The Basics You Must Know Before You Enter a Car Dealership to Buy a Car!
The first thing I want to say is that if you are indeed serious about:
. . . then please, also read the other pages on this website that pertain to what you are interested in. They will have additional detailed information to help you.
You can research the vehicle you're interested in, including getting the dealer invoice amount or the average wholesale and retail prices by going to the sites listed below:
Edmunds.com
Yahoo! Autos
CarsDirect.com
If you live in Canada go to:
Canadian Resources
To research the value of your vehicle go to What's My Car Worth?
.
Don't forget about Rebates.
The Rebate is the same as you putting cash down, so when you make a car deal don't let the salesperson subtract it until after you make a deal. The rebate should only be deducted from the total cash price which includes the agreed upon selling price, sales tax and title fees!
In other words, Keep the Rebate Out of the Negotiation Process.
Instead of taking the Rebate you may choose the Special Low Rate Manufacturer's Financing.
Auto Loan Information. . .
If you are going to finance your car, arrange the auto loan yourself with your bank or credit union before you make a deal. There are also some very good financing deals on the
Internet. I recommend that you check out the sites below and compare rates:
Get Your Free Credit Score! With enrollment in freecreditscore.com
To find out exactly how the car dealer makes money off of you when you let them arrange your auto loan read this article: "The Most Closely Guarded Secret in the Car Business!"
How To Negotiate a Great Deal!
Now it's time to go to the car dealer to buy your car! You've done all your homework by getting price quotes from all the Car Buying Services and Auto Loan Sources on this website.
Tell the car dealer how much you are willing to pay for the vehicle you've picked out. On most new cars they will usually take $200 to $500 over dealer invoice (keep in mind that this suggestion is for during normal selling cycles - not when the manufacturers are running special deals for example "employee pricing" when you can buy below invoice). Remember, this is
before the rebate comes into play. The rebate is
your money even if you lease, so keep track of it!
This Is Very Important: DO NOT
tell the salesperson that you have a trade, or that
you have your own auto loan in place. Keep him or her
guessing!
Negotiate the selling price of the new car only. Don't negotiate a payment or in the case of a trade, the price difference. And keep the rebate out of it!
ONLY After you've agreed on a firm selling price, should you spring the trade on them! And ONLY After you're satisfied with your trade-in allowance should you
tell them that you have your own financing in place!
They will probably scramble around in "panic mode" trying to get you to finance through them. Don't fall for it! Stick to your guns!
Be prepared to walk out if the salesperson won't
cooperate. Don't let the dealer get the upper hand. Maintain control over the whole process and You Will SAVE Yourself Thousands of Dollars!
For more detailed pointers on how to get a great deal read "How To Buy a Car!"
How To Buy A Used Car or Truck!
Buying a used car is a just bit more complicated than buying a new car, but don't worry, you'll do just fine!
Research the trade-in value and the retail value at What's My Car Worth?
and Yahoo! Autos
Then figure on settling on a price somewhere between the two. If it is a very clean low mileage vehicle, or a unique and pristine vehicle, the dealer will hold out for top retail or more, and if he doesn't get it from you he'll wait until the right buyer comes along!
The problem with a used vehicle is that you have no way of knowing for sure how much the dealer has invested in it! You can only guess! A good rule of thumb is to take the average trade-in value and add about $1000 for reconditioning, transportation and other costs associated with a car dealer buying a used car for resale. This should at least give you a "ballpark figure" to go on!
Make your initial offer $500 over this amount and
go from there. Keep in mind that in most cases the salesperson has no authority to make the final decision on an offer. It's usually the Sales Manager's call, so don't be afraid to send the salesperson into the manager with a low offer.
One more Very Important point: You should never buy any used vehicle without first doing a very extensive test drive, getting a Free CARFAX Record Check, and having a trustworthy mechanic look it over - on a lift - very carefully!
For more tips on buying or trading a used car visit: the Used Car Guide!
Lease a Car . . .
When leasing a car go through the same
process you would if you were buying it. When you negotiate the selling price it will be called the "gross capitalized cost," but it's the same thing as the selling price.
