New car shopping?

I swear my husband, a glutton for punishment, must be the only human alive who enjoys shopping for a new car! He finds the entire experience challenging yet enjoyable for some sick reason. He gets a huge laugh, whenever he sees these gold-ladened salespeople scatter to the back to allegedly pow-wow with their superior, then reappear with a frustrated expression and a B.S. comeback offer. Oh, my hubby will sit there with a smug expression and give them ‘the car-buying blues.’ He lives for the chase! It finally gets to the point, where the salesperson is ready to throw up their hands to the Lord and is only too happy to get their boss to finish the deal. My husband won’t put down one cent, until he feels, he has gotten the best deal possible on the vehicle of his choice! If he has to go to the ends of the earth, he has the patience to see his deals through right until the end! Me, I take a seat as a spectator because my husband needs help from absolutely no one!

OK, so you might not have the patience of Job or the expertise of my husband when car shopping. You might break out in a sweat every time you enter a dealership. You might need a tranquilizer or shot (or two or three) of tequila as you begin to discuss the vehicle you want and options with the salesperson. Need some tips on how to get through the car buying process? Check these out and happy trails!

1) Experts say, the best times to buy a car is from July to October. Dealers want old models out to make way for new ones. They are pretty desperate to cut a deal to clear their showrooms, so consider taking a previous year model off their hands especially if the model is not immediately scheduled for a redesign. Christmas is another hot time to go car shopping, lots of secret factory to dealer incentives to meet or exceed their yearly sales.

2) Don’t select a car all willy nilly! Really take the time to investigate your vehicle of choice. Go to an online forum like the one found on edmunds.com and see what owners are saying about your potential ride. Don’t forget to protect yourself and loved ones, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), www.nhtsa.dot.gov and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, www.iihs.org offers lots of safety stats/ratings to keep you from possibly purchasing your worst nightmare.

3) Some folks know their blood type, cholesterol numbers but how many of us know our credit scores??? Take the time to check your credit profile BEFORE you even consider buying or leasing a car. Don’t wait until the salesperson checks that application and comes back with a “Take your con someplace else, seriously consider bankruptcy and did ya really think we you were getting a car from us???” (www.freecreditreport.com)

4) Be armed and dangerous! Don’t dare begin the negotiation process without some facts! Go to consumer-friendly, reputable sites (listed below) and get some price quotes, so that you can have an idea as to what you should be paying for your vehicle. Pop your collar, march in there, command respect and take your quotes with you into the dealership. See if the salesperson is willing to match or beat the prices that you have been given (bless the internet!!!).

5) Test driving a vehicle is a good thing. For Pete’s sake take a few. Drive on highways, rough terrain, long and short curves, really get a feel for the vehicle. Don’t just drive it once!!! Drive it during the day, drive it at night if the dealership is open late (what if the headlights have a narrow range or the dashboard’s instrumentation is too difficult to make out), drive it in the rain, snow, sleet, hail! Push the car’s limits when appropriate. Bring the kids along, see if they are comfortable sitting in the back. Try renting the car that you are eyeing from a rental company for a few days. Extra tip: If you give the salesperson your driver’s license before you test drive the vehicle; make sure you write boldly across the sheet, ‘DO NOT RUN A CREDIT CHECK!’ Some sneaky dealers will actually run a credit check on you while you’re test driving a vehicle—this is illegal! FTC fines are steep for unauthorized credit checks, if you need to remind them, don’t stutter! Make sure you rip up the copy when you leave.

6) Watch those add-ons and accessories that the dealers offer you. The profits made from these bells and whistles sales are just more profit for the dealership owner’s off-shore accounts! You can almost always fend for yourself and get cheaper prices if you want to add something on.

7) Don’t go solo when shopping for a car. If you’re in a relationship, go with your significant other. If not, take your good friend Ethel or Fred with you. The outcome for deals like these work out for the better if you’re with someone who has your back. You might not spot some things and might need another pair of eyes and ears to pull your coattail. Extra tip: Don’t plan on negotiating on an empty stomach! Grab a bite before you enter a dealership. You just might be there for hours and you don’t want visions of Big Macs rolling around in your head interfering with your decision-making capabilities.

8) Finally, don’t be railroaded into making a decision. The sun will come up tomorrow. Tell Frank or Marie that you’ll need sometime to think about the deal and get the heck out of Dodge!

--Car Chick