Choosing a new car is an important decision in your life. Do a little research before going to the car dealership if you want some extra bargaining power.
I recently bought a new car, and prior to buying it I spent months researching different aspects of available autos, test driving cars, and thinking about the characteristics I wanted in a car. I am now very happy with my new car, and I think I made the right choice. My daughter was involved in an accident a short time ago, and her car was totaled. She had only a few days to select a new car, but found what she wanted and is happy with her new ride. Whether you have a long period of time to look for a new car, or have to get one in a hurry, there are several things you need to think of first.
For many people, the number one consideration in selecting a new car is the price, and you need to have an idea of what you can afford before you select a car. This will narrow down the field from which you will choose, and allow you to concentrate on looking at cars you will be able to buy. If you can only afford a $15,000 car, and you spend a lot of time looking at $40,000 cars, you will be disappointed when you finally buy what your budget allows if you have seen all the nifty features on cars out of your reach. If your budget is much smaller and you can afford only a used car, then limit your search to used cars in your price range.
Spend some time researching online before you go to the car dealer to look. It helps to know what the basic prices of different cars are, and how much the payments should be. You can find interest calculators on many websites that allow you to put in information such as price of the car, for how long you want the financing, and the interest rate; the calculator then tells you how much your payment will be per month. When you are at the dealership, the car salesman and financing person may try to push higher priced options, interest rates, and different kinds of insurance and warranties; if you have done some research and know what everything should cost you will be in a much better bargaining position.
Some things you may want to look for while researching cars include safety, gas mileage, size of the car, warranty, transmission, and power of the car. My daughter’ number one concern for a new car was safety, since she had some injuries from her accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does crash testing on new cars, and you can access this information online. A number of television news programs also have frequent reports on crash testing, and tell which cars are safest, as do consumer magazines. If you gather brochures from the car dealers, safety details of the different models are explained. If you have concerns about safety, choose a car with a good crash test rating.
Warranties on new cars vary from the standard 3-year, 36,000 mile warranty to 6-year, 100,000 mile warranties. If you find a car you like with only a standard warranty, you can usually purchase an extended warranty if your budget allows. You can research the reliability of different cars online, and many sites will tell you which cars have to be repaired the most and the least. Some dealerships may also offer extra services such as free oil changes, tires, or car washes; you can check the auto manufacturers’ websites for current promotions on various cars.
Fuel economy varies from car to car, and generally, autos with larger engines burn more fuel. Many vehicles today promise increased fuel economy; there are hybrid cars that switch back and forth from gas to electric and get up to 60 mpg, and diesel vehicles that get more miles per gallon. When you are looking at cars, notice the window sticker that says “Fuel Economy Information.” This has a picture of a gas pump, and tells you how many miles per gallon you can expect to get with city driving and with highway driving. It will also say what the estimated fuel cost will be for a year of driving, based on 15,000 miles. Features such as engine size, automatic or standard transmission, and number of cylinders can affect the fuel economy of a car, so if you want to save money on gas, take note of the things that will increase the car’s fuel economy.
Decide what size of car is best for you. Factors such as having several children or pets, needing space for tools or hobby materials, having a disabled family member, or business-related needs might suggest a larger car, such as an SUV or mini-van. If you are single and usually drive by yourself, you may want a smaller compact car. If you often have large or dirty objects to haul around, you may need a truck. Whether you are buying a new or used car, having a size in mind and whether you want two doors or four doors, a large or small trunk, and other similar details will help you narrow down your choices.
You can get a car with a standard, or manual, transmission or with automatic transmission. With the standard transmission, you must manually shift the gears as the car accelerates; with automatic transmission, you just put the car in drive and the car shifts automatically. Some people like to shift the gears; it’s fun, and a standard transmission gets slightly better gas mileage, but it can be hard work if you have to start and stop often, as in traffic, or stop on an incline. Automatic transmission is more expensive, but is much easier to drive; if you don’t know how to drive a standard, it will take you a few days of practicing with the clutch to learn to drive smoothly.
Some cars have more power, and accelerate much faster than other cars. Reasons why you might want an auto with more power include having to accelerate on freeway ramps often, using your car or truck for pulling trailers, or you may just like the feeling of driving a car with extra power. A smaller engine with 4 cylinders would be more economical than one with 6 or 8 cylinders, but the larger engines would have more power. Not all cars come with different types of engines, but you do have a choice of getting a more powerful engine on some models. For a few trucks and cars, you can upgrade to a diesel engine, which will give you better fuel economy along with more power.
After you have thought about what characteristics you need in a car and have done some research, you can start shopping for a car. If you live in a large city, there will be several dealerships offering the same types of cars, and you will have a wide choice of colors and other features. If you are looking for a used car, you can also check the classified ads in the newspaper for cars being sold by individuals. If you buy a used car that won’t have a warranty, it’s a good idea to get the car checked out by a mechanic before buying it; many used cars, especially older models, appear to be good deals at first but then need repeated repairs, which drives up the original cost quite a lot.
On most car buys, you can bargain with the salesman to get a better price than the one stated on the window sticker. Some models, such as Saturns and Mini Coopers, are sold at a stated price, and the salesman does not work on commission; with others, the salesman is allowed to reduce the price within certain limits if you can convince him to do so. Ask about promotions that the car’s manufacturer may be running at the time you are buying a car; rebates, bonus cash, military and recent college graduate discounts, 0% financing, and other specials may help to substantially reduce the cost of the car. If you want to trade in a car, check the “blue book” price before car shopping so you have an idea of what it’s worth. If you want to finance the car, find out what your credit score is, but do not let each car dealer run a credit check on you; this will lower your credit score if it’s done repeatedly. If you have never bought a car before, take someone with you who is experienced in this area; there are many variables that can be confusing if you’re unfamiliar with the process of buying a car.
Buying a car is a big investment, and taking the time to think about what kind of car you want, how much you can spend, and how you’re going to pay for it can help you make a better deal. Researching various details of the car you want to buy is important; whether you have several months or only a few hours to decide which auto you want, knowing what experts have said is valuable information and can aid you in the car-buying process.
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