If you want to buy a car for the first time, this is probably an exciting moment. It feels like a very adult thing to do to visit a car lot and check out some vehicles that you can potentially make your own. However, you also don’t want anyone to take advantage of your inexperience.
Maybe you are in the market for something sensible like a certified used Honda, or perhaps you want something more impractical. No matter what kind of car you want, though, there are a few things you should remember as you start hunting for the perfect vehicle.
You Have Three Options in Terms of the Kind of Car You Want
First, you should know that you have three basic options in terms of what kind of car you want to get. You can buy one brand-new, certified pre-owner, or used.
If you buy a brand-new car, you will presumably be getting all of the latest technology. While some relatively inexpensive new vehicles will not have all of the features of one that is absolutely top of the line, you can still expect many modern amenities to come with it.
That’s nice, since those amenities will often include safety features. Also, new cars have much less of a chance of breaking down, which is more likely if you buy a used vehicle.
Certified pre-owned cars are gently used. They might be 1-2 years old and have a few thousand miles on them. However, they will still go through a very rigorous inspection process, usually by the manufacturer, before they are made available for sale.
You can typically count on a certified pre-owned vehicle to be in pretty good shape. It will also be less expensive than a brand-new car.
If you buy a used car, then all bets are off in terms of what kind of condition it might be in. You might get one that’s five years old, or ten, or twenty. It may have been in multiple accidents or have hundreds of thousands of miles on it.
Since used cars are a lot less dependable, you might be able to get one a lot cheaper. If you’re going this route to save money, that’s fine, but you will probably at least want a qualified mechanic to look over the vehicle before you sign anything.
You Don’t Have to Be Pressured Into Anything
This leads us to our second point. You should never feel when you go to look at a car that you have to buy it.
In the modern era, most salespeople are not as unscrupulous as they might have been in the past. However, it is not outside the realm of possibility that one may try to use high-pressure sales tactics on you.
Those might include telling you that they have another buyer lined up if you refuse to buy the car at that precise moment. A salesperson may also try to convince you that they have the perfect vehicle for you, even if you have your heart set on something else entirely.
Don’t let salespeople pressure you. It’s always fine to walk away from a deal if it doesn’t feel right. There is never any shortage of cars in the world. If one you’re thinking about gets sold, other options will always present themselves.
There is Always a Wealth of Information at Your Fingertips
You should also understand that even if you don’t know very much about cars, there is more information now readily at hand than there has ever been in the past. The invention of the internet and what you can find on it has completely changed the process of buying a vehicle forever.
If you get a car’s VIN, which any salesperson must give if you ask for it, you can learn all about that vehicle’s history. If it was in any accidents, you can find that out. You can find out how many previous owners it had as well.
With that much information, you can quickly learn about any car you are targeting. That should enable you to shop with a lot more confidence than might have once been the case.
The Warranty Matters
As you’re narrowing down the list of possible cars that you might buy, you should keep in mind that the warranty a car dealership offers you potentially makes a huge difference. It can be worth it to pay thousands of dollars more for a car in some instances if you can extend the warranty by a couple of years.
Part of what you’re paying for with a brand-new car is a warranty that’s usually good for 2-3 years. You’re not likely to get that generous of one with a used car.
With some used vehicles, you might only have a warranty of 30 days. Even if it seems like you’re getting an unbelievable deal, if you’re getting only a very short warranty, that might give you pause.
There Are Certain Times When It Is More Advantageous to Buy
Not everyone who wants to buy a car for the first time will know this, but there are also certain times when it is more advantageous for you to buy a vehicle and other times when it is less so. For instance, it’s almost always beneficial to try to buy a car around the close of the year.
If you go to a dealership in December, they will probably be right in the middle of getting in the next year’s models. That means they will likely be more willing to give up a car from this current year at a lower price.
You can also go car shopping around the 4th of July, Labor Day, etc. You are liable to see deep discounts on cars at those times.
You may also want to go car shopping near the end of the month. Most salespeople have quotas, and they might be willing to discount a vehicle if they have not met their quota for that month yet.