Buying a vehicle is a big investment and for many people it is one of the major purchases of their lives. Anybody would want to make a deal on the best conditions, but unfortunately, mistakes happen. Being well-prepared and aware of the common errors might help one do a better job on getting a car.
These are the things that a person should not do when buying a vehicle:
1. Going for a wrong vehicle. When a person has money falling out of the pockets and he or she does not know what to do with it, any vehicle is fine: as a rule, people like this have a garage full of cars for each of their needs: coupes, roadsters, antique cars, everyday luxury autos, etc. But the majority of buyers need a vehicle as a means of transportation, a device that could take them from one place to another, so they cannot be weak and emotional in showrooms giving preference to a small two-seater when they plan to use it for family traveling. Coming to a dealership with a set decision on the type of vehicle and its approximate price will help avoiding this mistake.
2. Ignoring a test-drive. No matter whether the vehicle is brand new or used, a test-drive is necessary to find out the most important features: are all the gadgets set right? Do you feel comfortable in the vehicle? How do the passengers feel inside? Can you turn this car easily? Does it fit your expectations? A good test-drive should take about 30 minutes during which the future owner should get the best out of the vehicle’s performance: check the brakes, transmission work, and other most important operations.
3. Skipping the research. Some people are really good in shopping even if it concerns groceries because they write down or memorize prices in different stores and go for the lowest one. This is a good quality that could be used in a car purchase. Internet gives a big advantage to this: a consumer can search different websites for prices, rebates, options, packages and other characteristics of the vehicle he or she needs. Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds and the sites alike might be a great help for the shoppers.
4. Staying with the sticker price. Negotiations are a great way to save money and car business is a place where this can really be tried. A dealer might offer a lower price himself, but this still does not mean that the deal is lowest he could take. Shopping for a vehicle on the Internet and knowing its real price will help in negotiations. Looking though the vehicle documents would also be beneficial because they usually state what the dealer paid for it and would make it clear how much profit he is planning to get.
5. Thinking in terms of monthly payments rather than total price. The stickers on cars that show “only $350 a month” definitely sound better than the total price of $15,000, but consumers rarely calculate the final amount they would pay over several years for the car which appears much higher with the low monthly payments. It is recommended to count the total of each offer before agreeing on long-term small payments with incredibly high interest.
6. Stopping at the nearest dealership. Many consumers think that all dealerships are the same and they have same prices, interest rates, conditions and financing offers. But it is far from truth. Going to various places, shopping around will show that there are a lot of options and a better offer might be done by a dealer in a nearby town, but not in your own. Ask friends about their experience, consult workers of auto shops who work with dealers, or browse on the Internet for better options.