Buying a new car seems like a relatively easy task, but if you have little experience in the field, or it’s your first time buying a new car, there is a risk of making some regrettable mistakes that will make you feel disappointed in your choice shortly after the purchase. If you want to make a solid choice on your first try and get a car that will serve you for years, check out these common mistakes and try your best to avoid them.
1. Not doing the research
Going online and studying the car market will help you make a better decision in the end. Proper research of cars on sale is very helpful when you can’t make the choice between particular car makes and models. You can read reviews, talk to real owners about their experience, determine the fair price for your desired car, and learn a thing or two about negotiating, which is a very useful skills not just for car shopping, but for making good deals later in life.
2. Not having a budget
Knowing how to create a budget for a major purchase like buying a car is an essential skill that will help you make smarter choices whenever you need to buy something. Having a car purchasing budget should not just include the sole price of the car, but also the costs of initial maintenance, buying an insurance, and various other fees and payments that come with buying a car, whether you’re buying a new one from the dealership or a used one from a private seller.
3. Focusing on a single offer
As it often happens, after looking at ads for some time you stumble upon an offer that seems to have everything you’ve ever wanted in a car: the right make, model, age, condition, price, color, etc. This particular offer becomes everything you can think about, and other ads simply don’t catch your attention. However, by considering a single offer you significantly limit your options. You could have easily found a better opportunity if you weren’t so focused on that one ad. Bookmark the offer that caught your attention, but go and look at other ads just to exercise your freedom of choice.
4. Ignoring the Internet
Even in this day and age a lot of car buyers prefer to do shopping on foot. They visit car markets and dealerships looking for a suitable deal. However, looking for a car on the Internet can save you a lot of time and effort, and often even money. Websites like Jiji have thousands of offers for used cars, from affordable Honda and Nissan to luxury Lexus and Mercedes Benz. There you can compare offers and prices, talk to seller, and negotiate deals without leaving your computer. Save time, effort and money on car shopping with the help of websites like Jiji.
5. Not using trade-ins
If you already have a car and plan to buy a new one from the dealership, you need to find out if they offer trade-ins. A trade-in is a great way for you to cut down a large chunk of your future car price by giving your old car to the dealership. Depending on your previous car’s model, age and condition, you can save a considerable amount of money by getting a large discount on your new car. Be careful: not every car dealership is honest enough to offer you a fair price for your old car, so if you think your old car is being underpriced by the dealership, don’t hesitate to consult the Internet and ask for a better price.
6. Not doing a proper test-drive
Although the car parameters like age, make, model, mileage, and others can be very important while shopping for a car, feeling comfortable while driving in your prospective car is even more important. Most buyers do a little test-drive around the street to make sure the car is working as intended, but you can’t really understand if this car is designed for you if you do a thorough test-drive. Take at least an hour and try to drive the car through different terrains and road conditions to determine its behaviour in unusual situations. Try emergency stopping, a sudden U-turn, and anything you feel you might need to feel safe and comfortable driving in your new car.
7. Buying from a person you don’t trust
Whether you plan to purchase your car from a dealership or from a private seller, establishing trust between you and the seller is one of the essential components of a good deal. This is why you shouldn’t proceed with the purchase in case you feel something isn’t right with the deal. If you fear you might be cheated in this deal, or if something about the seller tells you tells you that you can either lose the money or get into legal trouble, better let go of this offer altogether and look for something more suitable.
