ALT-10 Car Buyers what to Bring to the Car Dealership
The recipe for buying a car is simple, take a dream, add some preparation and research, and then mix in a little practical thinking and after an hour or two of percolation, you can drive home a new car. Sounds easy right? Well, buying a new car can be like making a cake, if you assemble the ingredients first, the baking is easy.
The first thing that you do is make two lists. Title the first list, "car that I want." Label the second list, "car that I need." Now be honest with yourself. I mean really, really honest. I've always wanted a Rolls Royce Phantom convertible, ice blue body, white cloth top with white leather interior, with a TV and five disc CD changer in the dash, complete with my own chauffeur to drive me where ever I want to go. But can I afford to have that car, heck no! So that tells me I need to put my champagne tastes back in the bottle and cork that sucker back up for after I've made my first million dollars or two or three, and get serious with my ego.
It's alright to dream. Do it. Get it out of your system. Put your dream at the top of your want list and then move on.
Okay, the second entry on your "want" list should be a car that you think you can afford with all the amenities that you want on the vehicle. Take some time. Go ahead, add the heated seats if you want, or the automatic windshield wipers, or even the leather seats. Choose your color, both inside and out. Select the rims and the oversized tires.
Now is the time to decide if you want a new car or a used one. Dealers hide used cars under euphemisms like "preconditioned" or "demonstration model." Precondition means you are not the first person to own this car. Demonstration means that the manager or some other salesmen used the car as his personal vehicle prior to you wanting it. That's not to say that these are bad cars...just that they are broken in a little bit. Demos can even be a good buy, if you're careful.
Put absolutely everything on your "want" list that you want on a new car. Think hard. Linger over the details, like do I want ash trays and a cigarette lighter in my dash?
Now it's time to turn to the "need list." This list is what you honestly and truly need in your chosen transportation. For example, do you really need a Lexus? Or would you be happy with a Corolla? Both are made by Toyota. One is top of the line the other is further down the line. Do you really need leather seats or will cloth do? Why do you need a five disc CD changer when you can only listen to one disc at a time? Do you really need satellite radio when you never drive more than five miles in any direction at any time? Go over this list a couple of times until you are down to what it is that you really need, the real reason why you need a car in the first place. The reason for paring down the list is simple, all of the afore stated amenities cost money and the name of the game is to make yourself happy on as little money as possible.
Bear in mind that the car is transportation. Despite all of those advertisements on TV, all a car does is get you from point A to point B. It is not an extension of you or your ego unless you can afford it. If you can afford it, then you go girl.
But for the rest of us, practicality is the key. Now before you go running to the dealership for that perfect automobile, there are a couple of other things to deal with.
Go to your bank for two reasons; check your bank account and budget to ensure that you can afford the monthly payments. Then ask your bank to finance your purchase. You will get a better deal from your bank then if you allow the car dealership to set up financing for you.
At this point, you may want to revise your "need" list up or down, based on the amount of financing that you've acquired. Then it's time to go get your ride, girl.
Take your loan papers, your insurance card, your driver's license and your social security card with you. Also take the title to your old car if you're trading in. These papers will ease the transaction tremendously.
Spend the day test driving. Take Dad, boyfriend or girlfriend along. Take the kids and the dog , too if it's riding. Ask every question that pops into your head and when you're happy, sign on the dotted line.
