Is your current method of transportation less than reliable? Are you in need of a new car? Whether you're planning to go shopping for a used car or you can afford payments on a new car, getting ready for the shopping experience is more or less the same. Being properly prepared will help ensure that you're able to get the car that you want instead of having to further postpone your purchase. Some things that you'll want to do before actually going to the car dealership include:
Check your credit score: A good credit score can mean the difference between being able to get a low-interest loan for the car that you really want or having to settle for a high-interest loan for a vehicle that is barely better than the one that you currently have. There are many ways to check your credit for free online. If you've been watching TV at all in the past couple years, you've probably seen more than one ad for an app or a site that will allow you to do this. If you have a low score, make sure to check that everything is correct and that a debt hasn't been added to your credit report by mistake. Getting mistakes removed from your credit report can sometimes be a hassle, but can be more than worth it when you're finally able to drive off the car dealership lot with the perfect car.
Shop around for auto loans: Although you can get financing at the car dealership itself, you won't always get the best rate by doing so. Your bank, another bank, or a local credit union may be able to offer you a significantly lower rate than you'd find elsewhere. Being preapproved for a car loan also means that you'll be able to go to the dealership knowing exactly how much car you can afford instead of finding the perfect car for you and only finding out later that it's out of your price range.
Plan to visit multiple dealers: Sometimes, a certain car dealership may be able to give you a better deal on a car than a similar dealership nearby. This is especially true when the next year's models start coming out. One dealership may only have one of a certain make and model left, so they're not too worried about selling it immediately. On the other hand, another car dealership may have multiple models that they have to get rid of as soon as possible in order to make room for new stock.
Share6 May 2017
After driving an older car to work for several years, my husband was finally ready to buy another vehicle. He got tired of his car breaking down at his workplace, the grocery store, and the mall. Because gas mileage is important to him, my spouse shopped at local auto dealers for a small, four-door sedan. We were open to purchasing a new vehicle or a slightly used one. Whenever we saw a potential car at a dealership, we always studied its exterior and interior closely. My husband of course also requests to drive it down the road. On this blog, I hope you will discover tools for finding your dream car at an auto dealership. Enjoy!