drivemecrazy

I understand that when people are about to purchase a car, they get too excited. However, that excitement should be controlled so as to lead you to the right car you are looking for. This is because, more often than not, buyers commit these mistakes when about to buy a new car:

1. Falling in love with a model.  Forget your emotions. Your emotions could just lead you into choosing the car that is not really suitable for you. Don’t close your options to the vehicle model you want. This would just limit your judgment of other vehicles. If you really want a particular model, your tendency is to ignore other models and embrace all the features it has no matter how good or bad it is.
2. Skipping the test drive. Don’t ever dare do this. You know that the vehicle you will be purchasing is to service you and not simply for decorative purposes. Sure, these vehicles appear as brilliant as they may seem in the glossy brochures of the dealers but you may never be sure that it performs as brilliantly as it appears. Doing a test drive is your only chance to test the vehicle you chose. This would be better than repenting forever why you bought such a ride.
3. Buying unnecessary extras. Don’t be fooled by dealers who sell you other features just to earn extra profit. They are just a waste of money, I tell you. You can refer to my previous post (Getting Away From Irritating Dealers) to view detailed information about this.
4. Negotiating down from the sticker price. Don’t look at the sticker price when you negotiate a deal with the dealer. A $500 discount is not that promising. Know its true cost and work on negotiating it up but lower than the sticker price.
5. Focusing only on the monthly payment when negotiating. Know the real cost of the vehicle you are buying. Though perhaps you would pay just a small amount monthly, you might end up paying for other fees aside from the vehicle’s price and, worse, more than the sticker price! So make sure that you agree on the price of the vehicle first before negotiating the monthly payments for other fees.
6. Buying the “deal” instead of the vehicle. Don’t just buy the vehicle just because you are getting a lot of discounts. Don’t take that bait. Make sure that you want what you’ll be purchasing because in the end you will be the one who will be using it.
7. Waiting until you’re in a dealership to think about financing. Be always prepared. Before you go to a dealer, make sure that you are armed with the knowledge about financing terms. If you are not, you will be more likely to be manipulated by the dealer.
8. Underestimating the value of modern safety features. Don’t just rely on the information the salesperson has to give you about the safety features of a vehicle. Research for the best safety features that will suit your needs and look for vehicles that are equipped with them.
9. Not researching the value of your current car. If you have an old one, know its value so that you can know where you will be getting a good deal on it—trading it or selling it—before buying a new one.
10. Not having a used car checked by an independent mechanic. When you buy a second-hand car, it is not only important that you spend less because in the end you could just find out that you wasted every dollar you spent on that. Have a professional mechanic to check it. Don’t be blinded by the exterior composition of the vehicle; be concerned of its overall condition.

So as much as possible, please avoid being in these situations. There would be no one else who would suffer when buying the wrong one but you. Therefore, make the right decisions. Have a good deal!