6
Friday, August 30, 2013
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
How to
choose a used car dealer that dealer out. Your family will never steer you into giving your money to a bad dealer.
When you have worked hard and saved up everything that you have, finding the best used car dealer is important. You do not want to end up with a lemon that you cannot return. You also do not want to pay more than you should. Of course, the dealer will need to make a profit — which is perfectly reasonable — but you still should have an idea of the price you should pay for the vehicle you want the most. When it comes to spending money, there is always an intelligent process you must go through to avoid making mistakes that you can take back. Here are some tips on how to choose a used car dealer.
Choose your vehicle
Search locally and online Next, you want to gather a list of local dealerships. You can find this information in your telephone book and online. Write down the addresses of the top used car dealerships. Call them up and make an appointment to come look at their inventory. You can even ask them what kind of financing they have and if they offer extended warranties on their vehicles. Try to make appointments with all the establishments on the list. You are going to research many dealerships before you choose. Picking a place to buy a car from should not be decided on quickly and in haste.
One of the worst mistakes that you can make is attempting to shop for a car without knowing what you want.
One of the worst mistakes that you can make is attempting to shop for a car without knowing what you want. The first step in the process is deciding what kind of car you want. If you do not know the exact make and model of the vehicle you desire, you should at least narrow it down to the automobile type. Decide whether you would like a sports car, an SUV, a pickup truck or a van. That way you will not waste your time looking around at shops that do not have what you need.
Search the NADA or ‘book value’ The next thing you want to do before you choose a dealership is get an
Visit the dealerships
idea of the amount you want to spend with the dealership. You can search the NADA at nada.com for the make and model of the car you desire. That way you have a general idea of the price range you want to stay in. It will keep you in perspective so you know roughly what to pay for a particular car. In addition, search newspapers and online sites to see the asking prices for cars that you’re interested in buying.
Talk to friends and family The first thing you can do to find a reputable dealer is speak to your closest friends and family members. If they buy used cars like most people do, they will be perfect sources of information on how their dealer treats its customers. If you come across more than one positive family review of a specific dealership, take that as a sign to check
Stop by each dealership that you have on your list. Look around for cars that you want. Have in-depth conversations with the sales clerk to find out if he is someone you are comfortable doing business with. Ask about the financing options, the warranty programs, the maintenance, past owner reports and anything else you can think of that makes you feel more secure. Do not make a purchase on the first visit. You have more shops to look at. Grab a business card and move on to the next location. After you have stopped by all locations on your list, you can research customer reviews of those you thought were the best establishment. This is how you will narrow it down to the No. 1 dealership. The dealer with the car you want for the lowest price with the best customer review will win your business.