Car Buying
Tips: New Cars,
Used
Cars
- Pros and Cons
Buying a new or used
car is a very important event. It is
normally a long term commitment, most likely expensive, and
represents a place where you and your family spend a lot of your
time.
Just as most people
don't get married or buy a house or go to a particular college
based upon impulse, so too should car buying be treated with
respect and given a proper amount of preparation.
There are things
that people can do on the internet, through reading magazines,
by asking friends, and other avenues to prepare for car
shopping. Here, we will discuss the
internal, primal, directionally focused process of digging deep
and asking a few important questions before embarking on the
automobile hunt.
1)
How many people
will be riding (NOT how many people are in the family)?
Consider your
driving habits and future driving plans. You
may have a family of 5, in which case a mid-sized sedan should
work. But do grandma and grandpa like to
ride to school events with you instead of driving themselves?
Does little Timmy need to take four of his soccer
teammates to practice sometimes? Are we
going to fit all of the family and luggage when we head to the
Grand Canyon this summer?
2)
Will it fit in
the garage?
Car Buying Tips
A Ford Excursion
will not fit in 13% of the garages in the
US. How big
is yours?
3)
How much can I
really afford?
Do a true, honest,
forward thinking budget. Can you really
afford $300, plus the extra gas you�ll pay for in the
new
SUV,
plus the full coverage insurance instead of your liability?
If a car stands out,
could you stretch to $450 a month, even though you only want to
spend $375?
People get credit
problems through their car loans because of various reasons �
divorce, loss of job, unexpected medical expenses, etc.
Then there are others who simply bite off more than they
can chew.
4)
Who should I
consult before shopping?
Car Buying Tips
Just about everyone
knows someone who knows something about cars.
Whether they are or have been in the car business or if
they have a lot of experience buying, they are assets.
If you are not one of those people, there is no shame in
asking advice or looking for recommendations on dealers, makes,
models, or any other aspect.
There is also
no shame in taking a �third base coach� with you.
If Uncle Rick used to sell cars, he has an insight into
the business and can help you sniff out tricks or
scams at the dealership.
Ask him to come along.
5)
What options
are �must-have� and what options are just nice?
This is something
that seems pretty simple, but often people will fall in love
with a car, then discover later that it didn�t have the
side-curtain airbags that you swore 3 months ago you wanted to
get. Make a list of what you need and what
you want and bring it with you.
6)
How long will I
keep this vehicle? -
Car Buying Tips
If you are one of
the millions who trades cars out every 2-3 years, you will need
to do some research regarding depreciation.
You will want to seriously consider whether it is better to get
a new one or a low mile used one.
Those who keep their
cars for 5 or more years need to worry less about depreciation
and more about longevity and maintenance costs, thus their
research will be completely different.
Also, length of
ownership will help you decide whether to take the low interest
rate or the cash back incentive when considering new cars.
That zero percent financing is very tempting, but if you�ll
be trading in 2 years, you probably won�t save as much money as
you would if you take the cash rebate instead.
7)
Will children
be coming of age soon?
It isn�t a common
consideration, but for those with 13-15 year-olds, it should be
asked. Do you really want your child
practicing with their learner�s permit on your Mustang GT?
Also, will you need
to add a vehicle for that very reason? It is
something to consider in budgeting � are you going to be buying
your kid a car in the near future?
8)
Will it fit
every driver?
�That Mini Cooper
sure would be nice, but will my 6�4� husband enjoy it as much as
me if he has to drive it?�
Again, not a common
consideration, but it has to be taken into account if it
applies.
9)
What are my
motivations? -
Car Buying Tips
Actors need to
know their motivations before taking on a role.
Car buyers
need to know their motivations before buying.
If you get �the
urge� to get a new sports car because your neighbor just parked
her new Dodge Charger in the driveway, you should tread very
carefully. Car buying can be an impulse
decision. In many cases, these impulses lead
us down the wrong path and create bad situations down the road
(literally).
If your
motivation is that your
current vehicle has problems
or is old enough to start having problems soon, that is a good
motivation. If you are expecting a child and
need something bigger, that is a good motivation.
If you changed jobs and need better gas mileage to
commute, that is a good motivation. If you
have lots of money and darn it, you want a new car, that is a
good motivation.
If your nemesis at
work just bought a full ton diesel and you can�t let him have
the biggest, baddest
truck
in the parking lot, you should probably wait a few days and see
if the feeling wears off before heading to the
Dodge dealership.
10)
How soon do I
want and/or need a new car? -
Car Buying Tips
From a money saving
point of view, this is the most important question to ask
yourself. Fight the society�s trend towards
�we want what we want and we want it now�.
If you want a new car, but you can wait a few months, order it.
Most dealers and manufacturers will custom order one for
you cheaper than if you buy it from the lot or have it located.
For used car buyers,
if you have time, hold out for the best deal.
Search the internet diligently through the various
classified sites and dealer websites and wait for that great
deal to come along. Be ready to hop on it,
though, because great deals are there, and then they are gone.
*Bonus*
Who deserves my business.
Not all dealerships
are the same. Some have a proud tradition of
serving their customers and making a living off repeat and
referral business. Others make so much money
off each deal that they hope they never see you again.
Several
automobile dealerships, such as
Oklahoma
City Lincoln Dealers,
have
options where people outside of their immediate vicinity can
make a purchase online and over the phone.
Seek out these dealers. Sometimes, the
closest one isn't always the best one.
The same
holds true for car classified sites.
Automotive websites such as autotrader.com, usedcars.com, and
cars.com put out a great bulk product, but aren't very selective
in the dealerships they work with. Others,
like
Used Car Search, take pride in
delivering high quality used car classifieds over quantity.
No matter
what, treat buying a car as if it was an important decision.
It�s one you'll have to live with for a long time.
Happy car buying!
J.D. Rucker |
Published 05/19/2007 |
Expert Tips |
Unrated Reprinted from:
http://www.ValuableContent.com |
