How-to

How to Shop for a New Car

Select a Dealer

How do you select a good dealer?

Ask your 3Fs (friends, familiy, fools) that recently bought a vehicle for advice

Gather information about potential hidden fees on the promoted price

Checking the Better Business Bureau can provide you with some helpful information about a certain dealership.

NOTE: The best dealerships are the ones that have a long-standing tradition of selling cars that they've been building for years.

Bargaining Tips

1) Conduct a research online and compare prices with different dealerships.

2) Leave the dealership if you can't get the desired price.

3) Don't accept any optional features the dealer offers you for “only a few bucks more”. They are usually unnecessary features, such as audio systems with surround sound, or DVD systems that are pretty costly and you can buy them for less money at stores that specialize in selling electronics.

Where to Research

You can obviously go online and visit the car manufacturer's website. They provide extended information on the car's price, specs and mileage estimates.

Visit independent car reviews sites, like Edmunds; Caranddriver or Carsurvey.

Questions you should ask

1) How much the interest rates will cost you?

2) Are there are additional fees beyond the asking price, such as documentation fees, advertising fees or prep fees?

3) How much it will cost you the car insurance?

Avoid the common mistakes

One of the most common mistakes is buying a car at the first dealership you walk into. You should always shop around and find the best car for you at the most acceptable price.

Not doing a test drive is another mistake you should avoid. You need to make sure how the car feels, whether it's comfortable, easy to control and what's it handling on different road conditions like.

Buying a car that does not reflect your needs realistically is a classic mistake. People often buy robust SUV's because they can fit a lot of people and are suitable for off-road trips, but they rarely take advantage of those features. You need to have a clear idea on what you really need in a car, in terms of seating capacity or fuel consumption.