There’s no denying that dependable cars don’t come cheap. In fact, when purchasing a brand-new vehicle, you should expect to spend a minimum of tens of thousands of dollars. So, whether you pay your next car off all at once or opt for financing, odds are you’re going to leave a fairly large hole in your finances. Still, while there’s no way to completely relieve oneself of the financial burden of car buying, there are numerous steps you can take to lessen the blow.
Do Business with Highly-Rated Dealerships
As anyone who’s endured the car buying process can attest, not all dealerships are equally attentive to customer needs. While some dealerships will closely work with you to find a vehicle that meets all your criteria, others simply view you as a mark – and once you’ve signed all the paperwork, they couldn’t care less about how happy you are with your purchase. Fortunately, doing consumer research is easier than ever in the digital age. With nothing more than your preferred search engine, you can find a plethora of customer reviews for virtually any automotive dealership. Needless to say, if you discover that the feedback for a certain dealership is overwhelmingly negative, you’d do well to steer clear of it. Tempe, AZ-based car buyers on the hunt for a great Chevy dealer in Avondale are likely to find a number of accommodating options.
Don’t Limit Your Options to Brand-New Vehicles
Although some car buyers have never even considered the idea of buying used, the benefits of purchasing a pre-owned vehicle are hard to deny. For one thing, due to the significantly lower sticker prices, going the pre-owned route stands to save you an enormous sum right out of the gate. Secondly, if you’re open to buying used, you’re likely to find that you have a lot more options from which to choose. Furthermore, since many pre-owned vehicles have already undergone the bulk of their depreciation, used cars tend to lose value slower than new vehicles, which can help facilitate a more favorable loan-to-value ratio. As an added bonus, auto insurance for used cars tends to cost less than insurance for new vehicles.
Do Your Homework
Once you’ve decided on a specific car – or have narrowed your options down to several specific cars – research the relevant values. This will put you in a good position to negotiate when it comes time to make a deal and help prevent you from being taken advantage of. You should also do some research into your preferred vehicle’s safety ratings, gas mileage, maintenance needs and auto insurance costs. After all, a vehicle’s sticker price is but one facet of its true cost, and the last thing you want is a car that consistently places a strain on your finances.
Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate
While some people have no problem haggling with automotive salespeople, others are hesitant to engage in negotiations with them. In some cases, this is due to a general lack of car buying experience. Other times, such reluctance stems from not wanting to make waves or create an awkward situation.
Although hesitance to haggle is perfectly understandable, it’s important to realize that, for better or worse, negotiating is a perfectly normal part of the car buying process. If you’re not satisfied with the sticker price, there’s absolutely no harm in asking that it be lowered by a certain amount. The worst possible outcome is being told no, and as long as you come at negotiations from a place of politeness, many salespeople will be more than happy to work with you. For best results, try to avoid adopting a gruff or outright confrontational attitude. You may think you’re being intimidating, but in all likelihood, you’ll be making people less apt to give you the deal you want.
A new vehicle represents a sizable investment. No matter how intent you are on spending as little as possible, odds are you’re going to be parting ways with tens of thousands of dollars. However, this doesn’t mean that you should simply resign yourself to overspending. While a new car is always going to set you back a bit, saving money on your next vehicle may not be quite the uphill battle you expect.
