If you are thinking about purchasing a new car or truck, then you may be worried about getting ripped off. Everyone has heard stories about car dealerships, but if you are prepared with research and information, you can feel confident about the decisions you make. Read through this article to get that information.
What can you afford? You have to understand exactly how much money you have every month to not only pay for the car lease, but also insurance, licensing costs, gas, and repairs. Everything must be covered every single month or else you’ll have to reduce the amount you have to spend on the car itself.
Go into the dealership with a bottom line price in mind. The salesman might try to focus on the monthly payments or financing terms, but your goal should be to get the price you want on the car you want. You can always negotiate the financing terms later, or even finance with your own bank outside of the dealership.
Research the value of your trade-in. Not only do you need to research the best price for the new car you would like to purchase, but you also need to know how much your trade-in is worth. Do your homework and find out the retail and wholesale values of your trade-in. Aim to get the retail value from the dealer.
Shop online. Almost every make and model is available online. Do not even visit a dealership until you have learned everything there is to know about your options. The Internet is a great place to find information such as prices, reviews, vehicle specifications and a lot more.
Before going car shopping, clean all personal items out of your car. Doing this one thing will save you considerable time at the dealership. This will also ensure that you do not leave behind important documents such as insurance papers. Nothing is worse than getting home and realizing the you left something in the car you just traded in.
Consider shopping for your new car towards the last week of the month. Typically, you can get the best deals around this time. A salesman may be a bit behind on their monthly quota and be more desperate to make a good sale.
Set a spending limit before shopping for your new car. It is easy to get swayed by pushy salesmen or a nice leather interior, but it is important that you stay within your budget. You may like the cause of spending extra, but you will not like it when it comes time to pay for it.
Many people who have bad credit end up at a buy-here pay-here dealership. Be very careful of these types of dealers. Usually they buy cars at auction for little money and the majority of the money they make is off of the high interest rates they charge. If you have any choice, always get a loan from a bank, not the dealership.
Now that you are prepared and informed, you are ready to go out and find the right car at the perfect price point. Don’t forget these tips, and if you feel you are being pressured, step back and go through the article again. It is here for you whenever you need it!
