Thinking of buying a new or used car? We would love to finance it for you. But whether or not you finance through us, take advantage of these helpful tips:
- Try to decide what make and model you want before you do your serious shopping. Always check out Kelly Blue book or NADA to find out what your next car is worth.
- There is a website called TrueCar.com that will let you know how much that particular model has sold for, as well as finding available autos in your area. HOWEVER, be prepared for the phone calls from the car dealers.
- Never tell the dealer what interest rate that the credit union is offering to you. They will always “beat that rate”, but then they won’t budge on the price of the car.
- There is usually a lot more room to bargain when purchasing a used car. New car sales are tougher to negotiate. Larger dealers sometimes have a little more flexibility on new cars, so make sure that you look at those also.
- Salesmen get paid by commission. They tend to bend a little more towards the end of the month, so that they can get a nice check the following month.
- Don’t be afraid to walk away if you don’t like what you hear.
- ALWAYS get a Carfax report. Be particularly careful of autos with front end damage or multiple owners.
- If you don’t have a car payment now (or even if you do), figure out how much money you want to spend on a monthly car payment. Then we will help you figure out what your money can get you.
- Don’t be afraid of buying from a Rental Car company. Those cars are checked thoroughly every time that they are returned. They do tend to have higher mileage. But if you don’t put on a lot of miles on your car each year, that could be a way to get more car for your money.
- If you have a car that you would like to trade in, don’t discuss it with the dealer until you have negotiated the price of the car that you want to purchase. The dealer may pretend to give you a good price for your car, and then charge you more for the car you are buying. Always check Kelly Blue Book and know the trade-in value of your car.
And finally, don’t be afraid to call us. We will gladly talk you through the entire process !