Before You Shop Know Your Wants and Needs or You Could End Up with a 
on Wheels
BUYING NEW "Know the bottom line before entering a dealership
There has not been a better time to buy a new car than
July 2010 All the major auto manufacturers are offering huge rebates and low APR financing on all of their popular models. Dealers are selling vehicles below invoice and they are ready to make a deal with youLeaders on the Internet are Free Price Quotes at Edmunds.com and Automotive.com I recommend to obtain free quotes from both to compare valid value
There is no catch. Dealers compete for your business online and I assure you that the prices quoted will be the lowest.
When you enter a dealership you'll be one step ahead of the salesperson without knowing you have the final price in your back pocket. Five minutes of your time will save you hundreds of dollars.
• "Best of the Web" by Forbes
• "Best Site" for shopping for a new or used car by The Wall Street Journal
• "Best Car Research on the web, Hands Down" by Forbes.
Free Price Quotes at Edmunds.com
In my experience, approximately 80% of consumers could have saved hundred of dollars (20% of these consumers would have saved thousands) when they purchased their vehicles if they had only followed a few easy steps to help them investigate their options.
BUYING USED
Your best used car buys will be vehicles 1 to 4 yrs old. Anything older generally requires more costly maintenance.Franchise dealerships selling brand of vehicle you are shopping are second to none
A well maintained used car that's less than 4 years old will give you the same satisfaction as a new car...for about half the price.
If you're financing, the rule of thumb is to make a down payment of around 20% on a used car. In most cases, that will cover the depreciation value of the first year. Should you want to trade, you most likely won't be in a negative situation
If you're shopping with an open mind and test driving several vehicles to find that magic car, don't let emotions rule your logic. If you want the best deal you must walk away and study your options, I don't care if its the only vehicle in that color or your buying the manager's demo for less money, the veteran salesperson will use techniques to play with your emotions to commit, you must take the stance if vehicle is not available after you done further study then it was not to be in the first place.
LEASE - Don't Let Emotions Overide Your Signature
You must FULLY understand the contract when leasing a vehicle. Whatever terms you agree to and sign, be 100% sure you will want to keep it for that term and fully understand the fine print. If you went to jail for 3 or 4 years, you would most likely be released early based on good behavior. Not so with a lease! There is no parole without severely hurting your pocketbook.
Be Smart, Research Your Auto Financing Options
The educated buyer will have a secured loan amount in place (be it from the bank, credit union or established line of credit), and goes shopping with that amount. However, you must still consider if there is a better deal to be had, get a free auto loan quote from . Automotive.com one of the leading providers of auto loans online (whether the vehicle is new, used, refinanced or a lease buyout).How to Save When Buying Used
Let's pretend you're a buyer who has seen an advertisement for a specific vehicle and you want to visit the dealership.If you arrive at the dealership without having done some very simple research, you won't be in a position to negotiate.
There are many sites that offer the value of a vehicle. Your first step is to investigate if the same type of vehicle is available elsewhere in your area.
To compare the value, go to AUTOTRADER.COM (or Autotrader.ca in Canada). Submit your zip code, year and model of vehicle and allow a 100 mile distance from your zip code. You will more than likely find a good selection of the same vehicle you're interested in so either print out or make notes of the mileage, options, price, etc... on all the comparable vehicles.
When you arrive at the dealership, don't discuss price or instantly display the information you have. If the car suits your needs, sit down with the salesperson and ask for the best price. At this point, if you have a better figure, show it to the salesperson. The dealer will do better. Salespeople will try to justify why their vehicle is worth more money but stay firm! Remember that you're in control and you've done some homework that will get you fair value.
