1) You don’t want to find out later that you paid too much.
2) You want to make sure you purchased from the right salesperson and dealership so that you will be taken care of during the whole ownership of the vehicle.
3) You don’t want to find out that the salesperson lied to you and made promises they wouldn’t keep.
4) You want to make sure your new vehicle fits your family’s needs and budget. Read on….
GREAT NEWS: By reading this report it will put you in a much better position so that you are more prepared. Then you will know what to ask and what a good deal is.
We will share with you some very valuable information that will help you in your next vehicle purchase and also in the future. We’ll go over ten things that are very important when considering purchasing a vehicle besides just the price. Deciding what vehicle is right for you and your family can be a very difficult task.
1. Finding the RIGHT Dealership AND Salesperson to deal with. Dealing with the right dealership and salesperson is the foundation to the whole purchasing process. The dealership and how they treat you is a key factor. Do they WANT your business? Do they want to KEEP your business? Do the owners strive to keep their dealership the best it can be? You can tell by dealing with the service writers, salespeople and everyone else who you come in contact with at the dealership.
SERVICE DEPARTMENT: Is the service department easy to deal with? Can you get in easy? If need be can you get a loaner? And of course are they good at finding the problem and fixing it?
SALESPERSON: After you purchased your vehicle have you ever heard from your salesperson? Does your salesperson assist you with your vehicle concerns and needs? Have you ever purchased a vehicle only to find out the salesman made promises that he/she wouldn’t keep? Or you found out later that they lied to you? This is the Twenty First Century! There are actually honest salespeople who take this business very seriously and look at it as a long-term career.
HOT TIP: If you don’t have a salesperson you can trust, ASK AROUND. Do you have a relative, friend, co-worker or neighbor who has been happy with a particular source? Find a salesperson you can trust and who WANTS your business and goes out of his way to KEEP your business. They are harder to find but they are out there so ask around. You DON’T have to deal with someone you don’t like!
2. What do you need your new vehicle to accomplish for you?
Be very careful in choosing your next vehicle because it is a big investment and if you pick the wrong one it will cost you money. It’s very hard to trade out of your vehicle if you haven’t had it very long. Have you thought about how much room you need? Gas mileage? Power for pulling and hauling?
Car Shoppers: Make sure the car is going to provide you with enough room to put your stuff in and has enough legroom for everyone. It’s a real bummer when you find out the car seat doesn’t fit in right or the kids don’t have enough leg room in the back.
Truck Shoppers: You could wind up an unhappy truck owner if you haven’t thought carefully about how many people and how much gear you need to carry. As well, when selecting a truck, you need to consider what you are really going to pack for payload – why endure the rough ride of a three quarter ton when all you need is a half ton?
As well, what are you really going to use this truck for? Diesel engines are great for power, but they cost a lot! Sure if you are to go with a gas engine – a big block V8, you will burn more fuel, but how much fuel can you burn for the $5000 in price? 3. Decide whether new or used is best for you.
If you are shopping for New, what kind of warranty does it have? The standard 3 years or 36,000 miles or does it have a longer 7 year 70,000 miles?
Vehicles are built better now than they were twenty years ago, so used can make a lot of sense. In the last five to ten years they are designed to run for 100,000+ miles! Take care of them and they will last!
Today, you can buy used with a lot more confidence than ever before. Just be sure to ask to see the used vehicle inspection, so you know if the truck or SUV you are looking at had to have a ton of work done to it or not.
On the flip side, if the factory is offering a rebate or other break in cost, the math may be on the side of a new vehicle. Obviously super low finance rates can help to keep payments down, so this can be a big push towards new as well.
HOT TIP: If you’re a new car shopper, ask the salesperson to price a used one with very low miles on it for comparison. If you’re a used car shopper, ask for a new price for comparison. Then you will find out what the best value for you is. ALWAYS DO THIS.
4. Assess the worth of your old car. Whether you plan to trade it in or sell it, your current car can be an important factor in your budget. It’s best to decide whether you are going to trade your car in or sell it yourself. If you are going to sell it yourself are you willing to do what it takes to sell a vehicle? Most nice cars sell within three months so if you still make payments you have to figure on making your payments while you wait to sell it. If your payment is $350 and it takes you three months to sell it that $1,050. PLUS you need to advertise and show it to every John Doe who wants to look at it and DRIVE it. There will also be the phone calls as well. That’s if it goes good. The other thing that could happen is NOT getting any calls, making your payments and paying for the ads in the newspaper.
5. Consider whether leasing or buying makes more sense.
Leasing provides lower monthly payments than buying with an auto loan. But it's not for everybody. Leasing currently is not offered in all dealerships .If you trade your car every two to five years, and you stay under 15,000 miles a year, you may be a good candidate for a lease.
6. Do your homework on the price $$
New: Know what the MSRP is and what are the available rebates and finance packages.
Used: Look up book values. If you find a vehicle you like don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson to look up the value and see if it’s a fair price. They can access book values online. If you do find “The One”, it’s a good idea to drive it home first if you live fairly close to the dealership. That way you will get a good idea how it drives and if there are any quirks.
Side Notes on Buying a Used Car
1) Seat Belts: Make sure they all work.
2) Paint Over Spray:
3) ABS System: If they are equipped with ABS, make sure they work because they are expensive to fix.
4) Go to www.carfax.com to get a vehicle history report
HOT TIP: The best thing to do when purchasing a used car with no warranty is to ask the dealer to show you the mechanic’s to check over BEFORE you buy it.7. Shop for money before you shop for the car.
