Have you ever dreamed of owning your own car7 Imagine driving down a tree-lined street with the windows down on a sunny day, a warm rush of air streaming through your hair... Okay, snap out of your reverie. Before you start mapping out the route to the nearest beach, you just might want to learn some valuable car-buying tips.
The Big Decision: New or Used
The first thing you must decide before you begin your automobile research is whether you want a new car or a used car. Of course, there are benefits and drawbacks on both sides. If you decide to buy a used car, there are several things you need to keep in mind.
First of all, there are more than 2 million car accidents annually and chances are if you are in the market for a used car, you will come in contact with at least one automobile that was in an accident. The most important thing about buying a used car is that you know everything about the history of the car, including:
the number of previous owners
if the car was ever involved in an accident
any previous mechanical problems
the maintenance history of the car
One of the largest benefits of buying a used car is that you can often get a great deal and in many cases, the car you buy may even be relatively new. Successful used car buyers often are just as happy with their used car as new car buyers are with a new vehicle. But remember, the most common car-buying horror stories do involve the purchase of used cars. When you have a good idea of what kind of car best fits your needs and budget, you can begin your research on used cars.
The Internet is Your Best Friend
Whether you're buying new or used, there's no doubt that the Internet is a great tool for your car quest. If you are buying a new car, you can research the kind of car you want, the options you need, the price of the car and the price of the additional options. If you've done your homework, you'll be able to walk into a dealership armed with loads of valuable information.
What to Know Before You Go
About You:
Before you start thinking about fun things like whether you want a convertible or a sports car, you need to do some self-examination. First and foremost, you need to examine your budget. You should set a reasonable price range for the car and begin to eliminate cars that are out of that price range. As a potential car buyer, you need to be realistic, don't fantasize about a $ 45,000 car when your budget will just barely support a $ 22,000 price-tag. Also, remember that trying to figure out a way to buy a car that is outside your price range is really not a good idea. After all, it's not much fun to have a car if you can't afford to go places in it.
About the Car:
When you figure out what car you want, there are some things you want to learn about the car(s)so that you can get the best deal possible when you're ready to buy. You will need to know the average price of the car, so you won't overpay. You can get a good idea of the base price(the price of the car without any special options)by visiting different dealerships and comparing prices and by using the Internet to get price quotes. You should also get an idea of how much the dealer will add on for various options like air conditioning, a CD player or anti-lock brakes. If you can, try to find out what the dealer price is and negotiate up from that figure.
Payment:
Okay, so you've found the perfect car. Before you even think about purchasing it, you need to know how you're going to pay for it. If, by some miracle in today's economy, you have saved enough to pay for the entire car, you will not need financing. But most car buyers today make their purchase by paying a down payment and then financing the balance--making monthly car payments until the remainder of the loan is paid in full. Remember, that financing is a loan and a
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C. NG