2008 Woodie Awards
How to avoid buying the wrong car
7 easy steps of car buying knowledge
Shawn Mahaney
Issue date: 10/11/06 Section: Sports
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So there you are, sitting in your jalopy, thinking about all the new cars you had seen advertised last night on television in between what was happening to Jack Bauer on "24" and you think to yourself, "I need a new car."
So you head to a dealership and get ready to park but before you even step foot outside the vehicle, that "trying to be helpful but coming off as annoying" car salesman reaches you. You've already made a mistake, and here's some steps you can take to keep from being suckered into buying a car that you either don't like or didn't fit your plans:
1. Research, Research and Research Some More: Best thing about our modern era is the internet. When not used searching for Jenna Jameson videos, it can be quite a useful tool. Especially for getting to know what vehicles are out there and what they have to offer. Put some energy into finding more about the vehicle(s) your interested in and you can't go wrong. Find out about the invoice pricing and incentives offered on the model you're interested in. Compare this model to other models like it, such as on Edmunds.com. Basically, become more educated before you go to a dealership.
2. Get Your Own Financing: So you don't like the stress involved when it comes to buying a car, who does? That's why you can make it much less stressful and gain an advantage at the same time by securing your own financing before setting foot onto the lot. All you have to do is contact your bank or credit union and apply for a car loan. You can do this over the phone, by fax or online, it's your choice. If you do this, you already have planned what your finance rate is and what your monthly payments will be. With this knowledge, you can use it to your advantage later. Why is this? Because just like that salesman, we all grind our teeth at the mere mention of it. The finance manager also profits by securing financing for you through one of their institutions. If you come in armed with this, it puts the finance manager on a spot to either beat what you have or lose the commission. If they beat it, then you win and if not, then you already know what the payments are going to be and you just have to work on the final sale price of the vehicle.
So you head to a dealership and get ready to park but before you even step foot outside the vehicle, that "trying to be helpful but coming off as annoying" car salesman reaches you. You've already made a mistake, and here's some steps you can take to keep from being suckered into buying a car that you either don't like or didn't fit your plans:
1. Research, Research and Research Some More: Best thing about our modern era is the internet. When not used searching for Jenna Jameson videos, it can be quite a useful tool. Especially for getting to know what vehicles are out there and what they have to offer. Put some energy into finding more about the vehicle(s) your interested in and you can't go wrong. Find out about the invoice pricing and incentives offered on the model you're interested in. Compare this model to other models like it, such as on Edmunds.com. Basically, become more educated before you go to a dealership.
2. Get Your Own Financing: So you don't like the stress involved when it comes to buying a car, who does? That's why you can make it much less stressful and gain an advantage at the same time by securing your own financing before setting foot onto the lot. All you have to do is contact your bank or credit union and apply for a car loan. You can do this over the phone, by fax or online, it's your choice. If you do this, you already have planned what your finance rate is and what your monthly payments will be. With this knowledge, you can use it to your advantage later. Why is this? Because just like that salesman, we all grind our teeth at the mere mention of it. The finance manager also profits by securing financing for you through one of their institutions. If you come in armed with this, it puts the finance manager on a spot to either beat what you have or lose the commission. If they beat it, then you win and if not, then you already know what the payments are going to be and you just have to work on the final sale price of the vehicle.
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