Buying Tips

If you are in the market for a new Buick it can be worthwhile to make sure you understand the most common mistakes many new car buyers make and how you can void them so that you don’t have to worry about a case of buyer’s remorse the day after you drive the car off the lot.

One of the most common mistakes many prospective car buyers make is to base their decision on the monthly payment rather than the price of the car. The biggest mistake you can make is to walk onto the dealer lot and tell them you want a car with a payment no bigger than X. This is because the dealer has access to a number of different techniques to help you reach that goal but it doesn’t mean the car will cost any less-in fact it might cost more. One way this can occur is by stretching the length of the loan which means you end up paying a lot more in interest over the life of the loan. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to negotiate the final sales price first and only after that is settled to negotiate the monthly payment.

In addition, before you begin shopping around for your next new Buick do make sure you take the time to do some research to determine your target price. This will help to make sure you can easily spot a deal when you find one. Find out what the MSRP is on the car you have in mind as well as the invoice price the dealer paid for the car. Finally, find out what the average price most consumers in your area pay for the exact same car. All of this information can be easily found on the Internet.

Avoid the temptation to let the dealer know you have a trade-in too early in the negotiating phase. Always negotiate the price of the new car before you mention you’ll be trading in an older car.

If you’re going to be trading in another car, do yourself a favor and find out ahead of time what the value of your trade-in is according to the N.A.D.A Guide. Along the same lines, make sure you are prepared to get the most for your trade-in by ensuring you have cleaned it out and washed it before you bring it in to be appraised for a trade-in.

Don’t be afraid to shop around for interest rates. While financing the car through the dealer can certainly be convenient and save time if you take the time to shop around you just might find a lower interest rate. If nothing else, you might be able to negotiate a lower interest rate with the dealer if you have information regarding their competition right at your fingertips.

Avoid showing emotion when you are heavily involved in the negotiating phase. Naturally you want the car and it is an emotional experience, but try to keep a poker face otherwise the salesman could use it against you.

Always try to make at least some form of cash down payment on the car to reduce the final amount of money that you finance for your new car purchase. Making a down payment will lower your monthly payments, and will save you on interest in the long run. You may also be able to get a lower interest rate on the total you do borrow if you make a down payment.
Finally, avoid creating a situation in which you are upside down on your car note and actually owe more on the vehicle than it’s worth. This is a very common situation and usually results from not making a down payment or trading in a car that you owe more on than it’s worth; in which case the remainder must be financed in with the cost of the new car.