Cars have become one of the largest purchases that we make in our lives. Right behind your home and education it is likely that this is going to be one of the largest amounts of money you spend at any one time. That being said, price is always the first thing on everyone’s mind when they are car shopping. While it is true that price is important that is not all there is to consider. There are many other areas such as, service after the sale, warranty work as well as the all-important level of customer service. Let’s take a look at what to look for when you are car shopping and buying.
First we want to look at price negotiation, even though it may not be the most important factor, it is one of the top three. The first mistake that people make is telling the salesman what you want your payment to be, they love hearing this because it means you don’t really care if you get a fair price as long as you can afford the payment. The better option is to discuss the overall price you are going to be paying first. If you come to a price that you are satisfied with then it is time to discuss the payment options with the salesman, but not before then.
You will also want to make sure that you know what you can afford, a vehicle is not like other investments, it depreciates over time, and you will never get the money you spend back. That being said knowing what you can comfortably afford is incredibly important, you need to know you can make your payments even if something comes up.
When car shopping, another area to look at is warranty and service, sure if you are buying “NEW” this may not be a concern, but if you are in the market for a used car knowing the dealer is standing behind what they are selling you is paramount. Any reputable dealer is going to offer a basic in house warranty and likely an “extended warranty” you can purchase. There is nothing wrong with extended warranties, but it is important that you make sure that the warranty you are purchasing is worth the money. Ask questions like “if I need service do I deal with you? Or a third party?” and “what kind of deductibles will I have?”