Car shopping advice please?

I'm getting my driver's license in several months and I want to know beforehand on car shopping. What do you guys typically look for when you buy a car?

Also, I've heard that car salespeople try their best to rip you off and make a total profit off of you. Any tips and tricks to fight against these people?

 

Well insurance will be a problem 2 ways round this either buy a smaller engined car or buy a classic car that is covered by classic car insurance and with car dealers a simple lie about how there was a similar car at a rival dealership for less money is all it takes to get a better deal

 

My family has bought cars from a broker, who basically pits dealers against each other to find the lowest price and then we pay him a commission. That leaves him to deal with the negotiating and sleazy tricks. You just tell him what you want and what you're looking to spend.

For me, I don't have a ton of money to spend, but even if I did, a car would be the last thing I'd spend it on. I wanted something affordable, fuel efficient, reliable, safe, and relatively easy and cheap to maintain. I have a 2009 Toyota Corolla and I've been really happy with it. It's not a sexy car...well, not until you see me in the driver's seat

 

Avoid the Mini, as they are rated as having the most problems of any make, despite being cute.

Also, avoid VW, unless you like big repair bills.

I think Honda and Toyota are good choices.

 

Whether buying new or used, ask to see the invoice. That is the document that shows how much they paid for it. That way you know exactly how much profit they'll get (excluding overhead I suppose) from the sale, and it lets you better decide whether the car is worth it.

 

Fiat are quite good, my dad has one ^^

 

a good car for u would be a chevy cruise a doge dart or a Nissan sentra there safe cheap and make 40 mpg. Also with sales people never pay asking price go as low as u can possibly go good luck.

 

Those do look really cute, and get great mileage. I've been seeing quite a few of them around here...I think they've been on the American market for just a few years now, so I wonder how they'll hold up. But if I had the $ for a new car, that would be a top pic. I find it easier to park small cars in the city, and like the way they handle better. A co-woker has one, and she really loves it.

 

Safety & gas milage are most important. A smaller Subaru? They also have all wheel drive.
Get the full price quote w/all taxes and fees!

 

How times change... Last time we had Fiat in our country, there was the joke that Fiat= Fix It Again, Tony.

Although I think my 8th grade history teacher had Fiat roadster. I only saw it at a distance, but I thought it was a neat car.

 

Go to the lot and make it 100% clear that you're not buying anything today. Better yet, go to AutoTrader.com and take a look at local dealers' inventories, and once you've found one you like, make a note of the features and mileage and head over to Kelley Blue Book's website (Official Kelley Blue Book New Car and Used Car Prices and Values). This will tell you what the value is and what a fair price is for the car.

Then once you guys head over to inquire about the car, ask for a price. When they give you the price, ask if that's out-the-door. If you get into negotiations, remember that they're commissioned and you have the right to walk out at any time. Don't get attached to a car for this very reason, as that's your biggest weapon. If they won't budge and lower the price, you're going to walk right out that door and they won't get squat for commission. For them, it's better to sell the car and get less than to have you pass and they get nothing. That's how you play the game.

 

Safety and gas mileage are definitely most important. Also, I'd avoid the first model year of anything like the plague, they gotta get the bugs worked out. Also, beforehand, somewhat pay attention to what is on the road near you. This'll give you an idea of what would be readily serviced in your area without having to wait for parts for every little thing. (For makes that aren't generally seen in your area, you might have to wait for a special order to be placed for anything even as simple as an oil filter that gets changed every 3 months/3000 miles)

Others can be fun to drive/own, but difficult to maintain, and thus won't make good first cars or daily drivers.

---------- Post added 2nd Mar 2014 at 07:39 PM ----------

Sounds like here - FORD = Found On Road, Dead.

 

Or: Ford = Fix Or Repair Daily :lol:

 

Don't take these jokes as a complete discouragement against Ford products. These are more true of their lower end cars. There's a reason that cop cars were Ford Crown Victorias for the longest time.

 

Research is a good idea. You can not do too much research if you shop most car dealers...

This may be obsolete, but Kelley Blue Book was considered 10 years ago or so by some (in my area, at least) not very accurate for my area's prices. It tended to price too high.

 

KBB tends to get misused for valuation. Most people choose a better condition than their car really is in. I just entered the values for my car here. If I rated it as Excellent instead of Good, there's an $850 difference. Even more dramatic is the $1100 difference between Good and Fair. These were based off the private party values. Trade in values were consistently about $2000 less for each. I'd consider KBB prices to be the upper end of what you should pay for a given car, though. And, if you have someone knowledgable to help you, I'd definitely consider private party sales for your first car. They provide better values to both sides of the transaction by cutting out the middlemen.

 

Any car can be reliable or unreliable. Why do you not like VW and Mini/BMW?

To the OP, give us more info. What do you want in a car? Obviously any newer car is going to be safe, unsafe cars just aren't around anymore. I would stay away from the Japanese makes, theyre just riding off their former glory and really aren't that reliable. German and American makes are going to give you the most enjoyable car.

 

Being the typical Asian person, I love the Asian cars like Honda and Toyota, while I would rather eat glass than buy an American car. Fords and Chryslers tend to be huge gas-guzzlers and they break down quite easily, not to mention that they're a bit expensive for their sucky quality.

---------- Post added 2nd Mar 2014 at 05:31 PM ----------

Thank you SO much for this advice. I'm the kind of person that feels really bad is I walk out on someone or when I say no. My sister's bf told me about when he purchased his 2009 Honda Civic, a salesperson offered $2000 for mats and paint and after saying no for numerous amount of times, it went down to $300.

---------- Post added 2nd Mar 2014 at 05:34 PM ----------

To avoid all that, I'm planning to save up to pay for the entire car on the spot so I don't have to pay more in interest.

 

Awkward moment when most Japanese and European makes build their cars in the US now.