When buying a car, your auto dealer is the person you work with the most. They may also have one of their representatives help you buy a car. If you want to get the most out of your experience, have these four things ready to tell your auto dealer when you go to buy a car.
How much you're going to spend
Make a budget and stick to it. Tell your auto dealer exactly how much money you intend to spend on a vehicle and what your maximum monthly payment for a vehicle will be. This way, you avoid looking at vehicles you can't actually afford and you don't get tempted to buy a more expensive vehicle because it's expensive but the monthly payments are potentially affordable.
The budget you create is intended more for yourself to stay on track and not your auto dealer. However, if you give your auto dealer your list of what you are willing to spend on a new or used car, you are better at staying on track overall.
What you want in a vehicle
What are the absolute most-needed components of a vehicle you want? Is it gas mileage? Safety? All-wheel or four-wheel drive? What about a sunroof? Backup camera or tow hitch? These necessities that make up a vehicle can help you immediately narrow down your options and make it easier for your auto dealer to help you choose what you want, especially if you have also chosen the aforementioned budget.
Whether you have a trade-in
Your auto dealer needs to know if you have a vehicle you want to trade in when you go to buy a new car. A trade-in vehicle can give you a better purchase rate for a vehicle and can help you broaden your budget. Your auto dealer needs to know you have a trade-in because it will change how they negotiate prices and options with you.
Compare the price of a vehicle with a trade-in versus without. If you are prepared to negotiate a vehicle purchase price and you have a vehicle to trade in, know its private and dealer resell value.
How soon you need a car
If you don't see a vehicle on your auto dealer's lot, they can get the car you want for you. If you need a car right away, however, there may be limitations as to what your auto dealer can work out for you. If you need a car today, you're going to choose from whatever cars are available on your auto dealer's immediate lots.
Share1 June 2022
After going to my first auto auction, I became very interested in how dealers select the cars they're going to put on their lots. I spent a lot of time talking with local dealers, auction regulars, and others in the industry to learn the behind-the-scenes secrets to picking out the perfect auction cars and getting them lot-ready. I created this site to help others understand what goes into the process in the hopes that it would help car buyers understand what they're looking at when they hit the car lot. I hope the information here helps you better prepare for buying your next car.