All posts tagged car buying tips

4 Major Issues People Always Forget When Buying a New Car

by Carsurfer Admin on 2016/09/26 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off on 4 Major Issues People Always Forget When Buying a New Car

Whether it’s your first time buying a new car or a seasoned pro, it is an exciting time for most people. However, nearly every car buyer, even the experienced ones, make mistakes. Let’s take a look at four the biggest mistakes being made.

Ignoring Finance Terms

People will haggle for hours with car salesmen in order to get a few hundred dollars knocked off the price of the car that they are wanting. Then, when they feel they have won the battle, will finance that car with no money down. Depending on your credit score, whatever you negotiated off of the car will be paid back to the bank, plus more. The best way to buy a new car is with cash, but for many that may not be a possibility. However, if you save, the more you can pay down the better off you will be in the long run. If you wait to buy a car until you can afford it, you’ll end up saving money in the long run.

Underestimating Ownership Cost

You take home the car of your dreams thinking the hard part is over. However, you soon start to realize that the money you thought you would be saving on gas was way overestimated. Add in maintenance cost, taxes and insurance, simply owning a car can be costly. Compare models before you buy to see what cost you could be facing down the road. Read reviews from people who have owned the same model of car you’re interested in to see if there are maintenance or reliability issues you should be concerned about.

You won’t save any money if you buy the car for cheap, but end up getting caught up in maintenance and repair costs. If you’re buying a used car, be sure to check the VIN to see the car’s history. There are a number of online tools and apps, like Instavin, that will report the car’s history for a small fee that could save you from getting a lemon.

Too Much Focus on Price

The price of a car is but only one factor when car shopping. Other factors have to be considered as well, such as gas mileage, reported maintenance issues and dependability, insurance cost and how much you will have to pay in taxes every year. Giving only the sticker price too much focus could result in you overlooking these other important factors.

Setting Your Expectations Too High

People tend to have unrealistic expectations when they are shopping for a new car. Your next car is more than likely not going to be the best car in automotive history. Additionally, the stress of car buying will often leave us feeling like we were ripped off in some manner when everything is all said and done. Avoid this by doing your homework before you begin the buying process. Being armed with information will help to ensure you are less likely to be ripped off.

There you have it. Keeping these tips in mind will help you to avoid some potentially costly mistakes when you buy

Determining Your Needs When Buying Your First Car

by Carsurfer Admin on 2015/01/02 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off on Determining Your Needs When Buying Your First Car

For most people, the moment they get behind the wheel of their first car is the moment when their first real taste of genuine freedom begins. Unfortunately, it is also a time when so many people purchase more car than they really need. In order to avoid acquiring a first car that does not fit your needs, it is smart to make a realistic assessment of why you need a car.

Establishing A Budget for Your First Car

Before running out and dropping a wad of cash on the first automobile you see, it is best to take an inventory of your available funds. It is also important to determine if you will need help with financing and how much additional money you will need for a purchase. Though a lot of first-time car buyers will need financing, this is not a reason to buy the most expensive car you can obtain a loan to purchase. Rather, it is far more responsible to sit down and realistically determine how much of a monthly car payment you will be able to manage for the next five-years. The greater your down payment, the smaller the car loan you will need to obtain to purchase your first car. Working this out ahead of time will certainly help to ensure the car you obtain fits your financial needs.

How Much Gas Guzzling Can You Put up With?

When purchasing a first car on a tight budget, it is best to be conservative in the spending department. Not only do you want to get your first car at a great price, you also want to avoid purchasing a gas guzzler. Even if prices of gas appear to be heading down over the short term, it is prudent to anticipate that oil and gas prices will eventually surge back above three dollars a gallon. That being said, it may not fit your particular needs to purchase a car that is fuel efficient. Consequently, if money is not an issue, and you simply want a fast car, then you may be in more of a position to skimp on concerns associated with the purchase of a gas guzzler.

What Will You Be Using Your Car For?

One of the most important needs to consider when buying your first car is why you need the car you want to purchase. If, for example, you happen to be a live-at-home student, it is unlikely that you will need a car for long distance traveling. Consequently, a slightly used car with low miles is potentially a smarter purchase than a brand new car for meeting your particular needs. On the other hand, if you happen to be an executive who spends most of your time driving a lot, then a more reliable new car with a high fuel efficient rating is the smarter choice. If you need a car that reflects your high status, a more expensive luxury car will better fit your situation and help you to maintain your image.

Other Passengers Or Not

An often-overlooked aspect of first-time car buying is the issue of how many people will be riding in the car being purchased. You might be a young first-time car buyer, but you might be married or have children in the near future. As a result, you may need a car that has a little more room to tote others around with you. In addition, you might need a car for transporting people other than family–especially if you are involved in other social functions. Or, you may be the only one who ever sets foot in your car. Alternatively, you may only transport an occasional passenger. In such cases, a smaller two-seater may suffice to satisfy your transportation needs.

There are many factors that must be considered when searching for the right car that best fits your particular needs as a first time car buyer. With careful planning and a little attention to detail, you will be able to find the right car for your purposes. It is important to keep in mind that the right car is not always a new car. It is not always necessarily the most expensive car you can afford either. Rather, the right car will simply do what you need it to do most, which for most people is getting them from Point A to Point B.

Informational Credit to Valley Driving School

Time For A New Car? How To Get The Best Deal For What You Need

by Carsurfer Admin on 2014/05/09 in Auto Buying Tips with Comments Off on Time For A New Car? How To Get The Best Deal For What You Need

When looking to get a new car, most people are overwhelmed by the process and have a hard time choosing. While this is often the case, you can still find a great price and get the vehicle you need. With this in mind, here is a short guide on how to get the best deal for what you need.

Choose a car

Above all else, when you want to buy a vehicle, you should know what you want before coming into the dealership. A smart buyer should head online and research his or her favorite vehicle options. Not only that, when coming up with a car to buy, you should make sure to choose two or three ones. With this, you will not fixate on one car and overspend. Remember, with this, you can choose the car ahead of time and make the decision once you talk to the dealer.

Go at the end of the month

Next, you should try to head to the dealership at the end of the month. Ideally, you should wait until the end of a quarter. Either way, when walking into the situation at the end of a month, you can talk the company down one even more as salespeople want to close sales and get the biggest bonuses. Not only that, if the end of the month happens to be a bad weather day, you certainly should head out the dealership immediately.

Prepare to walk

Now, when you work with a car dealership, you should never all in love with the car or deal you get. No, instead, you should, at any time, never fear walking away from the transaction. By the time the seller is filling out paperwork, he or she is salivating at the fat commission check. To take advantage of this, a buyer should ask for a little more and look for freebies such as mats or free oil-changes. Remember, towards the end, the salesperson will want to complete the sale quickly, and you must exploit this by asking for free stuff.

Get multiple quotes

Finally, if you have the patience, you should obtain multiple quotes form a few sellers. With this, you can find the best deal on a new car. To take this further, a buyer should get them to compete with each other. Either way, with multiple quotes, you can land a bargain. Dealerships like the Findlay Auto Kia dealership in St. George are great places to start for getting quotes.

With this short guide, you can find the best deal on a new vehicle.