Looking to buy a car? Do you need helpful information to make the experience fun and simple? Well, you have arrived at the right place. The below article provides excellent advice that can help the car-buying process an easier one. Read on for expert car-shopping advice.

Your wants and needs must be defined before buying a car. How much do you have to spend? How big does your car need to be for the amount of people you need to transport? What mileage are you looking for? A sports car or sedan? List all your wants, and take it with you so that you never forget them.

When negotiating, focus on the total price instead of the monthly one. A dealer can make any desired monthly price possible, but you’ll end up paying that monthly price for years and years, making the final cost of the car outrageous. Instead, think about getting the best price you can on the full price, as well as the financing. Then you can adjust the monthly payments.

Prior to purchasing a used car, ask an independent mechanic to have a look. If the dealer does not cooperate, go to another dealer. A good, impartial mechanic can discover problems with the car such as possible water damage or previous collision damage.

As you shop for a vehicle, make certain you find one with high safety ratings and options. You cannot do without anti-lock brakes, also referred to as ABS. Your new car should also have airbags for every passenger. Safety is important because you are often in your car.

Be sure to always test drive a car before buying it. Even if you know what vehicle you want, you need to give it a bit of your time so you can test it. There is no substitute for the actual experience of driving the car. It could be that the car doesn’t ride as smoothly as you like or doesn’t handle as you were expecting.

Don’t give your SSN out too early. Many dealers will ask for your social security number before negotiations even start. They will use this information to pull a credit report. If that ends up not being the dealership for you, getting credit reports pulled at several dealers may actually harm your financing options. Make sure the deal is ready before you start spouting out your Social.

While you think you are sure of what you want, it can be hard to locate it. Some cars may not offer all of the features that you’d like while staying in your price range. Not opting for frivolous features will not impair your driving experience.

Bring a long a friend that is indifferent when looking for a new car to buy. They will stop you from making an emotional based decision. Your friend should also accompany you on your test drive and give you their opinions on how the car handles.

The goal of a salesperson is to make the highest commissions. It may be a little obvious, but some people don’t really get what’s going on when dealing with salespeople. Beware add-ons and extras that can get added to the end of your sale. Even a seeming bargain can cost you much more than you think, even thousands of dollars extra if you aren’t careful.

Armed with the information you learned here, you should now be ready to purchase a vehicle with confidence. If you can afford this car, then you are certain to love your new or used purchase. This will make all of the hard work you put into finding a car worth it.