7 Car Buying Mistakes To Avoid

New Cars, Buying Excitement

There aren’t many experiences in life that hold the joy purchasing a new automobile does. For those of you who have never experienced the sensation of sucking in a lung full of leather and plastic scented air as you put your shining new vehicle into gear and drive off the dealer’s lot, it is one of those rare moments in life where everything seems full of excitement and possibilities.

Of course, as with anything that holds excitement and possibility, the car buying process also holds a lot of potential for disappointment and mistakes that can lead to a lot of regret. As much as we may attempt to avoid them, let’s face it, mistakes are a part of life. Anyone who never makes mistakes at anything never attempts anything and, in turn, severly limits the enjoyment of life.

This is not to say that mistakes are altogether unavoidable, however. Luckily, for you, there have been many who have gone before you and made the mistakes so that you don’t have to. By learning from the mistakes of others you have the opportunity to avoid the car buying regrets they suffered and greatly increase the chance that your new car purchase will provide you fun and excitement well after you have left the dealer lot.

7 Car Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Below I’ve listed seven common car buying mistakes to avoid. If you approach the car buying process with these few mistakes in mind, you can leave the regrets behind and drive off into a future of excitement and possibility.

1. Not test driving the car you buy – You can’t make an informed decision about a car without test driving it. There is no way to experience how a car handles, rides, accelerates, brakes, how comfortable seats are, how easy to use devices are, how much visibility a car allows, or basically anything at all about the actual experience of driving a car without, well, without the actual experience of driving the car. Do not buy a car unless you test drive it. It really is as simple as that

2. Buying a car because it is cheap – Its great to save a few bucks when you have the opportunity, but not at the expense of your happiness with the purchase. If you are not going to like what you buy then the fact that you saved money on the purchase is sort of pointless. Make sure you get the best deal for the car you actually want instead of getting a great deal on something you don’t want.

3. Buying a car based only on aesthetics – You want to make sure that you like the styling and color of the car you are going to buy, but make sure not to let that sleek body and flashy paint job distract you from all the other factors that go into making a purchase you will be happy with. Though it is easy to fall for that showroom beauty, remember, looks are only one part of what makes a great car great.

4. Buying what you want instead of what you need – There are a lot of guys and girls who have dreamed all their lives of owning a brand new sports car. When you find yourself on the lot looking at that 400hp engine make sure you don’t let that dram distort reality. Though you may really want a sports car, if you have a family of six, it probably isn’t what you need.

5. Buying from a dealer because of location – As in any business, amongst auto dealers there are both honest business men and women providing a service and product to the community at fair prices and there are dealers who will do anything to make a buck. Just because Joe Shmoe’s lot is just down the street doesn’t mean you should buy a car from Joe. Make sure you find the dealer that you feel comfortable buying from, even if it means you have to drive a ways to get there. Its a major purchase, you should be comfortable with the transaction no matter how far you have to go to make it.

6. Buying without researching – In these days when loads of information is at everyone’s fingertips twenty four-seven there is really no reason to make an uninformed decision about any purchase. Take the time to research the cars you are interested in. Read reviews, research pricing, find buying tips. Knowledge is power and knowledge of the cars you want to buy gives you the power to make a purchase you won’t regret.

7. Buying beyond your means – If the car you really want requires making payments you can’t afford find another car you want. There are tons of makes and models out there and there is a car to fit your budget and needs if you look hard enough. All the fun is taken out of car ownership by the stress of painful payments. Set a budget and stick to it!

Enjoy Your New Car

Now you are ready to start looking for a new car with the confidence that you will avoid some little mistake that will ruin your ownership experience. If you are interested in a new Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Toyota or a used vehicle take a look at the auto inventory of my Bartlesville lot or ask for a quote on whatever car or truck you are considering through my quick quote form. I’m more than happy to help in any way I can, even if you aren’t in the local area.