This is the price that the dealer will sell the vehicle to the lease company for, who in turn, will lease it to you. This figure will have a direct affect on your payment, so be sure to negotiate this price just like you were buying the vehicle. The salesperson will try to get you to negotiate the payment. Don't do it. If you do you'll play right into their hands!
To get all the facts about leasing a car go to Tips on Leasing a Car.
To take a look at a great software program that will Save You Big Bucks, and keep you from getting ripped-off in a lease go to: Expert Lease Pro!
To get out of a lease or to take over a lease go to: SwapaLease.com
Trade-In Information. . .
If you have a trade-in find out what the wholesale
value is, because wholesale is all a car dealer will
give you for it!
You can look up your vehicle's value at What's My Car Worth?
and Yahoo! Autos
.
Remember, take these book prices with a grain of salt! There are many factors that come into play when determining your vehicle's wholesale value. Mileage, tire wear, interior condition, appearance of the paint and body, rattles, squeaks, brakes, exhaust, transmission and engine performance, handling and obvious oil leaks are all key areas that are checked out when a dealer appraises your vehicle.
You'll come out much better in the end if you sell your trade privately. It may take longer, but just this one step could save you thousands of dollars
Why? Because you can get much more than wholesale
by selling it outright. Don't get hung up on
holding out for top retail value either. Just settle for
as much as you can, and it will undoubtedly be more
than the dealer is willing to give you.
Have your trade professionally detailed before
trading or selling it. It will bring more money
and it will be $75 to $100 very well spent. Find
a professional detail shop in your area to do this.
And For Crying Out Loud. . . whatever you do. . . make sure the oil, antifreeze, power steering fluid
and transmission fluid are all filled to their proper
levels before a dealer or a private buyer looks at your vehicle! Nothing kills a sale quicker than the fluid levels being low!
For some excellent places to sell your vehicle online visit the high traffic classified ad sites listed here: Classified Ad sites.
For some great tips on buying, trading or selling a used car visit The Used Car Guide.
Don't Get Ripped Off By Last Minute Add-Ons!
After you make a deal don't get talked into any add-ons like window etching, rustproofing, paint
sealant or fabric protection. They are not worth the money, and in any event you will pay far too much for them through a car dealer!
One of the ploys that I have seen used is for the salesperson to tell you that the vehicle already has these things on it, so they have to charge you! Don't fall for it! Most of the time it's Pure Bull!
Simply tell them you don't want them, and you're not paying for them! If push comes to shove, tell them to get you another vehicle without any add-ons!
You should definitely consider purchasing an Extended Car Warranty. To get all the facts on car warranties that you'll need to make an informed decision visit Extended Car Warranty Tips. And remember, you'll pay far too much for an extended warranty through the car dealer. Selling car warranties is one of their primary sources of income in their Finance Office. So Watch Out!
Just one more thing. . . Beware of the "Packed Payment!" If you let the car dealer arrange the auto loan on your car, and you negotiate the deal based on a payment then very likely the payment that you agree to will be much higher than is needed to cover the cost of the vehicle.
You see, the higher payment creates a "pack," or room in the payment to add in things like credit insurance, an extended auto warranty and other items like window etching, security systems, rustproofing and paint sealant and other high profit items that they can squeeze in....of course without you knowing you're actually paying more for the extra stuff! They'll just tell you it's all included in the price!
One thing you should definitely look into if you have an auto loan is GAP insurance. This is very important coverage you should consider. Read about how GAP insurance can help you at Gap Insurance.
Bottom line? Don't negotiate on payment. Only on the price of the car! Do it any other way and you will be spending too much!
Well, there you have it! Some simple and practical tips, that when adhered to, will go a long way towards Saving You Thousands on Your Next New Car or Used Car Purchase!
Obviously, there are many more details involved in
each one of these steps. Spend some time exploring this website and it's links. All the basic categories are broken down for you, so you can get more specific information when you need it.
When you use the information on this website you will keep the car buying process simple, and you'll have some fun and save a ton of money in the process! Good luck!
Please feel free to e-mail me anytime with your questions or comments by clicking here.
For