What are some tips for buying a used car from a dealer? Well, the more you know about vehicles and prices before you go to a dealer, the better. Information is power.
Know Values
Do some research before ever visiting a dealer. You can go online and search for used vehicles to see what kind of reviews they get and what options are available these days. For instance, you could narrow down your choices online by being quite specific with your search. Say you want to buy a SUV that’s low miles and one or two years old– you can find out info about those types of vehicles and see what kind of prices they’re selling for locally or at dealers across the country. Furthermore, do some research about area dealers to see what customers think of them– some are better than others, after all. Avoid doing business with any dealers who get lots of bad reviews with words like “scam” in them.
Look at the History
When buying a used car, you’ll likely get a vehicle history report that tells you if the vehicle was in an accident or flood. That report, however, typically won’t list mechanical problems. It’s always a good idea to ask the dealer if you can have your independent mechanic inspect the vehicle before you sign on the dotted line. Your mechanic can tell you “Yes, I recommend you get this,” or, “No, this is not a good deal.”
Financial Plan
As for paying for the vehicle, if you can pay in full, do that. Or, if you’re like most people, you can finance your purchase over time. When you finance, you’re paying for the cost of credit and interest. So the price will be a bit more. Financing involves a down payment, a monthly payment, a financing period and the annual percentage rate. Ideally, you’ll want to ask what’s the exact price you’d be paying for the vehicle and whether or not there’s a finance charge. Find out how many payments you’d be making and how much each one would be– if the numbers are within your budget, great.
Finally, find out about return policies– and get the dealer’s return policy in writing. You can also ask about warranty coverage as well.
These are some helpful tips when you plan to buy a used vehicle from a dealer. If you’re looking for used cars in Lehighton, PA, check out 443 Auto Sales today.