Sunday, October 5, 2008

Getting A Great Deal On A New Car

Written by: George Dodge

There are many things that you don't want to see an automobile dealership do to you as a buyer, but there are some things that you should not do as well, if you don't want to alienate the dealer.

Here is a list of "don'ts" that you should abide by if you are really looking to get a good new or used car deal.

Don't try to pull one over on the dealer by lying about the condition of your trade in vehicle. It is just a lie that you can't get away with, and could cause many cost increases later.


Don't bother looking for a car that will require financing if you have had a recent bankruptcy because you will not get an auto loan approved anyway.


Don't give the automobile dealership a deposit and then try to take it back for no reason because you should have researched the car before making the purchase. You can also lose money on the return.


Don't bother lying about your debt load and credit rating because they will check it anyway.


Don't offer any money for a car unless you already know the dealer cost because you are setting yourself up to get ripped off.
If you will follow the tips above when buying a new or used car, the rest of your negotiations will go much smoother.

One more thing you should not do that is not part of the negotiation with the salesperson, and that is, don't forget the cost of automobile insurance. Many new car purchasers have been shocked with the cost of insurance for that perfect car. That high powered red Mustang convertable might seem cool for a 19 year old college student, until he (or his dad) has to pay the insurance bill.

More than one teenage driver has found themselves caught in the circular trap of needing a car to get to the job that they need to have to pay for the car and the auto insurance. I'm sure that teenagers are not the only ones that find themselves in this position as people try to keep up with their contemporaries.

The same holds true for a car's gasoline consumption and maintenance costs. While SUV's are a fad now, unless you really need such a vehicle, you will find that the gas and maintenance costs can be substantial.

When shopping for a used car, be sure to research the safety and maintenance records of different models. You can find this type of information in magazines such as Consumer Reports or insurance company publications.

So be sure that the car you buy is within your means, including the cost of insurance, gas and maintenance.

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Getting A Great Deal On A New Car

Written by: John Sanderson

Ah, the excitement of a brand new car! Driving to every friend�s house you ever had to show it off. Spit shining it ever chance you get.

The only bad part about the deal is, well� the deal.

Fortunately, there's a way get a great price on a new car and this insider info will save you both time and money.

How many hours have you wasted talking about a new car deal, only to find out that the dealer had other contract clauses in mind that exploded the cost? I have wasted entire days in the car buying process.

What does "factory invoice price" really mean? The price that you see on the car is the �manufacturer�s suggested retail price�. You don�t want to pay this over-inflated price. Supposedly, the "factory invoice price" is what the dealer paid the manufacturer for the car. The dealer will have an invoice with this price on it.

When you hear a dealer say that he�ll sell to you �below invoice�, you wonder how on earth he could make any money. You may think that you�re getting the bargain of the century.

Well, not so fast. See, the factory invoice price probably isn�t what the dealer had to pay for the car.

Dealers get all sorts of incentives on top of this base price. Carryover allowances and other special discounts added in make the actual cost of the vehicle less than the price on the invoice. This can add up to the tune of $500-$2000 dollars.

So you could buy a car at $100 below the factory invoice and still be fattening the salesman�s wallet more than enough.

Ask if the car manufacturer offers a factory-to-customer rebate. You have to get this straight from the manufacturer, but every little bit helps!

The more you know about factory-to-dealer incentive payments, "holdbacks," and other allowances the dealer will receive, the better off you'll be. Do your research so you�ll know the best prices cars like yours have recently been selling for.

Now, you don�t want to get a great price on a car, and then lose out by paying too much for financing, for an extended service contract, and for unnecessary add-ons.

Also, check to see what the market value is of your current car if you�re considering a trade in. Don�t talk about a trade in until you have agreed on a price.

Before going car shopping, check the annual percentage rate currently offered by banks in your area. Sometimes credit unions offer good rates.

Many new cars are very reliable and often carry long manufacturer warranties. An extended service contract may be a waste of your money. If you do want one, make sure you check over it with a fine-toothed comb to see what it covers and what it doesn�t. Nothing like being surprised by a repair bill.

If your car already has rust-proofing, paint sealant, or fabric protection, make sure you don�t end up paying more than $50 for it. Any more than that will be pure profit and mark up.

A good deal on your new car can be negated if you get a lousy price on your trade-in. Go ahead and take your car to a few dealerships beforehand and ask what they�d pay you for it straight out. Explain that you�re selling your car and getting offers from different dealers.

If the dealership where you�re buying offers you a ridiculously lower price, you may as well sell your car outright to one of the dealers you checked with.

You do want to get the true wholesale value for your trade-in. A dealer who offers some extraordinary trade-in allowance is likely making it up on the new car price.

