Going to a place to get a car is a little exciting and can be intimidating as well. If you want to end up with a car that you love, do your research. This article contains tips that will help you make the best decision.
What do you want out of your new car? Have you taken a good look at your budget? What is the passenger capacity you will need? What gas mileage are you looking for? Do you want a sedan or minivan? Get it all down on paper, and bring it with you when shopping so that you don’t forget.
If you fail to negotiate a price, you are wasting money. You must not pay for the advertised price. They purposely inflate the value to dicker with you, and you need to remember this fact.
Do a bit of online browsing prior to visiting a car dealership. Don’t visit a dealership until you have a good idea of what you want in a vehicle, such as size, brand, and pricing. Research brands online to learn what you like best as well as which brands are safest. The dealer often won’t talk about safety or other things it’s important for you to know.
If you’re shopping for a used car, try to have it inspected by a mechanic not from the dealership. If your dealer does not want to do this, turn around and go somewhere else. To the untrained eye, it’s almost impossible to determine whether a vehicle has been damaged in a flood, wreck or fire. A mechanic can identify these and other issues before you agree to buy the car.
When you go shopping for a new car, have someone else go with you. This individual can be another pair of eyes and ears, and they just might save you from a bad deal by nudging you to walk away when you should. This person can be anyone, from a family member to a close friend.
Safety features are important when you are shopping for a new car. The car must have ABS or anti-lock brakes. Air bags are also essential. Safety is important because you are often in your car.
If the car you are driving now is expensive, don’t drive it to the dealership. Once salespeople see your expensive vehicle, they will not accept any of your offers and try raising prices because they will assume you can afford to spend more on a vehicle.
Test Drive
Consider renting a car just to test drive them. If you really want to know how a car handles, rent it from a rental car agency and test drive it for a while. Take a road trip with the family, and put the car through its paces to determine if it will work out well for your family. This is a great way to get comfortable with a car before making the huge commitment of a purchase.
Plan to do your car shopping at the month’s end. Most car dealers have quotas for their salespeople that they are trying to meet at this time. Near the end of a calendar month, you might just catch a salesman behind on his quota and so willing to haggle you a better deal than usual.
Don’t give your SSN out too early. Some dealerships want this information so they can ruin your credit. Running your credit multiple times is disadvantageous. Only give your number to the company you want to finance your purchase.
When shopping for cars, it can be fun and stressful at the same time. When you know what you’re doing, you’ll find it more fun. By heeding the advice you’ve just read, you can improve your chances of finding the best vehicle for the best price.