Autombile Buying Research
When shopping for a new car, there are many tools at your disposal. You need to take advantage of them to make your choice of a new car a more informed one and an enjoyable experience. One of the strongest, easiest tools to use is the internet. You can find out anything you need to know throughout the buying process to take the stress out of it and be happy with your decision.
When shopping for a brand new car, the first resource to take advantage of would be the manufacturer's website. Whether it isToyota.com,Nissanusa.com,GM.comor any of the others. These sites usually have strong tools built right in to them. Like comparison tools, loan calculators, warranty information or crash and safety information. You can also build a car to your preference and secure financing right online without leaving your house. This way you know exactly what you are getting and what you are paying for.
You can also always shop your local dealership websites to find your new or used car. This way you can see what kind of specials they are offering right now. This will allow you to save some money that you may not have been able to save on the manufacturer's website. Because maybe this is a dealer specific special, an overstock special or a volume special for this particular dealership.
It is always a good idea to look into other sites as well to get outside opinions on those particular cars. These other sites can be great tools for new car buying and used car buying alike. Because you want to make an informed decision and be happy with it. Because after all, it is a big decision that you will be living with for years to come.
www.kbb.com
This is the website for Kelley Blue Book. It offers the consumer many valuable resources from trade in value to resale value to news and reviews. You can even search for a local dealer on this site, but the strongest feature it offers is finding the value of your current car or truck for trading it in versus selling it. This way you will not lose any money on the car or truck you already own, and will be able to maximize your next purchase. This site has basically been the industry standard for vehicle values. It is used by dealerships and by private party sellers.
www.iihs.org
This is the site for The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This is the go to site for all the safety information you could ever want for your next car purchase. They are the industry standard in automobile safety. You can get vehicle ratings and sort them by make, size or type. View safety brochures and videos, and even brush up on the laws and regulations. This is the best of the best for automobile safety information. It allows you to access and compare safety ratings for all cars and trucks and view the highest rated vehicles. So if it is a safe vehicle you are looking for, you know right where to go. Plus it is a trusted source.
www.edmunds.com
This is another site that offers a one stop shop. But again, it is always wise to research as many different avenues as possible. This site provides a lot of the same tools as any other site, but also has some unique specialties. The best part of what Edmunds offers is their Tips & Advice section. Here you can compare buying and leasing, calculate maintenance costs, and true cost of ownership. This way you know exactly what to expect before you make your purchase, and you are protected from getting in over your head. Because you may be able to afford the payment, but can you afford the tires or any repair parts you may need? They offer articles for you to read on these topics plus many more. You can also read up on warranty and safety information.
www.consumerreports.org
Consumer Reports offers a variety of information regarding almost any product you would ever need. But they know what they are talking about when it comes to automobiles. This site has a fee to use, but the value of the information you receive far out-weighs the cost. For under $3 per month, you can get unbiased reviews and opinions on any vehicle you are considering purchasing. They also offer yearly subscriptions, because they review almost every product that you use. The tools they offer are never ending. Any angle of coverage you want is offered at Consumer Reports.
This is the site for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This is a good site to look up recalls of a model car you are researching. It is also a good source of all safety information. They offer crash test ratings, rollover ratings, and manufacturer information among other things. It is another important tool in your vehicle search. They can also help you after your purchase as well, with child seat reviews, teen driver safety and links to all the newest studies and reports.
Once you do all of your research, you need to find your car or truck. There are many websites out there to help you with this. Some are more prevalent than others and more trusted. When searching for a car or truck online there are three major sites that stick out. They are all pretty similar in the services the off and usability of the site.
www.autotrader.com
www.vehix.com
www.cars.com
All three of these websites are very popular. They all offer new and used cars and they all offer advice and tips. You can search by zip code if you do not want to travel very far to buy your car, or if you just want the best deal, you can search nationally. With these three sites you can even search dealerships if you don't want to buy from a personal seller. They are designed to help you find the best car for you. So be sure to utilize all the tools they offer to the best of your ability.
If you are buying a used car it is highly recommended to get aCarfaxVehicle History Report. Some dealers offer this for free as a service of their business and some don't. If you are buying from a dealer that does not offer this you should go out and pay for one yourself or negotiate with the dealer to purchase it for you. There are used cars out there that have been stuck in floods or in major wrecks and have been repaired so the average consumer can not notice any damage. There could be major underlying issues with these cars like electrical problems or worse, which you would never know until after you bought it.
The main thing is that when you are ready to purchase a vehicle, you take all of the necessary steps to make the best most informed decision you can. Because remember, this is a decision that will be with for the next three to seven years. Sometimes people even keep them longer.
