How to Buy Your New Car- A Methodological Approach

Choosing a car is an important decision that merits careful planning. One should take number of things into consideration before buying a car. Following these steps can make the task easier and make you choose the right car for you: Decide what you intend to use the car for daily commuting; recreation; weekends and evenings out; carrying things; towing a trailer; carrying more than one passenger; driving in the city, suburbs or country. Consider factors that are important to you, such as looks, fuel efficiency, performance, reliability and safety features. Come up with a realistic budget, based on what you can afford (consider the monthly payment and cost of upkeep).
Locate a town or an area near your home with several car dealerships; check Sunday newspaper advertisements and the yellow pages. But the best option would be to locate an easy and good site for buying and selling cars online which will involve less effort and energy. Sites like http:www.indimoto.com are a great help.

Find a car that interests you and hop in it. Adjust the seat and mirrors, and check leg room in each part of the car. Ask to take a test drive. Start out on city streets and then head out to the highway. Pay attention to steering ease, turning radius, braking response and acceleration. Adjust the mirrors and radio while you’re driving to test convenience. Return to the dealership and thank the dealer. If you like the car, ask for a business card and say you will return later. Head to the next dealership and investigate other car models as described above. Ask dealers which car most closely resembles the one you previously test-drove, providing the make and model and explaining which features you liked. Test a number of models until you decide on a car, and compare these prices with those at other dealerships.

Some important tips:
Inquire about availability and delivery time, especially if you’re interested in a popular model or want special features
Factor the dealership and its sales staff into your choice. A dealership you can trust, especially one with a competent service centre on site, is worth more than money in your long future with the vehicle. You can, of course, have your car serviced at any dealer authorized by your new car’s warranty.
Start negotiations on polite and friendly terms. Comment on what you like about the car and ask questions. The intent is to make the seller comfortable.
Make your first offer. It should be lower than what you’re willing to pay, but not an insulting figure. Use the list price as a reference, remembering that dealer profit (often around 10 percent) is built into this figure.
Allow the seller to make a counteroffer. If the price is too high, say you’re not able to afford that and ask him to talk to his manager.
If the salesperson balks at your first offer, make a slightly higher one. Continue negotiating until you can agree on a price within your budget. If you can’t agree on a price, seek out another dealer. You may be able to go back and get the first dealer to underbid the second dealer
Avoid setting your heart on one particular model or make. There are hundreds of excellent vehicles on the market, and becoming attached to one of them may make you less hard-headed in your bargaining.

How To Buy A New Car

Car buying is not a task to be taken lightly. The cost of a new car equals almost what my parents paid for their first home. It’s imperative to do behind the scenes research to ensure you get a great deal.

Do not be in a hurry. Car dealers can detect the scent of desperation a mile away! If you are totally without transportation, rent a vehicle until you find the right car. If you rush your purchase, you will usually end up on the bad end of the deal.

You can uncover the typical retail cost of a specific make and model right on the internet. With a little extra research, you can discover the wholesale cost as well. These two pieces of information give you an edge when it comes to negotiation.

It’s best to work toward a win-win situation with the car salesperson. They need to make some money on the deal, and you want to pay a fair price. You can often negotiate a price that is 500 above dealer cost, or about 20% off the sticker price. Make sure you take your calculator with you when car hunting.

You can often order a car with *custom* option choices. This could save you hundreds of pounds. You might wait a couple of weeks, but why pay for options that you do not need?

Always check with the dealership to see if you can return the car if you do not like it. Many dealerships now offer this option. Some dealerships will give you a three day trial period in which to try the car.

It is a good idea to wait until the end of the month to go car hunting. Salespersons who want to meet a certain quota will be eager to strike a deal.

Knowing the value of your old car makes it easier to negotiate a better price for it. Try not to talk about a trade-in possibility until you get a purchase price. Sometimes this is difficult, as most salespeople will ask upfront about a trade in.

I took my car to one lot, and was told the trade in value was 1,200. Another dealership said they would give me 3,500 for the same car! So do your research to make sure you receive a fair price on your used vehicle. Stick to your guns when it comes to getting the value of your trade-in, especially if you’ve had your car serviced regularly.

A service contract will likely be brought into the negotiation. Most consumer information shows no need to buy an extra contract on a new car, as it’s not likely a problem will occur during the first months of use.

Whatever you do, always read the fine print of any contract before signing it. Ask questions about what certain phrases mean if and when you do not understand something.

Also, just because a car is brand new doesn’t mean you should buy it without asking questions. New cars can land in the lemon category as well as used ones. Keep on your toes during the negotiation process. You will enjoy both getting a new car, AND creating a win-win situation for yourself and the dealer.