Know Before You Go (Car Shopping)
Purchasing a new or pre-owned vehicle is very exciting and a little intimidating, because it’s a big financial transaction. So whether you’re buying your first car or your fifth, we have a few tips everyone can appreciate.
Get Pre-Approved
When buying a new or pre-owned vehicle, your FIRST STEP (and most important) should be to get a pre-approval from a credit union. Not only will you know exactly how much you’re able to spend before you go shopping, you’ll also have the upper-hand when it comes to negotiating at dealerships.
Dealers know they cannot go over your pre-approved amount. This helps eliminate costly add-ons and often results in better sale prices as salespeople are forced to keep prices aligned with your pre-approved amount.
Research
Before you even step foot into a dealership, make sure to do your research.
- Research invoice prices (or what others are paying in the area for the same vehicle)
- Review sale prices at several local dealerships
- Analyze rebates & special promotions
- Obtain your vehicle’s trade-in value from the NADA.
- Pull a car history report (if purchasing a pre-owned vehicle)
Check Your Insurance
Buying a new vehicle is exciting. And with that excitement comes one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of buying a car – checking your insurance costs. New vehicles and some specific types of vehicles (i.e., convertibles) may have higher insurance costs. While you may be able to afford the monthly car payments, don’t get caught with unexpected, higher insurance costs. A quick call to your insurance company will let you know what your new insurance premium will be.
Types of Dealerships
Did you know there are different types of dealerships? Some dealerships focus on new vehicles, and others only sell pre-owned vehicles. Whether you are shopping new or pre-owned, make sure you get a breakdown of all the dealer costs. Compare costs between dealerships to help you negotiate your final price.
CAMPUS Can Help!
If you’re ready to buy a new vehicle, we can help. To get Pre-Approved, apply online, stop by any service center, or give us a call at 800-367-6440 and press 4.
Other resources:
By CAMPUS USA at 19 Mar 2021, 17:33 PM