Buying a car should not be an unavoidable ordeal. Many people make this activity very hard than it actually needs to be. But you should not buy a car without having any kind of information beforehand. Uninformed buyers fall prey to fraudulent salesman. You can very easily avoid this by researching about the car you want to buy, it’s market price, it’s special features and everything that interests you. Here is some experienced advice on 5 things that you need to do before you buy a car.
1. Examine your car online:
Before buying a car, you should always research about the car you want to buy and for doing this, the biggest resource today is the Internet. You can check the model and specifications of the car you want to buy. You can also read reviews about that car on specific forums. Print all the material and bring it to the dealership so that you have an authentic reference point. Going to buy a car without any beforehand knowledge might not be that good an idea.
2. Research the franchise:
Find the franchise from where you are going to buy your car and look up their ratings and reviews online. Also look for websites showing dealer rankings. Research the reviews of past customers of that particular franchise. For example, you have decided to buy a Jeep Wrangler from a franchise your colleague has referred to. Look up that dealership online and read the reviews of people who have already bought that car from them.
3. Plan out your payment method in advance:
Paying for your vehicle with cash is probably the best hassle free option. But for some people paying with cash is just not an option so they go for other types of financing. One particularly beneficial form of financing for this are credit unions. They are advantageous due to their open policies and low interest rates. Don’t rely on the dealer’s mode of financing as then you are made to accept their loan terms which can sometimes be really expensive.
4. Test drive the cars you are interested in:
It is a good idea to test drive a potential purchase in order to find out its workings, and if you are comfortable driving it or not or check any of its features. Testing it before buying will put you at ease and will not prove to be a wrong decision after a certain period of time. Always invest in what you find best.
5. Check if the car is covered under warranty:
In case of used cars check if they are under warranty. If you are buying a Dodge Caravan it usually comes with a limited warranty which covers the whole car for a certain period of time. Check the documents of the car before buying it and ask your dealer about its warranty and the coverage of its warranty. Many used cars are sold in the ‘as is’ condition, with no warranty coverage. Look up for these type of deals and examine every thing before buying that car.
