Unless you live in New York City, Los Angeles, or any of the few other cities in the United States that offer a passable public transportation system, owning a car is crucial to your life. Owning a car can mean getting to and from dates with the person you might be meant to marry. Having a car can mean earning a paycheck, without having to bum a ride from mom and dad. In other words, a car in the U.S. is essential. That’s why CNN News reports that more than 15 million cars are sold in the country each year.
Unfortunately, especially if this is your first time on the car buying merry-go-round, new car shopping can be extremely difficult. How can you avoid buying something you don’t need? How do you know you’re not getting ripped off by a dealer who can sense you’re a neophyte? Well, you could use these simple tips, for a start.
How to Find a Deal While New Car Shopping
- Visit the Dealer, but Avoid Buying Right Away
- Don’t Let Anybody Push You Over Your Budget
- Reconsider Used Car Dealers Over New Car Dealers
For MSN Autos, one of the best ways to find a great deal when buying a new car is to do your research. The first step in this research? Go to the dealer. If you can, the source suggests, go to the dealership on their off hours and peruse what they have in the lot. Once you see something you like, use Kelley Blue Book or Edmund’s True Value guide to get an idea of what you should be paying, enabling yourself to spot a ripoff from a mile out.
In general, you never want to buy a car that will lead to you having to pay more than 20% of your monthly income in insurance and loan payments. As Kelley Blue Book writes, you’ll want to punch the numbers multiple times to find what you can actually afford. Once you have that number, don’t let anyone try and talk you into going over it.
For Face It!, an online guide to saving money, oftentimes, getting a great deal when buying a new car means not buying a new car at all — at least, not in the sense of it being fresh off the assembly line. If you want to find a good car that won’t break the bank, try used car shopping instead.
Do you specialize in new car sales? What should first time buyers keep in mind when new car shopping? Let us know in the comment section below! More like this blog. Find more on this topic here.