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A Primer On Buying Your First (Or Fourth) Car

Ready for sticker shock? The average price of a new vehicle in the U.S. was $48,763 in April 2023, 根据凯利蓝皮书,这标志着比2020年的价格上涨了近30%, which averaged $37,851. And even if buying used is on your agenda, the average price of a used car is now hovering at $28,000, so still not a steal.

First time car buyer

D尽管价格很高,但总有一些交易比其他交易更好. 这就是为什么货比三家是确保你花的每一块钱都物有所值的聪明方法. 根据汽车专家的建议,以下是你买车时需要注意的事项.

Start On The Internet

Yes, we know. You want to take a test drive. That’ll come. 现在,去几个大的汽车网站,开始点击. 你应该有一个预算和你想要的汽车的大致类型的想法(不知道品牌可以让你得到更好的交易)。. Check out the safety ratings and the reviews. Then look at prices. 你会看到新车的MSRP(制造商建议零售价), and estimated values from sites like KBB.com and Edmunds.com for used ones. 要明白汽车也可以像其他商品一样打折——回扣(买某辆车的钱)是折扣的一种形式, an incentive (like a low-interest rate loan) is another. 

Shop For The Financing In Advance

Few people can pay for a car in cash. 甚至更少的人明白,你应该像买车一样艰难(如果不是更难的话).  除非你知道你想要的车有一个积极的融资要约, 你会想要根据你的信用评分进行独立融资.  

Go online and search comparison sites, such as bankrate.Com或nerdwallet,它们通常包括每个优惠的最低信用评分. This is where credit unions come in. Traditionally, 信用社以提供比其他贷方更好的新车和二手车融资利率而闻名,因为他们是非营利性的(也因为他们已经决定这是一个他们想要特别具有竞争力的市场).)这不仅适用于二手车融资,也适用于新车融资. 

Now Hit The Dealership

Now that you’ve done some homework on both cars and financing, it’s time to hit the dealership.  把车停在汽车经销商面前,却不知道自己想要什么,这很容易被敲竹杠. Todd Deeken, co-host of the Everyday Driver podcast, says car salespeople are there to direct your purchases, but they also are motivated by commission, since it directly impacts their bottom line.

Importantly, even though the supply of cars has been tight in recent years, do not let yourself be rushed into signing on the dotted line. “If you’re serious about a certain car, ask for a longer test drive, 因为有些经销商会允许你在没有他们的情况下开车, or even overnight,” he says. “Cars are expensive, 所以在你熟悉的情况下花大量的时间来新沙巴体育网它会告诉你它是否适合你.”

Time To Negotiate

Let’s be honest. With cars in short supply, 近年来,谈判的空间没有历史上那么大. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

The place to begin is with the “dealer invoice” or “dealer price.迪肯说:“这个数字是一个秘密,应该在很大程度上影响你的购买决定。. 经销商价格,就像它听起来的那样,是汽车在经销商那里花费的金额. Your aim is to negotiate toward that number. 迪肯表示:“除此之外,还会有税费、所有权和许可费. “但如果你接近这个数字,你就可以确信自己得到了一笔不错的交易.

And, 知道经销商发票会派上用场,如果有多个经销商在附近与你想要的车. While it may require a little bartering, 愿意以更优惠的价格旅行是说服销售人员在价格上给一点折扣的最快方法.  “If one dealership is conveniently located for you, let them know that you want to give them your business, 而且你也不害怕把你的钱花在他们隔壁的竞争对手身上,以获得更好的交易,” he says.

Keep The Next Buyer In Mind

如今,一辆普通的汽车一般可以行驶20万英里左右. For a well-maintained car, you’re looking at 300,000 miles. 这意味着,明智的做法是不只是购买你梦想中的汽车, but one that might suit others in the future. 一辆定制轮辋的酸橙绿色吉普车可能是你Instagram账户的理想选择,但你找到另一个想要完全相同颜色和风格的人的可能性有多大? Probably pretty low.

Unless you’re planning to keep your car forever, you want to ensure there is a market to sell it in a few years. In other words, think practical and re-sellable. 专家说,最适合转售的颜色包括黑色、白色和灰色. 蓝色或红色也很受欢迎,但绿色或橙色就不那么受欢迎了. 不要花几千美元改装一辆车,安装定制的音响系统或有色窗户, because just because you like it doesn’t mean someone else will.

Buying Used? Get A Background Check

有些人沙巴买球新车,而另一些人则认为你应该坚持使用二手车来省钱. If you subscribe to the second school of thought, CarFax.Com是购买旧车前最好的第一站.

只要输入车辆的VIN或车牌,你就会收到有关该车的服务历史和检查的信息. 如果感觉不对劲,不要害怕向经销商寻求解释. 如果从私人卖家那里购买,问他们为什么要卖掉他们的车. “前车主保存良好的记录表明这辆车得到了良好的处理和维护, and therefore a good purchase,” Deeken says.

For added peace-of-mind when buying a used car, get a pre-purchase inspection (PPI), which usually costs less than $100 at a mechanic shop.“No matter how nice the car might look, a PPI will tell you the condition of tires, brakes, oil, and most other regular wear or maintenance items. 你看的车可能有你看不见的问题,但机械师会的。. “这并不是一个保证,但它可以提醒你注意许多隐藏的问题.”