One can never be too meticulous when shopping around for the right car. Considering how much new vehicles cost and the amount of use most people get out of their cars, it’s only natural that you’d put as much thought as possible into this purchase. Unfortunately, despite having the best of intentions, many car buyers make a plethora of rookie mistakes when it comes time to sign the paperwork. To help ensure that your next vehicle purchase goes off without a hitch, take care to avoid the following blunders.
Refusing to Consider Pre-Owned Options
Given how hard most of us are on our vehicles, it’s easy to see why so many people are hesitant to consider pre-owned options when shopping for new cars. However, the simple fact of the matter is that most dealerships – and indeed, many auto manufacturers – guarantee their pre-owned vehicles for specific durations of time. For example, when purchasing a certified pre-owned vehicle, you may be eligible to receive free component replacements and other repair services for up to two years. (Keep in mind that the exact details vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.) So, even if you get stuck with a lemon, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to have the necessary repairs performed at no additional cost.
Furthermore, being open to the prospect of buying used will expand the number of available options considerably. While you may not be able to afford all the features you want in a brand-new vehicle, there’s a good chance a used car with similar amenities will be well within your desired price range. There’s no denying that some used cars are in better shape than others, but closing yourself off to them entirely stands to severely limit your options and result in you spending more than you need to on a new vehicle. Additionally, Phoenix area residents looking for amazing deals on pre-owned Chevy vehicles should fire up their favorite search engines and enter “Chevy dealer North Phoenix.”
Not Having Pre-Owned Vehicles Inspected
As a general rule of thumb, every pre-owned vehicle you give serious thought to purchasing should be thoroughly inspected. If you’re purchasing the vehicle through a dealership, insist that their mechanics administer a meticulous inspection at no cost. Alternatively, if you’re purchasing a pre-owned vehicle from an individual seller, insist on having the pre-sale inspection conducted by a mechanic of your choosing. In addition to the vehicle’s internal components, this inspection should include the exterior, as well. Any mechanical or cosmetic issues the inspection turns up should be factored into the final cost – provided, of course, none of them are severe enough to warrant walking away from the sale entirely.
Forgoing a Test Drive
Whether you’re buying new or used, every vehicle you’re interested in purchasing should be test driven beforehand. In the case of used cars, test drives sometimes reveal mechanical issues that wouldn’t have been apparent otherwise. Even if nothing is technically wrong with the vehicle, a test drive may help you realize that you don’t care for the way it handles. Considering how expensive vehicles are, it’s only natural that you’d want to feel comfortable driving your new car. So, even if you’re positive that a certain vehicle is right for you, you have nothing to lose by taking it for a test drive.
Failing to Comparison-Shop
It pays to do your research before committing to purchase a vehicle. Looking up the car’s Kelley Blue Book value and ascertaining what other dealerships and individual sellers are charging for it will help ensure that you don’t wind up spending any more than you need to and put you in a powerful place when it comes time to negotiate the final price.
Even if you know exactly what you’re looking for in a vehicle, car buying can be a tricky undertaking. Although some of us enter the car buying process with ample confidence, we still manage to make a bevy of shortsighted errors. In addition to wasted money, these blunders can result in massive buyer’s remorse and intense frustration. Fortunately, buying a car without making costly mistakes doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Being mindful of the mistakes discussed above and taking measures to avoid making them can make your next vehicle purchase considerably less stressful.
