Most women look forward to car shopping for themselves about as much as men look forward to buying lingerie gifts for others. Not to worry. A little advance planning will increase your confidence tenfold and insure a smooth and painless car purchase, even if you don’t know a lug nut from a cashew.
The key to successful car buying is to do your homework in advance and ask lots of questions before ever leaving your house. You may find it helpful to bring the following items with you the day you intend to buy:
1. The name of the car salesperson you intend to work with. Better yet, ask around for recommendations and set an appointment in advance. Successful salespeople get clients largely by word of mouth. They can afford to be low key and personable because they have already built up a network of leads in their community.
2. A notebook, pen, and pocket calculator. You will be bringing some information to the lot, and you will also be jotting down information and notes on your test drives. Don’t rely on memory, have these tools ready and at hand.
3. A list of vehicles you want to test drive. Spend lots of time researching this list before you ever step onto a car lot. Even if you don’t have any definite ideas, read as much as you can about what is available in your size and price range. That way, if your salesperson has a “great deal” that you hadn’t even considered, you will know if it really is a great deal or just something the dealership needs to unload.
4. Pre-approved financing and the name and phone number of your financial institution. Sometimes you can get great dealer financing, but don’t rely on this. Having your financing already arranged gives you a bargaining edge. Don’t be pushed into dealer financing until you’ve had plenty of time to compare it to the financing you already have.
