How Not To Buy A Car
Sometimes it’s not what you do, but what you don’t do that costs you money when you’re buying a new car. Here are some tips for buying new cars. Don’t make a buying decision in a hurry. It’s not a race. Decide what you need from your next car and research what’s on the market so you know what suits you best. Research the car you want and what suits your needs. You can research all the new car vehicle models you’re interested in on the internet and use this car search to help you. If your car is on it’s last legs, don’t wait until your car dies before shopping. Buying in a panic is a bad idea. It’s easy to overlook something important when you are in a hurry.
Some unscrupulous car salesmen try to convince you you cannot qualify for their best loan rates so check your credit score in advance. Knowing your credit score will keep the car dealer from forcing unfair interest rates on you. And get the rate in writing as some dealers try to raise rates later by telling you that you didn’t “qualify” for the interest rate discussed.
Research other credit options - the car dealership is not your only source. Have a loan set up if the car company can not or will not offer you a better loan than your credit union or bank. Know your options.
The salesperson is out first and foremost to make money. Hopefully, you are dealing with a reputable dealer who wants you to buy from them and refer your friends and family in the future, but to be sure, don’t believe everything they tell you unless you have checked it out for yourself.
Always test drive your potential new car. Try and avoid the car salesperson hitching a ride. Take a friend. There is safety in numbers. Try and make sure your friend doesn’t talk too much to the salesperson unless you’re intentionally trying out ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’.
When it comes to crunching numbers, tell the sales person you want the “total cash price” of the car. Salespeople may try to add additional fees in a loan discussion. This means taht they can’t add other fees and charges to your total cost without you being aware of it. Be sure the salesperson does not add any additional costs in the paperwork either.
