New Car or Truck Buying
A Survival Guide
Buying a new or used car, truck, SUV or van can be a daunting task. And with an ever growing group of unscrupulous car dealerships out there, you are greatly
susceptible in being conned out of your hard earned money and left with a worthless lemon of a vehicle.
Well, chance favors the prepared. So, to prepare you, here is a “Things-To-Do” and checklist to make your car shopping as painless as possible.
FINANCING
You do have choices involving financing. The first, obviously being acquired straight from the dealership. You could receive a nice rebate on a brand new
vehicle if you use the dealership’s preferred lender for your auto financing, but you may not always receive the best rate and terms if you do not already
have a positive payment history with that particular lender.
Your bank or credit union (if you are a member of one) may be a good resource if your credit score is 675 or higher, and they more than likely will give you
a great rate.
A lending broker is your all around best bet. They can cover all credit types, even those with credit requiring
a “second chance” auto loan. One application will go to numerous lenders in the brokers database who will then
offer you their best rate and terms, usually within an hour or two. Pick the best rate that works for youand take the information to a dealership.
FIND A REPUTABLE DEALER
This could be difficult. Trying to sift through all of the “wonderful” deals and sorting out the junk can be time consuming. A vehicle purchase is a big
purchase, so take your time here. Once you sign a contract and drive off the lot, you’re stuck.
• Check with your local Better Business Bureau (BBB) for memberships and complaints.
• Make sure that they have been in business for at least 5 years.
• Ask friends, family, co-workers and neighbors for a referral. And get the name of their salesman also.
• Make sure that the dealership also houses an equally good service center that only employs ASE certified mechanics and that they have received the
manufacturers training and certification.
FIND THE VEHICLE
So, you’ve found the perfect loan package, and located the perfect dealership. Let’s locate the perfect car.
If possible, bring a mechanic friend along with you to look at vehicles. They are a perfect resource in helping yo to find possible problems with the vehicle
that could cost you hundreds or even thousands in repair costs.
Only look at vehicles that are 5 years old or newer. They are still likely to be mechanically sound and may still be under the original manufacturer’s
warranty.
Always check the mileage. Average daily driving will equal to about 12k-15k miles a year. So, a car that is 5 years old should have no more than 75,000 miles
registering on the odometer. Anymore than this is a good sign that the car could be facing mechanical problems or failure.
Check the tires for uneven wear.
Do the fluids look normal and healthy?
Does the upholstery still look like new? Are there cigarette burns, stains or tears? This tells you a lot about the previous owner and how well they cared
for this vehicle and it’s up keep. A trashy interior should be a red flag for the overall mechanical integrity.
TEST DRIVE
Look for things that are out of the ordinary that may raise more red flags. Does it pull to one side of the road or the other when you let go of the wheel
while driving? Is it running hot? Did it start easily? Do the brakes work well and are they noisy? Do all of the interior components work, i.e. stereo, AC
blinkers etc.? Was the acceleration smooth?
Point out any and all problems to the salesman for possible repair.
BEFORE YOU DRIVE AWAY
Now that you have found the best car on the lot, made the purchase and received the keys, before you leave the dealership to show off your new car to your
friends and family, you have one last thing to do.
Immediately visit the dealership’s service center and ask a mechanic to go through the vehicle with you to show you were all of the fluids are and where to
top them off at. Ask him to print you out the manufacturers recommended routine maintenance schedule for that specific vehicle. And please adhere to it.
This guide should help you avoid a lot of common pitfalls and costly mistakes. Finding a car is easy, getting a loan is easy, even if you're needing a bad credit auto loan. Remember, chance favors the prepared. Do your homework and a little research. Use common
sense and act in confidence, you’ll be money ahead. |