Research your rate. If you plan to get a loan, call your credit union or local bank to find the lowest rate. New and up to two years old get the lowest rate and with older vehicles the rate is a little higher. If the dealership gives you a good rate it should be lower than your local bank unless your credit is a little bruised. There can be many advantages in financing with the dealership. With good credit you can finance the vehicle, tax, and license and if you have a balance on your trade-in, you can finance that to and MAY not have to put any money down. Many banks and credit unions require 10% or 20% down. Beware that recent lending “tightness” on the part of the banks has them asking the consumer for much more down payment.
HOT TIP: When the dealership quotes payments, ALWAYS ask what the terms are!
1) How many years? How much money down?
2) Does that include ALL fees?
3) Does that include my pay-off of my trade-in?
4) What interest rate do I qualify for?
8. Respect the salesperson (only if you found the one you can trust)Do yourself a favor: if you have a trade, tell him you do. If you qualify for an X-Plan, tell him. Tell him what you’re looking for, and what you need.
Be polite and make a friend. Salespeople like to deal with people who are nice and respect them. Don’t you? They like to deal with friendly happy people. But don’t be a pushover. Be firm about what you want. Remember: Salespeople are for the most part honest, good hearted people trying to make a living. They can be an asset in your life, if you get them on your side.
HOT TIP: That’s why finding a good one is key. Shopping for and owning a car will never have been easier for years to come!
Negotiating a price can be one the most difficult things to do because there are so many variables. Is it a hard to get vehicle or package? As the industry gets more and more competitive the manufactures take more of the margin of profit away from the dealers. Therefore there isn’t near the mark up like there used to be.
If you don’t have a salesperson you can trust the best way on new is to get two prices from two separate dealers. If you are looking at a used vehicle, you can also get two prices if you can find close to the same vehicle. Make sure the equipment on both quotes is the same.
If you feel pressured or unsure remember: If the price is good today, it’s good tomorrow. The exception to this would be if the current rebates from the manufacture ends that day. If they say it’s “Only a today offer”, I would pass on the deal. Go find a different dealership to deal with. You can also have them write up the deal and write on the purchase agreement “Dependant on spouses approval” or “Customer wants to think about it overnight to decide if they want it”
BEWARE: If you have a trade-in and you see a great price in the newspaper or on the Internet and its lower then the place you are dealing at DO NOT ASSUME you will get even close to the price for your trade-in that the dealership you are dealing with will. Ask for a price for the car you are purchasing and separate price for the trade-in. Don’t work on a difference figure or just trade values alone, it can be confusing for you. Remember, no matter how much a someone gives you for a trade-in value, it always boils down to how much they are selling the vehicle for and how much they are giving you for the trade-in.
10. The Finance Office
How do you make sense of all the extras?
1) Extended Service Policy
a) You must decide approximately how long you are going to keep the vehicle and how many miles you anticipate driving per year. If you keep the vehicle a long time or you drive a lot of miles this could be great peace of mind protection. If not, a maintenance plan might be better suited for you.
b) Find out the warranty, guarantee or coverage for all vehicles you are considering and then decide whether you are willing to take the risk of potential breakdowns and the possible unexpected cost of repair. These policies are simply an insurance decision on your part and your risk tolerance.
2) Protection Package
a) Rust proofing and Undercoating should be a must for anyone that keeps their vehicle for over three years. The vehicles of today are made much better today but anytime you can protect your vehicle from rust for years to come it can be worth it. Especially in the snow and ice climate where I reside.
b) I think EVERY person that purchases a new or any used vehicle that is in nice shape should get the Paint and Fabric Protection. EVERYONE. It really makes a difference in the appearance of the inside and outside. It may also enhance your resale value.
3) Gap Insurance: For many people Gap Insurance should be a must. If you lease a vehicle you get it for free because the leasing companies know how important it can be. And for others there is no reason what so ever to get it. Should you or shouldn’t you? If you total your car Gap Insurance covers the difference of what you owe the bank and what the insurance company values your vehicle at. If you owe $20,000 but the insurance company says it is only worth $18,500, you will have to pay $1,500 out of your pocket unless you have Gap Insurance. If you have Gap Insurance, the $1,500 is paid for by your Gap Insurance. How much is Gap Insurance?? Its’ price should be between $595 and $795, depending on the term of the contract. Anything over that and you are being OVERCHARGED. Bottom line is I’ve seen thousands paid off by Gap insurance. When the situation is right, don’t think twice about getting it.
HOT TIP: If your financing sticker price on new or “high” book value on used AND you put over 15,000 miles on a year you should definitely get it.
If you are someone who hasn’t found “The Dealership” to deal with or our dissatisfied with your current dealer, READ ON……Why Vic Koenig is the right Dealership or you or your loved ones:
· We are 100% committed to a customer for life philosophy
· Our Service department is totally engaged in world class service after the sale.
· Many of our sales team members have been with us for 10 years or longer.
· Virtually every vehicle on our lot comes with lifetime power-train coverage featuring unlimited miles, unlimited years and unlimited claims.
· We will always offer you alternatives on vehicles, financing, terms and payments.
· Our Job Mission is simple:
Get you the car YOU want
Fit it in Your Budget
Answer all of your questions
Make this the best car buying experience you’ve ever had.
We will always treat our customers with dignity and respect. Our friendly sales process is non-confrontational, quick and efficient.All of our “extras” in the finance office are designed to protect your investment and your pocketbook.
Thank you for choosing http://www.vkchevy.com
(Bonus Reference Guide)
Kelly Blue Book – Vehicle Values – www.kbb.com
Car Reviews - www.nctd.com
Fuel Economy Guides - www.fueleconomy.gov
