Car shopping is not something that a lot of people look forward to. The more you know ahead of time, the easier it is to shop for a car. Start by following all of the advice here on your road to success.
Take time to look over the dealer prior to making buying offers. You’ll negotiate better if you know what they’re able to offer you in financing and trade practices. Check out reviews, too.
Overall Price
When negotiating, overall price should be more important than monthly price. Dealers can alter monthly payments to fit your budget, but that doesn’t mean the car is costing you any less. You should instead focus on negotiating the best deal on the overall price of the car and the financing you get. After doing that, you can work out the monthly payments.
If you are not confident in your ability to resist high-pressure sales pitches, do not shop for a car alone. A friend or family member can offer negotiation help and remind you of important information you will need to know. Let the person with you know what you want out of a vehicle before going to a car lot.
If you are wanting to buy a new car, you should ask your bank for financing before you go to the dealership. This ensures that you qualify for a loan. You may get a better interest rate through a dealership, but it’s best to know before deciding.
Prior to shopping for a used or new car, check your budget. You should have a clear idea on the amount of money you can spend on a car. Figure out how much you can spend each month on car payments. Perhaps you should even put off car shopping until after you have secured a pre-approved loan.
You should only provide a social security number if you are seriously considering making a purchase from that dealership. Many dealerships will try to get this information from you early in the game, and they will run your credit. Running credit multiple times can hurt your final deal. Do not allow anyone to pull your credit until you have hammered out your deal.
Always read before signing. Make sure that you go through every line of every contract before you sign on the dotted line. There is no turning back once you sign on the dotted line. If reading contracts isn’t ideal at the dealership, bring it home and go over it. If that is not realistic, get your hands on a copy.
Month-end is an exceptional time for car shopping. The sales staff must meet their quotas, and selling just one additional car might make the difference for them. Allow yourself some time to negotiate in advance of month’s end in order to get the best deal.
Know the incentives available before starting the negotiation process. Find out about trade-in values, rebates, warranties, bank fees and any incentive programs. You can haggle much better if you’re aware of what they’re offering before going to the lot.
When the salesperson goes to present your offer to the manager, you can probably be assured that the price they come back to you with isn’t their best offer. Make another offer, and the next offer on their part is generally going to be a better one. They want the deal to be done quickly, so they should be at their lowest price at that point.
It is hard to dispute the fact that purchasing a car can be a very intimidating experience for many. The truth is, with adequate research and preparation, buying your next car can actually be an enjoyable experience. Start the process off on the right foot by using the tips above.