit score even if you don’t have one. You have very likely to find a reliable collaborator in such companies and you can always be sure that you will find the best financing options for your own needs. It will make such an amazing difference, considering the fact that you will have to pay for that car monthly, for several years.
Always Look into Both New and Used Cars
Many of us choose to purchase a slightly used car since it helps you save some important money in the process. The main reason why this happens is that, as soon as a new vehicle enters a person’s possession, it depreciates enormously. But sadly, over the past few years, the offer for used cars has decreased dramatically. People usually hold onto their cars for longer than they did in the past and this is one of the main reasons. Prices for used cars have increased dramatically and sometimes, purchasing a new vehicle makes more sense.
If you want to buy a new vehicle, it is best to reach out to an accredited dealership to find and purchase your preferred car. For instance, new Ford cars and other car brands are available at such dealerships to suit diverse budgets, needs, and preferences. You can even reach out to your preferred dealership to book a test drive or find out essential information about any available vehicles. Still, it would help if you didn’t consider new cars only because used vehicle prices are high. When diving into the car purchase process, make sure that you look into both used and new vehicles. This way, you are more likely to discover what alternative is better for your own case. Be open-minded in the process and never get fixated on a certain vehicle.
Always Consider Insurance Costs
Many of us tend to overlook the expenses involved by car insurance when purchasing a new vehicle. The cost of insuring a car should be a major factor in the purchase process so you should always get quotes on premiums from different and multiple insurance companies. Get those by providing information about the car’s make, model and personal information such as your age and driving record. These pieces of information are mandatory if you want to get a clear idea on the insurance costs involved by a certain vehicle.
These are some of the best tips offered by those with more experience than us when it comes to purchasing cars, be those used or new. You should never skip any step of those presented above as it will influence enormously your entire experience. For your own sake, make everything run smooth and stress-free by following the advice above.
