A New Year for a New Car!

The beginning of a new year is a time for everyone to stop and evaluate the past year and how they can make improvements to make the new year even better. One thing you might be looking at is your vehicle. Is it on its last leg (or wheel)? Does the work it needs cost more than what the car is worth? Or maybe you have a wonderful car, but it doesn’t fit your lifestyle anymore? Instead of enjoying a two-door vehicle, your growing family really needs a four-door van. No matter what your reason, or what type of car you’re looking for, one thing is for sure: There’s always a way to save money when car shopping.

Tricks of the Car Negotiations

As most of you already know (or have heard), as soon as you drive off the lot, it is going to go down in value. You want to save as much as possible on the front end before leaving with the keys.

First, leave time for bargaining. While you might be eager to drive away the same day you test drive the perfect vehicle, this might not be a wise choice for your wallet. Instead, leave room for bargaining, which can be done over the computer. Don’t be afraid to compare dealers, and let them know you are comparing them. A bidding war can begin—with the odds in your favor.

Second, when negotiating the car price, leave trade-ins and financing rates out of it. Instead, focus only on the price of the vehicle “as is.” Then, when you get the price down to where you want it, you can move in for the kill with the trade-in credit and financing rate incentives being offered.

Third, don’t forget that everything is negotiable, right down to the add-on fees they try to drown you with when you buy a car. While they may be pre-printed on the contract, that doesn’t mean they are set in stone. This is just another way for car dealers to get more money out of you one last time before you buy. The fees can always be crossed out and deductions made on other sides to bring the cost down even more.

Have you found the perfect vehicle? Do you have everything in order except the financial aspect? Give us a call to discuss our personal loan options.