Car Buying Tips - First Impressions

First impressions usually last.

Though not always true, in buying cars, you can gather a great deal of information by just observing how car salespersons deal with you. Usually, these non-verbal signals are fairly correct enough to give you a good idea of what to expect from the salesperson and your car purchasing experience.

If at any time you feel that the person selling you the car is not trustworthy or you simply do not like him or her, always remember that you have the option to leave.  And, time is precious, especially yours.  So do not waste it.  You are always free to politely walk away, anytime, anywhere, and in any way you like it.  

But if there are just a few car dealers in your area, you may want to linger for a few moments more and wait until the negotiations you have with your dealer breaks down and you simply have no option but to run off.

The Invoice Price

Another thing to consider when buying a car is the invoice price.  Make sure to ask that you see the invoice.  If dealers are working their tails off against it, you have enough reason to believe that the car being offered is an unpleasant deal.

Usually, the price on the invoice is the cost the dealer paid the manufacturer for buying the car. This is before any rebates or incentives were included.  Once this is known, only then will you have an idea as to how much the dealer could profit from each vehicle sold.  Knowing this information could enable you to feel more confident in negotiating the price.

You may also run across this occasionally when purchasing a “used car.”  This would occur primarily where you are buying a very late model used car with low mileage and still under the factory warranty.

The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price

In layman’s terms, this is commonly called the sticker price.  This is the price one usually sees in the window of the car that is being sold.

Never ever consider paying the amount stated on the sticker price.  This amount is just the starting point to your negotiations with the dealer.

How To Avoid The Used Car Lemon

It doesn’t matter what type of car you’ve got your eyes on… new, used, or even the make and model, driving off in that new purchase of a car is a big financial commitment… even if you pay cash completely for your car.

For our discussion here, let’s talk a bit about buying a used car.

One decision that many of us have to come to terms with when considering the purchase of a used car is the fact that used cars won’t come with the peace of mind provided by a factory warranty (assuming the used car is beyond the factory warranty… which most all are at the time of purchase).

Because of this, there is a certain amount of risk that is at an elevated level with used car buying.

If you know how to look at a used vehicle and recognize some points that affect the dependability score, you’ll be able to avoid some of the anxiety of purchasing a used car.

Currently more than 8 out of 10 vehicles purchased are, in fact, used cars… so you’re definitely not alone here. This statistic really isn’t all that surprising since there is a great price difference between that of a used car and that of a new one.

However, if the used car you buy turns out to be in bad shape and requires large or constant repair, you can quickly give back all the savings you realized by buying a used car instead of a new car.

So, let’s take a look at some quick used car buying tips that you can easily use to help you evaluate the condition of a perspective used car.

The first really goes without saying… but just to make sure… have the car thoroughly checked by a mechanic.

Even before you get the car to your mechanic you should look on the inside of the door panels, on the seams of the hood and the trunk for over-spray. Over-spray is where the car has been painted in a body shop. Look closely. Even the best of body shops can’t blend the paint perfectly with the factory so they have taper off their paint job at natural seams or breaks in the body.

Look closely at the carpet on the floor of the car and even pull back a couple corners of the carpet to check for rust and water damage. A car that has been under water and refurbished can be a big problem down the road.

Check to make sure that the wear on the brake pedal seems to match what the mileage is on the odometer… a used car with higher mileage is going to have a brake pedal that looks almost new.

Look at the tires and check for even wear on the treads of the tires… uneven wear can be a sign of alignment problems of worn out components of the steering or suspension areas.

Also, when sitting in the car, crank the wheel to the max in both directions and listen for any ‘clunk’ or other type of noise. This could be a sign of worn CV joints. Joints that are not inexpensive to replace.

And while your in the used car be sure to check all the creature comforts as well as the heating and the air conditioning.

For the most part, if you combine these few tips with just taking your time and not getting into a rush, you’ll greatly increase your chances of purchasing a used car at price that won’t keep costing you later down the road.