Car shopping can be very stressful for the buyer. With so many different cars to consider and financing options available, a person can quickly become overwhelmed. The information here will help make buying a car as easy and stress-free as possible.

When buying a car, you need to understand what you require. What can you afford? How large is your family? What sort of fuel economy are you looking for? Do you want a two-door car or a four-door car? Make a list of everything you want, and take it with you so nothing is forgotten.

Negotiating helps to save you a lot of money towards your purchase. You should never have to pay the advertised price for a car. Dealerships inflate prices to give room for negotiations and to give you the impression you are getting a good deal even though they only give you a small discount.

Search the web in order to learn of great deals. You can literally save thousands by searching online. Find what you like, and have your dealership order it for you. Find the closest reliable dealership to save money on gas.

Monthly Payment

When negotiating, focus on the price of the car overall, not just the monthly payment. A dealer can make any desired monthly price possible, but you’ll end up paying that monthly price for years and years, making the final cost of the car outrageous. You should instead focus on negotiating the best deal on the overall price of the car and the financing you get. Use that number, then calculate the optimal monthly payment amount.

As you shop for your car, think about fuel economy. For example, a V-8 that can tow may seem smart at first. However, you have to consider whether you’ll use that towing capacity and if you’ll often use the extra horsepower of a V-8.

Don’t shop alone if you think you’re gullible to sales pitches. A friend can be brought along to help you figure out the worth of the car and ask questions that are important. Before going, let them know what you expect to pay and what you are looking for.

Avoid discussing incentives, down payments or trade-ins until you know how much you are going to pay for the vehicle. These options should be subtracted from the lowest negotiated price. If you negotiate a deal before you talk about any extras, you will receive a much better deal.

Test drive the vehicle you are interested in before beginning any negotiations. While you may know which car you want, a test is imperative. Hands-on knowledge of the car is essential. You may find the car doesn’t handle as you would like or isn’t as smooth as you expected.

Every month a salesman usually has a quota to reach. This system works to your advantage at the end of the month. Anyone who needs to make their quota will do what it takes to sell a car. This can help give you some wiggle room with your negotiating.

Keep the fact that you have a car to trade in a secret. Don’t talk about trading your vehicle until you’re in negotiations about the new car you’re trying to get. If you wait until after the price negotiations, you will actually get the value of your trade-in.

Service Department

Learn as much as possible about each service department as you make a list of dealerships that you plan to visit. Visit the service department and talk to some of their current customers. You can even call up the dealership and ask for references or to ask them some tough questions. You want to select a dealer with great reviews, good customer service, and an impeccable track record.

Make it a rule that you must test drive the exact car that you are considering buying. There can be problems that do not show up until you reach a certain speed or need to do a certain maneuver. Try to give the car a test run and focus on anything that could go wrong, so you’re not getting stuck with something you don’t want.

Do some research before you visit a dealership. Check into consumer’s magazines and it will help you determine the right car for you. You can also learn pricing information, available options, and standard features. You can save yourself a great deal of time that would otherwise be spent wandering around the dealership.

Keep your mind open when it comes to the make and model of automobile you want. Generally, you will find good vehicles made by big-name companies. If you want a compact car, all the lines carry at least one model. Taking time to compare prices allows you to get the most for your money in terms of payment plans and features packages.

You should ask around your friends about where they have bought cars previously. Try to go with a dealer that is recommended by them. Speak to people about specific issues such as customer service afterwards and how their car is about six months from the day they bought it. Any negative review should be a red flag.

Look into financing alternatives prior to shopping for a new car. This can give you the best possible deal for your situation. If you are budgeting properly, you can avoid the stresses of car shopping.

Find out the value of your car through appraisal or by using the blue book. You need to know this so that you get what it’s worth come trade-in time. You’ll be able to use this information to haggle for a better trade-in value.

Don’t let the salesman know your urgent need for a car. They will see you’re desperate and try to pressure-sell you a poor vehicle. Instead, act as though you have all the time in the world.

You now have some good ideas of how you can reduce the stress from auto shopping. Prepare yourself and give yourself all the time you need to find the right vehicle. You’ll come away with the car you want — and the financing choices that you need.