How To Avoid Being Ripped Off When You Buy A Car

Buying a car can be expensive no matter how you spin it. But what’s more costly is purchasing one that isn’t actually worth the money you spent! So here are some tips for you to avoid that and hopefully be able to make better car buying decisions.

Look Up The Prices Beforehand
You probably have a specific car you’re eyeing for before going ahead to make a purchase, so it’d be easier for you to know the price range in advance. This way you’ll know right away if the dealers quote is way too high or suspiciously too low.

Don’t Sign Up For A Whole Package
Sometimes, just to entice more people to buy a car, dealers include a lot of “promos” in the package to make you feel like the car is such a steal. However, don’t be easily swayed by this because more often than not you’re actually getting freebies you don’t really need. While other times, you do need them, like free window tinting, but the quality isn’t at its best so you end up having to take it to a window tint installer to redo the whole thing.

Research Other Financing Options
Car dealers will naturally endorse financing option that benefits them the most. But it doesn’t mean they only have that one method, so make sure you ask about other options. You should also ask about hidden fees and things like that because they can definitely add up. But generally, you can either find out interest rates that banks and other outside services offer or pay in cash since a lot of hidden charges are tied to financing and credit.

Do You Own Vehicle Identification Number Etching
You can definitely DIY this one! So save yourself the ridiculous fee and just grab $20 kit that will allow you to get this done on your own.

Find Out What You’ll Actually Get From Service Contracts And Other Insurance
We all know that owning a car comes with maintenance costs and possible danger so insurance is always a good idea. But just because of those doesn’t mean you just sign any service contract and insurance that comes with the car. Dig deeper and find out what you’re really getting out of them and what your options are for you to choose what suits your needs.

Bring A Friend
It’s good practice to expect a long drawn out negotiation and discussion when it comes to costly purchase such as vehicles. Not only because there’s a lot of legalities and technicalities involved, but also because there are dealers who purposely keep people for hours just to wear them out and make them sign the papers just to get out. Bringing a friend with you, ideally someone who is familiar with dealing like this, will help spot loopholes in the deal so you don’t end up getting ripped off.