How Does Buying A New Car Work
But many Americans make big mistakes buying cars. Take new car purchases with a trade-in. A third of buyers roll over an average of $5,000 in debt from their last car into their new loan. They're paying for a car they don't drive anymore. Ouch! That is not a winning personal finance strategy.
how does buying a new car work
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"The single best advice I can give to people is to get preapproved for a car loan from your bank, a credit union or an online lender," says Philip Reed. He's the autos editor at the personal finance site NerdWallet. He also worked undercover at an auto dealership to learn the secrets of the business when he worked for the car-buying site Edmunds.com. So Reed is going to pull back the curtain on the car-buying game.
So Reed says having that preapproval can be a valuable card to have in your hand in the car-buying game. It can help you negotiate a better rate. "The preapproval will act as a bargaining chip," he says. "If you're preapproved at 4.5%, the dealer says, 'Hey, you know, I can get you 3.5. Would you be interested?' And it's a good idea to take it, but make sure all of the terms, meaning the down payment and the length of the loan, remain the same."
So at the dealership, Reed and Van Alst both say, the first step is to start with the price of the vehicle you are buying. The salesperson at the dealership will often want to know if you're planning to trade in another car and whether you're also looking to get a loan through the dealership. Reed says don't answer those questions! That makes the game too complicated, and you're playing against pros. If you negotiate a really good purchase price on the car, they might jack up the interest rate to make extra money on you that way or lowball you on your trade-in. They can juggle all those factors in their head at once. You don't want to. Keep it simple. One thing at a time.
Once you settle on a price, then you can talk about a trade-in if you have one. But Reed and Van Alst say to do your homework there too. A little research online can tell you what your trade is worth in ballpark terms. Reed suggests looking at the free pricing guides at Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book and NADA. On Autotrader, you can also see what people in your area are asking for your car model. And he says, "You can get an actual offer from Carvana.com and also by taking the car to a CarMax, where they will write you a check on the spot."
"Concerning the extended factory warranty, you can always buy it later," says Reed. "So if you're buying a new car, you can buy it in three years from now, just before it goes out of warranty." At that point, if you want the extended warranty, he says, you should call several dealerships and ask for the best price each can offer. That way, he says, you're not rolling the cost into your car loan and paying interest on a service you wouldn't even use for three years because you're still covered by the new car's warranty.
Gap insurance promises to cover any gap between the purchase price of replacing your almost-new car with a brand-new car if your regular insurance doesn't pay for full replacement if your car gets totaled. Van Alst says gap insurance is often overpriced and is fundamentally problematic. If you still want the product, it's best to obtain it through your regular insurance company, not the dealer.
"We're actually living in a golden age of used cars," says Reed. "I mean, the reliability of used cars is remarkable these days." Reed says there is an endless river of cars coming off three-year leases that are in very good shape. And even cars that are older than that, he says, are definitely worth considering. "You know, people are buying good used cars at a hundred-thousand miles and driving them for another hundred-thousand miles," says Reed. "So I'm a big fan of buying a used car as a way to save money."
NPR has a personal finance Facebook group called Your Money and Your Life. And we asked group members about car buying. Many said they were shocked by how much money some other people in the group said they were spending on cars. Patricia and Dean Raeker from Minneapolis wrote, "40 years of owning vehicles and our total transportation purchases don't even add up to the cost of one of the financed ones these folks are talking about."
These easy-to-use internet tools put you in a position to analyze your choices before making your final decision effortlessly. Avoid making the common mistake of impulse buying. A minor delay in automotive gratification is worth the time spent, especially when receiving that information from a trusted source.
Affordability is a multi-faceted issue because the car-buying process can consist of several financial considerations. It will help if you accurately determine what your current car is worth, how much of a down payment you can make, and a reasonable amount you can handle for monthly payments. Some careful thought and brutal honesty will pay enormous benefits later.
You can count on car prices fluctuating as popularity, supply, and other factors change. In other words, if you are buying a popular car in short supply, when it first comes to market, you can expect to pay more.
Trading your car in at the dealership may be quick and easy, but it may not always be painless. The upside of trading is that the dealer does all the paperwork. After settling on an acceptable price, all you have to do is sign the vehicle over and be done with it. The price you pay for the convenience of being relieved of your vehicle will likely be less money for you than if you sold it yourself.
Moving to the seat behind the wheel of your next new car is the most exciting part of the buying experience. By this time, you narrowed your choices down to a few vehicles that are right for you and set goals for negotiating price, monthly payment, trade-in, and finance options. You can now get ready to negotiate and purchase your next new vehicle with confidence.
Buying a new car is a big step, but it doesn't have to be a daunting one. Here's how to research, locate, price and negotiate to buy your new car. Smartphones make these steps easier than ever. It is now entirely possible for a buyer to shop for a vehicle while in line at the supermarket or waiting to pick up the kids.
A preapproved auto loan starts you out on the right foot. You get an idea of how much you can afford, and you'll have an interest rate that you can then compare to the dealership's financing, which might actually offer the lowest annual percentage rate. Look for a loan application on the mobile web pages of your bank, credit union, or other lenders such as Capital One or Nationwide. It's a good idea to do your own research on which lender will work best for you.
If the price, financing and fees look right, it's time to say yes to the deal. From here, you can proceed in one of two ways: Buy at the dealership or have the car and paperwork delivered to your home.
For most Americans, buying a car is a major purchase. Even in a market of rapidly rising prices and low inventory on the car lots, how can you prepare to avoid any bumps in the road? You want to make sure you do your due diligence and get the best deal possible, but navigating the financing and negotiating of a car purchase can be complicated. Here are a few steps you should consider if you are shopping for a new or used car.
You don't have to transfer your insurance to your new car right off the bat. Since most insurers offer a grace period for updating your policy with your new vehicle, your dealer will typically just need proof of insurance before they throw you the keys. Even if you don't have auto insurance, you can start a policy before buying your car if you know the vehicle identification number.
When buying a new car, your insurance carrier will provide a grace period between 7 to 30 days to update your policy with your new ride. For example, Progressive allows 30 days, which means if you have a claim within that period, your new car is still covered in the same way your previous vehicle was.
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When buying a new car, your insurance carrier will provide a grace period between 7 to 30 days to update your policy with your new ride. For example, Progressive allows 30 days, which means if you have a claim within that period, your new car is still covered in the same way your previous vehicle was.
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