Looking at cars? How would you like some helpful hints to make your experience easier and more fun? This article is packed with great advice, straight from the experts, on the many simple ways you can make the process of buying a car easier. Keep reading for some simple and helpful tips on car shopping.

Never let salespeople talk you into a car that is beyond your means. People are often pressured into a beautiful, but expensive car by a good salesman. Salesmen earn money on commission, and some salesmen put their own financial gain before your best interests.

Before you visit a dealership, view your car loan on the Internet. Checking your credit and finding a lender is what takes the bulk of your time on a car lot. If you have pre-qualified for a loan, this process will be much faster.

You should find a way of financing your new car before shopping. This can be done at either your credit union or bank. You might get a better deal through your bank than through the dealer.

If you are getting your car from an individual, get your mechanic to see the vehicle before you purchase it. If the owners prevent this, you may want to look elsewhere. There could be hidden, expensive problems that will affect the vehicle’s value. You do not want to purchase anything without looking into it.

Sticker value is always negotiable. This number is not an accurate reflection of what each dealer believes it can get from you. If you aren’t comfortable negotiating, bring someone who is. You need to know what a good price is for the desired car beforehand so that you can figure out what you’ll be willing to pay.

Do not mention trade-ins, incentives or down payments until you already have a price commitment on the car of your choice. You want these extras to reduce the price. If you negotiate a deal before you talk about any extras, you will receive a much better deal.

Try your luck online. You can find a vast selection of cars for sale online. Do not even visit a dealership until you have learned everything there is to know about your options. You can find all kinds of stuff out about a vehicle if you just do a simple search on the Internet.

Prior to shopping for a car, take a look at your budget. You must know how much you can afford for a car. Figure out how much you can spend each month on car payments. Get your financing in place before you buy the car.

Do not give out your SS number haphazardly. Often dealers will ask for that early on and run a quick credit check. Many credit report checks can be a red flag to financiers. Wait until you know you have a deal ironed out before you offer your Social Security number.

Have a firm price in your mind before you set foot in an auto dealership. Factors that should go into this number are the value of the vehicle that you are interested in, your financing options, as well as your income.

Call Ahead

If you know you want a specific model, call ahead and ask if the dealer has one on the lot. Going to the lot may cause the sales staff to offer you other cars you don’t want just to get a sale. You’ll just be wasting your time if they don’t have the car that you want. Call ahead and find out what the story is.

Now that you’ve read this advice, you can shop for a car sans stress. As long as you can afford it, you’ll find that your new car will be a pleasure to drive every day of the year. This makes the work towards the purchase worth it.