It takes a little extra time to ensure a great deal on your new car, but your savings can be substantial. You just might find the whole process fu

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Things You Should Know In Buying A Car Online

Written by: John G. Nuble

Buying a car online is not really so much a mystery anymore. With most, if not all, commodities being sold in the World Wide Web, clothes, food, insurance, music, film, computers, cars are not exactly new residents in the virtual business zone. But while buying a car online may offer people endless convenience, fast service and deals not found in car dealerships in your area, there are still buyers who are skeptical that the online process actually works.

But it does work. In fact, for people who have been purchasing a host of other merchandises on the Internet for years, buying a car online is not really so different from let�s say ordering a new computer. Both deals with parts that you know next to nothing of, both can cost a lot and both can be confusing for the mechanically-challenged.

Still, in this age of information, there is no such thing as �anything� challenged. With the right attitude and the right set of information, you can also have a hassle-free virtual car shopping spree. All you need to do is look for reputable websites that would provide you with everything you need to know and the rest is history.

The advantage of buying a car online from buying a car offline is not really that far off. Except for the savings in time and if you are good, in money, it also needs the same amount of research and serious planning. Here are some of the things that you should know about when buying a car online

Websites

In buying a car online, one should ask for sites with good reputations. Ask for recommendations from your friends or search for reviews in the Internet. There are a lot available. That way, you will know what each site offer, guiding you as you are buying a car. Some of the most popular sites are Cars.com, InvoiceDealers.com, CarsDirect.com, AutoWeb, Edmunds.com, Car.com, AutoByTel and AutoUSA

Frequently Asked Questions

Sites offer various resources in buying a car not just online but also offline. With an aim to provide the buyers information on the process of buying cars online, the sites also offer articles with tips and tricks on buying a car. Another great resource is their frequently asked questions. Click on the section. Chances are, the question you are asking about buying a car is there.

Services

Sites offer web forms and other features that may help you with your decision. Sites like InvoiceDealers.com for example provides multiple price quotes from various dealers. Others have features you can use to compare the specs of one car model to the other. This is especially handy if you have not yet made your decision on which car to buy. Another great thing with websites, it can show how many are available and what color the car is available in. Clearly, it eliminates all the walking around scouting for a better deal.

Links

Websites often serve as a portal to another portal. Sites like AutobyByTel, for instance, can link you to their large network of car dealers all over the US. This is actually one of the original sites that have helped people when they were buying a car over the Internet. Some sites also provide links to various service and information in buying a car.

Top 10 Tips You Must Know When Buying a Car

Written by: Alex Fir

1. You should purchase your new car at or around Christmas time because with everybody buying their Christmas presents, not many of them are looking to buy a new car, and it forces dealerships to up their sales strategies. Salesmen are more willing to haggle down to your prices to close the deal.

2. You can also get a good deal from July to October because that is the time of year when dealerships are trying to get rid of their inventory to make way for the new models.

3. Purchasing a car online is becoming a great way to get a new car. Just wait for good rebates and incentives online and shop around. Print out your information from the best quotes and bring it to the dealer that you are most willing to work with. Bringing in lower quotes from another company might be your best bet in getting a good deal.

4. You should visit FightingChance.com if you are hoping to find new car prices, dealer incentives, and the best rebate offers. This site is the first place that you should go for great advice on buying a car. It�s even more informative than the Kelley Blue book. This program for buying new cars can literally save you thousands of dollars.

5. A good place to start when going into a dealership is to bring a copy of your credit score with you. It can lower your interest rates on your car loan. Your car dealer should not know more about you than you do.

6. You can avoid a common scam that dealerships pull. You will often hear that your financing fell through and that you have to respond by paying more money on your loan. Don�t believe it. It�s another reason for you to get a copy of your credit score.

7. Another common scam by dealership salesmen is for them to tell you that they have found you a lower rate, but that they want you to re-sign your loan papers. Usually, that is a downright lie. Once they pull up your financing information, they have the upper hand if you don�t know the details about your credit information. You can get a copy of your credit information online at equifax.com for about $10-$15. It�s better to pay $15 now than thousands later.

8. Don�t bring in a car for trade in if you still owe money on it. The dealership rarely pays the rest of the loan on time which will result in you having to pay a great deal of late fees to the bank. If you do decide to bring a car in that you owe money on, get it in writing from the dealership that they will pay the balance on the car within 10 days.

9. Sometimes a dealership may not have all of your options and must order the car directly from the dealership. If this happens they will often ask you to pay $500-$1000 for a deposit on the car. Try not to pay more than $500 and be sure to pay with a credit card because sometimes the dealership will tell you that there was a price increase on the vehicle and will want more money. If you pay with a credit card you have room to dispute the amount being taken from you. If you pay by check, you can just consider the money gone.

10. You should never buy a car when you are in desperate need for one because a dealer will see that and take advantage. You should never wait until an old car is dead before searching for a new one because you should give yourself time to shop around for one and get the best deal possible. Desperation often clouds your judgment.

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