Made any mistakes buying a new car or truck? Leave a comment and let everyone else learn from your experience. Let’s help everyone be able to enjoy a moment that holds so much potential for enjoyment. Everyone’s new car purchase should be full of excitement and possibilities.

Until tomorrow, have a great day!

Popularity: 17% [?]

Car Buying Tip – Brad Your Car Guy – 15 Car Buying Tips You Need to Know Before You Buy

Everyone finds them self in need of a new car or truck from time to time. And everyone experiences some amount of stress when it comes to making such a major purchase. Its only natural to worry a little before spending that much of your hard earned money. But, whether you are a first time buyer or an experienced negotiator, the more information you have at your disposal, the less stressful the car buying experience needs to be.

Most of the stress from situations like car buying comes from feeling uninformed or not in complete control. To help overcome this feeling, here is a list of 15 things every car buyer should do before heading to the dealer lot to buy a car. If you take the time to do the research and follow these fifteen tips you should be able to remove much of the stress of the process and, instead, enjoy the time you spend acquiring your new prized possession. Read more

Popularity: 67% [?]

Car Buying Myth: Dealer Financing Rates are Higher than Bank Rates

Welcome back to day four of the 5 Auto Consumer Myths post series. For five consecutive days we are focusing on things that many people believe about buying or leasing a new or used car that are actually nothing more than myths. Be sure to read all five days worth of posts and make sure you know fact from fiction when you next visit the dealer lot.

Financing through the Dealer or the Bank?

When you are in need of a new vehicle, whether it is brand new or new to you, there are so many factors to consider that it can often become very confusing. To add to the confusion it seems when you are car shopping, suddenly everyone from your brother to your uncle to the guy down the street becomes an expert on car buying. It is usually with the best of intentions, but not always with the best of results.

Read more

Popularity: 9% [?]

Information is Money: Brad’s Car Buying Secret #6

Well, today as promised we have Car buying Secret #6. There is a lot of information to cover here so let’s jump right to it. Here goes.

Car Buying Secret # 6 — Gathering and Exchange of Information

When making a major purchase such as a car the more quality information you and your sales consultant exchange, the better deal you will get. One of life’s lessons: “Information is Money” The more quality information you receive when deciding on any person, place or thing the better off you will be.

Read more

Popularity: 4% [?]

Brad’s Online Car Review Sites

I think the internet provides the consumer a great service by offering numerous sources of information such as safety reports, auto buying tips, and vehicle reviews.

Here are my selections for this week. Let me know if you find them helpful.

Read more

Popularity: 7% [?]

Automobile Loans for Anyone and Everyone-How it Works

There is a nasty rumor circulating that because of the current economic downturn that loans for new and used car buyers have dried up. Not true. What may happen on the national scene does not always take place in your locality. Locally there are a lot of banks begging for your business. If you are in the market for a new or used car, truck or SUV now is the time to make a purchase.

Part of the car buying experience for 98% of all buyers is how to best finance their purchase.

Getting a new car can be very exciting! Right up until you have to start making those payments. Many people find themselves stretched a little too thin because they may have overextended themselves when financing their new car. This can happen for a variety of reasons: sometimes your excitement interferes with your logic, but sometimes the hassles of financing a car lead can lead you to make hasty decisions just to get the financing part out of the way.

Wouldn’t it be great if the financing of your new car was hassle-free? Making this part of the car buying process painless would be a welcome relief to anyone trying to get a car loan.

Read more

Popularity: 2% [?]

Buying a New or Used Vehicle “Going Once-Going Twice”

Visiting your local dealer to purchase a vehicle is not an auction. It is more of a negogiation. The salesperson who says their price is only good today is either misinformed, stupid or both. If you are looking to buy a new car, then beware these “sales tricks” and don’t bother buying a car from a sales person that tries them. Remember, there are plenty of honest and upfront sales people that will be able to get you a great car without tricking you into buying it. Also, these are some tips on buying a car, that you can generally apply to any dealer you’re working with.

Read more

Popularity: 2% [?]