Deciding What You Want

Preparing For Your Visit To The Dealership

16 May 2019 by Alex Hale

Buying a new (or new-to-you) car is exciting, but many Americans dread trips to the auto dealer. There are a variety of reasons that people feel this way, but the truth is that buying a car shouldn't be a bad experience. Although it can be intimidating if it's your first time purchasing a car on your own, there are plenty of steps you can take to get the most of your trip to the lot and to be sure that you walk away with the car of your dreams.

Do Your Homework

Preparation for buying a car begins before you ever step foot on a lot. The most important thing that you can do is to simply spend some time researching vehicles in our price range before you leave your house. Use this time to carefully read reviews so that you can help to zero in on brands and models that appeal to what you are looking for in a car. Once you've found a few likely candidates, read up on reliability, owner impressions, and even long-term support. Not all dealership networks are the same, so be sure the brand that you are interested in will also provide you with the customer support that you expect.

Consider Your Financing Options Beforehand

Dealer financing can be a great option, but many people choose to prepare their loan in advance. This can usually be done through banks or credit unions, and it offers you a bit of flexibility. It will also save you time at the dealership since you won't need to deal with their financing department. An added and often overlooked bonus is that it helps to keep your budget in focus – your lender will approve a certain amount in advance, and you won't be able to make a snap decision to increase your budget.

On the other hand, financing with the dealer has its own advantages. Usually, dealers will offer special incentives if you finance with them. This means that the advertised prices for the vehicles that you are looking at may actually be higher if you use outside financing. Be sure to call ahead and determine if the incentives that you are interested in will actually be available to you. The higher price of the car without incentives may offset the gains of using an outside lender.

Know What You Want

Perhaps the most important thing you can do before stepping foot onto the lot is simply knowing what you want. It's easy to be distracted by a flashy model that you hadn't considered, but remember that you've already done extensive research at this point. Your decisions have been backed up by a significant amount of time spent reading reviews and owner's impressions, so don't abandon them lightly. This doesn't mean that you can't change your mind, of course, but it does mean that you shouldn't leave without test driving the car or cars that you came to see.

As with any other large purchase, a successful trip to the car dealership is all about proper preparation. Spending a little bit of time on research beforehand can both save you money and ensure that you drive away in a car that is perfect for you.

Reach out to dealers near you to learn more about cars for sale.

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