Buying a car can be tricky work. Make sure to read these tips to get you started on the right foot.
Do take your time.
Never buy from the first dealership or seller that you go to. Car salesmen are trained to be pushy. They don’t want you to go somewhere else that could take your business. It is in their best interest that you purchase right away. It is in your best interest to look around first. If you leave their dealership, they will be just as willing to give you a great deal later. And if not, someone else will.
Do look online.
Online car sales websites are a great place to look for cars. They provide the convenience of looking over cars for sale without having to go from dealership to dealership or person to person. One of the biggest resources is Auto Trader. You may also want to check out Edmunds.com or Automart.com. Often, the cars posted online from dealerships are those that have reduced prices. You might be able to find a better deal on a car that you find online. Make sure to call ahead to the dealership and make sure that the car you are looking for is still for sale. Some dealerships will use the cars posted online to get you in the door, then they will try to sell you another car. You don’t want to take a trip to the dealership if they don’t have what you are looking for.
Do look for private sellers.
If you can find a used car from a private seller you will save even more money, so long as the car doesn’t have any problems. However, it can difficult to find private sellers for used vehicles that are only a few years old. My assumption is that most people that are selling a car that is only a few years old probably trade it in for a new car at a dealership instead of selling it themselves. Still, look around. The big advantage to buying from an individual is that you don’t have to pay taxes. Nearly every individual selling a car is willing to negotiate the price down even further.
Check back to the Frugal Living Blog soon for the don’ts of buying a car!