If you look up car buying on the internet, you’ll instantly get bombarded with ads and articles claiming all sorts of great deals and wisdom. Most of this is either obvious information that everyone already knows or marketing material to get you to use a service.
But there are a few very important aspect to buying a vehicle that very few people write about. It’s these little things that can oftentimes make the difference between a great deal and a pleasurable experience, and the alternative. Here are some of the most important ones:
1. Being nice helps
Contrary to what many people believe, trying to muscle your way into a better deal isn’t the best approach. Being nice to employees at the dealership will go far in helping you get a great deal and great service. You catch a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, and that’s also very true when it comes to buying a car.
2. Not all deals last
Sure, there are always great deals to be had, but don’t assume that vehicle you want at that great price that works for you will still be available tomorrow or next week. Dealerships offer discounts and incentives, but they usually come with a deadline. So if you find a great deal that piques your interest, think twice before going home to sleep on it.
3. Honesty is the best policy
You will gain absolutely nothing by withholding, or making up information when buying a vehicle. In fact, it’s likely to have the opposite effect, slowing down the entire process, confusing the transaction, and putting everybody on the defensive. Be honest about your credit score, income, and trade-in vehicle. It will help!
4. It matters who you buy from
Who you buy a vehicle from can be just as important as the vehicle itself. It will affect your price, your experience, and any other issues or concerns that could possibly come up after the transaction. It’s always better to work with someone you can trust and feel comfortable with, so don’t assume that all automotive sales consultants are created equal.
5. Your payment will largely depend on you
Despite what most people think, any payment that you are quoted on a vehicle has almost nothing to do with a salesperson. Your credit score along with current market rates will determine what kind of an interest rate you qualify for, and how much money you put down on a vehicle will determine the size of the loan you’ll be taking out. The rest is simply math that’s calculated based on the size, length, and interest rate of the loan. So may be able to negotiate the price of a vehicle a bit, the monthly payment is largely dependent on you.
6. Paying cash won’t get you a discount
This is a very common misconception among the buying public. While there are plenty of purchases that you can get a major discount on by paying in cash, a vehicle isn’t one of them. The reason for this is that dealerships are offered incentives by manufacturers or banks when customers buy vehicles with financing, which means there’s no benefit to the dealership to sell a vehicle for cash. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll get a worse deal if you pay cash, it just means you shouldn’t expect any additional discount for doing so.
7. You should buy a vehicle that makes you happy
While it’s always great to find a good deal or some cool new feature, we oftentimes forget that we should buy a vehicle that makes us happy. A vehicle is one of the biggest purchases we can make and spending a lot of money or making payments for a long time on something we’re not crazy about seems silly. The good news is that there are lots of options out there, and for most people there are multiple cars or trucks that can will make them smile. Just don’t forget to pick something you truly enjoy, even if it might cost a few extra bucks.
