by: Jack Hill
Most people do not enjoy
buying a car. A survey conducted by CNN revealed
that 75% of people would rather visit a dentist
than face visiting a car dealership. It's not
that people don't like car buying - it's just
that there are so many pitfalls to negotiate and
not everyone can be sure of the right steps to
take. Here are a few points to keep in mind to
make the process easier.
1. Ask questions, lots of
questions. Try to ask sensible questions that
will enable you to base your decisions on solid
ground. But don't be afraid to just ask and only
stop when all your concerns have been properly
addressed.
2. Do not let emotion
drive you. Pretty cars with all the bells and
whistles can blind you to the truth. More often
than not you will end up paying more than you
need to if you buy with emotion. Be impartial
and see the car for what it is and not what you
may have fallen in love with.
3. Know exactly what you
want before you put a single foot inside the
dealership door. An open mind can be easily
manipulated, and usually not in your favor. Use
brochures, etc, beforehand to determine exactly
what you want within your budget, and don't be
swayed by smooth talk.
4. Talk to the dealer
about the price and not the payments. Dealers
who keep referring to the "easy" payments could
be avoiding the issue of overall price, and you
need to know why. Do your homework and you will
know exactly what price fits into a payment plan
to fit your budget. But if you focus on payment,
you may end up paying more than you bargained
for.
5. Know when the time has
come to make a decision. That decision could be
to walk away, or it could be to close the deal.
You should constantly monitor how you feel about
the offer being made to you. If it all feels
right, then stay with it and see it through. But
if you get even just a tiny twinge of something
not quite right, be prepared to walk away.
Buying a car is not always
easy. It's not something most of us do very
often and we all want to make the best use of
our money. But with sensible and careful
planning, and an awareness of the five points
above, you can buy the exact right car for you
at the exact right price for you. Happy
motoring! |
