Car Buying Tips

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Car Buying Tips Buying a Car in 10 EASY STEPS

1) Select a dealership that has a good reputation, has a large selection and wants to earn your trust.

2) Visit the dealership and confirm that it is a place where you would like to establish a relationship

3) Take time to introduce yourself and get to know the entire team at the dealership

4) Select a car that will fit your needs, utilizing the experience and knowledge of a Sales Consultant that is trustworthy

5) Understand the features and options on the selected model

6) Test Drive the car of interest. Confirm that it will fit your lifestyle. Take it on a relevant test drive and experience the vehicle as you would in your normal driving patterns.

7) Find out about the service after the sale. Request to meet the Service department staff. Confirm that the pricing is competitive and that you feel like the staff would treat you professionally when you return.

5) Agree to a fair value. There is no reason to leave money on the table, but remember that a good deal is one that creates a long term relationship. You need an advocate at the dealership to make sure that you have someone on your side. Agree to a fair margin, no one is in business to lose money.

6) Make sure that you fully understand all terms. Do not play games with monthly payments, down payments, terms or interest rates at this time. The only thing the dealer really has control of is the selling price of the vehicle. The easiest way to purchase an automobile is to calculate figures with the following calculation:

  • MSRP $__________________
  • Less Rebates / Discounts $__________________
  • Dealer’s Selling Price $__________________
  • Trade - In Value $__________________
  • Reconditioning Allowance $__________________
  • Trade Allowance (Net) $__________________
  • Trade Difference $__________________

In the above listed calculation, the dealer only has control of a few variables. The Dealer discount is a variable and the reconditioning allowance is a variable for the dealer. All other factors are controlled by outside influence. For example, The MSRP is determined by the vehicle manufacturer. The trade in value is determined by what market conditions. However, it is important that you fully understand what a reconditioning allowance really is. It is the amount of money that the dealer plans on spending to put the vehicle into a marketable condition. It is normal for reconditioning allowances to be made for mechanical issues, excessive wear and tear for exterior or interior items, tires, windshields and details to name a few. These are real costs that will be incurred on your behalf and do subtract from the initial trade in value. Why it is important to understand is because some dealers will not allow you to perform these services on your own for those wishing to retain full trade in value. At Ed Bozarth Chevrolet you are always welcome to fix items on your own if you can get a better deal than our wholesale reconditioning costs. Regardless, we would recommend you focusing your attention on the trade difference amount since it is the easiest and most straight forward way to negotiate the purchase of an automobile. It is also a real we believe we have earned the reputation as, “The Most Trusted Name in Automobiles.”

6) Arrange financing, but first figure out which vehicle will fit your needs. No reason to have your credit run if you are not sure that the vehicle will fit your needs. Once you have agreed to purchase a vehicle, ask to meet with the person that really deals with the banks and credit unions on a daily basis. Do you really think that the salesman is going to send in the loan to the bank. We suggest working with the decision maker. The additional benefit is that the person that deals with the banks, i.e the Finance Manager or the Business Manager is likely bonded and licensed and is typically a much more appropriate person to be in control of your confidential information such as a social security number and other personal non-public information. Make sure the Business Manager is transparent with you. Some dealerships will actually show you what they are viewing on their computer screen to make sure you know exactly what they are doing as they are officially submitting your loan to the lender. Be open and honest as you fill out your credit application and make sure that the Business Manager completely understands your information so they can work on your behalf with the lender.

7) Request a formal delivery so that you fully understand all the options. Many cars have many personalized options and features that can be customized to your liking. Ask the sales consultant to make sure that the vehicle fits your needs and it not set to generic settings.

8) Perform an inspection on your vehicle within the first three months of ownership. This is especially true since most vehicles do not require 3,000 mile oil changes. It can save you a lot of money in the future to stop into an auto repair facility that performs a courtesy inspection just to make sure that your vehicle is performing well during its break in period. At Ed Bozarth Chevrolet we would be pleased to provide you with a pit stop for free. The can be performed in a few minutes provide great peace of mind that you will be motoring well in the future.

9) Allow your sales consultant to stay in touch with you. Remember if you have a friend in the car business that you can trust it makes life so much simpler in the future. Just make sure that you took the time upfront to find a dealership that wanted to build a relationship and not one that just wanted to sell you a car.

10) Enjoy your vehicle. If you followed the above listed steps chances are you are already enjoying your vehicle. It will fit your needs, provide you a good value and created a lifetime allay.

Research

Learn more about the cars or trucks you're considering for purchase.

  • Current Rebates and Incentives - Here's the latest up-to-date listing of manufacturer rebates and incentives for your area.
  • Used Vehicle Appraiser - Get the estimated value of any used car or truck instantly with this handy free online tool.
  • Car History Report - Get a free vin check on any pre-owned vehicle currently in inventory to reveal its true history including possible odometer tampering, accidents and salvage titles. Even if we don’t have it in stock then contact us and we will run a complimentary report another vehicle at no cost. We want to make sure if you are comparing our vehicle to another that we are making a fair apples to apples comparison.