If you are thinking about buying a used car, there are a few important things that you should keep in mind. There will certainly be decisions that you have to make, and you may be lost on where to start. These tips and tricks will help you along your car buying path.
What Kind of Car Do You Want?
Having options when buying a car is always great. The first option you need to consider is if you are buying a new or a used car. If you are buying a new car, the process is pretty straightforward. Buying a used car, however, can be tricky. With new cars, if you know exactly what you want, you can just go to a dealership, and they most likely will have what you are looking for. When buying used you may have to search a little harder to get what you want. Looking in the classified ads, as well as online sites such as Cars.com and Craigslist, is one way to start your search. If you have your heart set on one type of car, you need to be prepared to wait for the right deal to come around. But if you are a little bit more flexible, then you can search for a myriad of cars.
Dealership of Private Party?
Knowing where to look will help you along in the car buying process. You will either work through a dealership or a private party. Conferring with these can be very different experiences. Both have their pros and cons. Dealers have to deal with certain procedures, so you are less likely to be sold a lemon. They also provide warranties, and offer financing options. On the other hand, they have higher prices since the sales team is reliant on commission. Private party sales can be tricky because you do not know who you are dealing with right away. The cars usually have no warranty (unless it still exists from the dealer, originally), and you must complete paperwork on your own. However, you are more likely to get a lower price with more negotiating, and there are no sales pitches.
What to Look For
When buying a used car, there are certain things that you must look for to ensure that you are getting a good deal. A car’s worth is estimated by the year, mileage, condition, popularity, reliability, and performance. If you are not sure, head to Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) to see what the car should be worth, versus what the seller pricing. Other than that, just look for a car that adheres to your particular tastes and has good ratings.
Financing and Insuring Your Car
Once you have found your dream car, the next step is to own it. You first need to figure out your money situation, and what you can afford. Once all of that is in order, you must go through the finance and insurance process. When dealing with a dealership, make sure you get the warranty that you want and need. When dealing with a private party there will probably be no warranty. If there is an existing one from the original dealership, make sure there is paperwork to go along with it. There may be some loan applications to fill out if needed. You can do that in the dealership or at a local bank.
The final step is insuring your new used car. That is where we come in. TJ Woods Insurance has the most experienced staff to help make the final step of your used car buying process a breeze. Contact us and we can help you and get you a free quote. For research, you can get all the step-by-step information about automobile insurance you need here.
What is on your checklist for your dream car?
