You especially want to avoid the extended warranty if it will be financed as part of your car loan. This article was co-authored by Bryan Hamby. They certainly don't, their priority is to make a sale. That said, there could be some drawbacks to this: If you buy last year’s model, and the new version is substantially changed or updated with a new look or new features, you won’t have the latest and greatest in technology or design. Assure them that if they can give you the lowest possible offer, you'll take their offer. Official Used Car Guide, the Kelley Blue Book and the Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide, list as the market value of your trade-in. Read on for more information on how to buy a car. Getting new features. Ambiguous information for model year. Curiosity Project: Will we ever have robot cars? Do your homework and check out what publications, such as the N.A.D.A. Before you make your final decision, make sure the vehicle fits your lifestyle needs, such as having the right number of seats or the cargo space you need. Buying a Used Car A used car can be a great way to get a lot of bang for your buck on your next car. To source multiple financing quotes at once, use an aggregator like LendingTree, which compares up to five competing quotes at once. Also make sure that you know the “full” purchase price of any car that you buy. Since holidays are usually busy times at car dealerships because of the well-advertised deals available, it’s good to get as much of your car shopping done as possible before you even set foot on the dealer lot. Don't fall for that trap.

Last Updated: September 10, 2020 Buying a Used Car - Research and compare used cars and get the latest used car reviews, news, and videos at Autotrader.

Knowing the value of your trade-in can also be a powerful bargaining tool. Advertiser partners include American Express, Chase, U.S. Bank, and Barclaycard, among others. The more money you put down, the less you have to finance, which means lower payments. ", "You can visit a bank or a credit union for an auto loan, which can help you determine what your budget will be. }); See why 218,388 people subscribe to our newsletter. When you’re ready to commit to the purchase, scroll down for tips, tricks, and negotiating advice! Double-check TrueCar’s pricing using at least one other reputable resource, like Kelley Blue Book. If you have your heart set on a certain color, certain wheels, or specific features, then you may not find exactly what you’re looking for in a dealer’s inventory from the previous model year. , and a holiday when there are likely to be incentives available on top of being the best possible time to buy a car. It'll cost more to insure that brand new convertible.

The logic here is that new cars depreciate considerably the moment they are taken home from the dealership. Buying a car on a whim is a risky endeavor. Better financing. Buying a used car isn’t as simple as buying a new vehicle, as you’ll have the extra steps of getting a vehicle history report and arranging to have a prepurchase inspection from an independent mechanic. The worst time to buy a car is early in the month or on a Saturday when the dealership is at its busiest. As soon as you drive the car off the lot, it loses about 11%. Get insurance premium quotes online from Allstate or Liberty Mutual. If the salesperson won't give it a rest, ask them for silence point blank. Do everything you can do to negotiate the car loan and knock the purchase price down. If we can agree on a number, I expect that number to be.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to buy a car earlier than October as long as you use the timing and strategies we’ve outlined above. Dealers typically aren’t in a rush to hit sales targets when they have a whole month ahead of them. Photo courtesy Edmunds.com.