Archive for the ‘Buying Advice’ Category

Shopping for a new car can easily become an emotional process. You might fall in love. Or you might simply want to get the whole thing over with. If either happens, you could easily end up paying hundreds or even thousands more dollars for the car.

One possible solution: take a friend along when you go to the dealer to negoiate. A good friend will let you know when it’s time to walk out because your emotions are gaining the upper hand.

Unless you must have a car now, if you are considering a domestic car–or even any car that directly competes with a domestic car–I would wait. Many proposed measures to save the domestic auto industry would have the effect of cutting car prices by thousands of dollars. If you buy a car now, you could pay thousands more.

The most ambitious proposal was made today by retired execs Hal Sperlick and Don Runkle (Automotive News article, sub required): the U.S. goverment should provide a $3,000 incentive towards any purchase of a domestic car.

My initial reaction: such an incentive would be unfair in so many ways that it just won’t happen.

But it, or something like it, could happen anyway.

What is clear: for GM and Ford to survive (I wrote off Chrysler when Cerberus bought them), auto sales cannot continue at their current level. To boost auto sales in the current economy, actual purchase prices are going to have to come down. A lot. And if even one manufacturer cuts prices, the others will have to follow.

So, if you don’t want to pay too much, wait.

Recently I’ve heard of a few cases where someone went to a car dealer intent on buying one car, and ended up driving away with another. Now, sometimes such a switch will be for the better. But, in general, if you feel yourself considering a different car than you came in for, walk out.

Dealers are interested in selling what they have on hand. If they don’t have the car you want on hand, or they sense a possibility of switching you to a more expensive car, they will try to get you to buy a different car than you came in for. And they can be quite skillful at this. Many people get nervous in car dealerships, and perhaps excited as well, such that it becomes hard to think clearly. Especially when they’re throwing a ton of information at you. So it’s all too easy to only realize what happened during the drive home in the new car.

To avoid this outcome, if you find yourself considering a different car than you came in for at the car dealer, walk out. The car’s not going anywhere, at least not soon. Take a day or two to think it over back home, where you can relax and perform some additional research. Maybe the new car is a better choice. Maybe not. But the car dealer is not the best place to figure this out.

A car can have problems from the momment you drive it off the lot. Sometimes these problems can be difficult or even impossible to fix, such as an odd vibration when driving on the highway. Once you sign the papers and leave the lot, though, the car and its problems are yours (at least until a lemon law kicks in).

To avoid having this happen with any car you buy, be sure to drive the actual car (not just one like it) before you sign the papers. When driving the car, drive it at a variety of speeds, from around town to the fastest you’re likely to go on the highway. Pay close attention to how the car sounds and feels. Are there any odd noises or vibrations?

Also closely inspect the exterior and interior for blemishes or damage. One panel member ended up having a new vehicle almost entirely repainted after taking delivery at night.

Which reminds me: don’t take delivery at night.