When it comes to buying a new car, deciding on purchasing a used car is a far more cost effective way to get the new auto that you want. There are many benefits of buying a used car over a new one, the initial costs, the fact that used cars hold value far better and you can also get a better car than what you perhaps could afford if you decided on buying new. There is a stigma attached with some used car salesmen so you need to ensure that you are fully prepared with how to go about buying your used car, here are some top tips for you to help you out.
Know What You Want
If you are going to buy a used car from a dealership, it is important that you have a firm idea of what you are after before entering , simply turning up to see what they have leaves you vulnerable to a strong sales pitch for something which you may not have had in mind. Do plenty of research beforehand, check out magazines and classifieds and look online to get an idea of what you want. Consider what you will be using the car for and how often you plan to drive it in order to narrow down your options.
Keep Your Price to Yourself
Sales staff will always want to know what your budget is when you walk into the dealership, this is so that they can do their best to max it out on the price of the car and any add-ons which they might be able to sell you. You wouldn’t reveal your budget when you enter the grocery store so don’t do so here.
Inspect the Vehicle
Unfortunately, there is some truth in the stories that there are some real cowboys out there in the used car industry and in order to protect yourself, you need to ensure that the car is in great condition before you buy. If you, like many of us, don’t really know what you should be looking for under the bonnet, then take a professional. Naturally it helps if you know someone that has knowledge about these things but if not, it might be worth giving a mechanic a few dollars to give you a hand.
Negotiate Hard
When the time comes to talk pricing, you need to be hard and smart with your negotiation skills. Don’t ever accept the price that is on the car, this will be largely inflated, try to aim to take 10-15% off the price of the car. If you don’t get the price that you want then it is time to walk away. Very often, the sales staff will want to make the sale far more than you wish to buy the car so try to remember that. You may be offered some add-ons to sweeten the deal, if this happens then take some time to consider things before making a decision. A good technique is to tell them that you wish to sleep on it, once you leave the car lot you can pretty much guarantee that they’ll be on the phone soon with a better offer.
