Buying a car at the dealership: our tips

The majority of people still choose to go to a dealership when buying a car. On the one hand, it is the expert advice that offers an advantage over buying on the internet. Particularly in the case of high purchase sums for a sports car, it is of course appropriate to proceed in this way. We look at important tips to consider to pave the way to the dream car.

Clarifying financing

Before you decide on a dream car, you should know what you can afford. What is the maximum price for a new car?? Should it be paid for in cash or is financing possible?? If the latter is the case: should the financing be done via the dealership or do you take out a bank loan, which can usually lead to even better conditions for the purchase due to the cash payment??

Not all consumer loans that you can use to buy a car are really good and recommendable. It is therefore better to obtain sufficient information about the offers and compare them beforehand. Which bank offers which interest rate? Can you suspend an installment payment or can the loan even be put on hold for a while?? To buy a sports car that suits your needs, you will certainly need a good financial cushion.

Therefore, clarify the financing for all possible situations that may arise in the course of paying off the loan! Important: the conditions at the dealership are usually much worse than with a classic loan from the bank. After all, the car dealership is interposed there and also collects a fee for the credit mediation.

Since it is never possible to have an overview of all available models, it is worthwhile to do the research. (#01)

Research leads to the dream car

Unfortunately, we often allow ourselves to be influenced too much by the media when forming our wishes. We then adopt the goals and ideals of others, which we would like to get on the road as quickly as possible. It is worthwhile to start by looking objectively at your own requirements when making a purchase. What performance should it have? Which brand is most likely to meet your expectations??

Since it is never possible to have an overview of all available models, it is worthwhile to do the research. Given the amount of money involved, this can be a good way to make a well-considered decision with a good price/performance ratio. At the same time, it should become clear which car dealership is the right one for you based on the range on offer.

Make an appointment

In any case, it is worth making an appointment for the purchase of the sports car. Too much already depends on the final decision. On the one hand, this would be possible with the help of a phone call. The contact can also be on the phone book.De manufactured. making an appointment ensures that a consultant is available. If it is already made clear that it is the purchase of a sports car, the dealership will definitely be willing to inform one of the best advisors. The appointment thus ensures that it is possible to devote the necessary time to the subject and to look more closely at the purchase and the opportunities it offers.

For many people who want to buy a new car, the speedometer is worth the first look. Of course, the buyer wants to know how many miles the car has already covered. (#02)

Don’t just look at the speedometer

For many people who want to buy a new car, the speedometer is worth the first look. Naturally, the interested party wants to know how many kilometers the car has already clocked up. But on the one hand, it is not difficult for a skilled fraudster to manipulate the speedometer, and on the other hand, the mere mileage only says something about how far the vehicle has traveled in its car life so far. But no one knows whether it had to travel mainly on short distances and in the city, which ensures high wear and tear.

Or if the car has perhaps only been used for long trips overland, driving several hundred kilometers at a time, and the car has been significantly less stressed. Ask the seller about this, he must be able to give you information and know how the vehicle has fared so far. Therefore, do not use the speedometer reading as the sole purchase criterion, but only as one of many.

Here also the number of previous owners plays a role. A frequent change of drivers accelerates the wear and tear of the vehicle, because car and driver also adapt to each other. In simple terms, if the car has to change over and over again, it will be subject to much more wear and tear than a vehicle that has been on the road for many years with the same driver over and over again. Provided, of course, that the driving style is gentle on the vehicle!

Taking advantage of the test drive

A part of the inspection, which should be used in any case, is the test drive. Only on the road can you tell if a car meets your requirements in terms of steering, acceleration and handling. This is particularly important when buying used models. Here it is impossible to tell just by taking a closer look whether the technology is still up to date and can be classified as reliable. Possible defects, which advise against the purchase or at least lead to a reduction in price, can usually only be discovered on the road.

In addition, it is highly recommended to have a competent person at your side. An expert in the industry who can be fully trusted is the ideal companion here. It offers the opportunity to gain a precise insight into the technical background and to identify possible defects and concealed damage to the vehicle at an early stage. This is, of course, an effective way to prevent bad purchases. For this reason, the added value of competent support cannot be dismissed out of hand.

If you do not have the knowledge of all the background information, you should refrain from buying on the Internet. Here the prices seem to be more attractive at first sight, but often the dealers are black sheep in the end, who are better not to be trusted.

A part of the inspection, which should be used in any case, is the test drive. Only on the road can you tell if a car meets your needs in terms of steering, acceleration and handling. (#03)

Reputable or not?

Not every dealer who offers sports cars on the spot is really recommendable, because there are also black sheep here. It is by no means the case that these are only to be found on the Internet! However, the question arises, how do you recognize a reputable provider?. On the one hand, this is reflected in the fact that he responds to your questions and tries to answer them in every case. In the case of a used car, he knows something about its history, knows the previous owner from the purchase and also knows why the vehicle was sold.

Nevertheless, take a close look at the potential dream car and pay attention to how the salesman reacts. Trying to steer them away from a certain area of the vehicle? Maybe there is a dent or a scratch that you are not supposed to see? Does the seller have any objection to you bringing a competent person to inspect the vehicle or is this person even allowed to look under the hood?? A serious supplier will try everything to satisfy you and you will not have the feeling that he is trying to hide something.

Consider your gut feeling: especially when buying a car, it is unbeatable. If you feel queasy or uncomfortable in the vehicle, it is better to keep your distance, no matter what the seller tries to tell you! Often such a vehicle is only supposed to be a bargain and your stomach already knows that you are being taken for a ride.

This is what you should look for when buying a car

To successfully buy a car, and especially a sports car, many things are important. If you are too unsure, you should never go car shopping alone, because as the saying goes: four eyes see more than two! And even if both pairs of eyes belong to people who are unfamiliar with the subject, defects in the vehicle that might be hidden are more likely to be noticed.

Try to get all the information about the vehicle before the inspection or test drive appointment. How many previous owners did it have, how old is it, why was it sold, what power does it have and has it ever been in an accident??

Tip: a clean engine compartment says nothing about the condition of the vehicle! It is not uncommon for the vehicles for sale to be given an all-round facelift and a generous cleaning is often done in an attempt to hide one or two weak points. Cleanliness and a spotless interior should therefore not be the decisive criterion for the purchase decision.

Also make sure that the seller has all the documents ready or if he does not have them "at hand". Especially with stolen cars something like this can happen!

At the price negotiation, which will take place during the inspection, you can assume that you do not have to pay the advertised price. This is always calculated in such a way that the seller still makes a profit, even if he agrees to a lower price proposal. The only question is how skilled you are in such negotiations and how far you can push the price down.

Not every dealer who offers sports cars on the spot is really recommendable, because there are also black sheep here. (#04)

Getting the best price

Sports cars are a pricey investment, but that doesn’t deter true fans of fast cars. Nevertheless, there are limits and they are reached at the own credit limit or the self-set maximum purchase price. negotiate smart if you want to get the best price for your new dream car! Here is no restraint in demand, but it is important to negotiate as persistently as possible and also to know when the seller will not approach you any further.

Negotiate in a friendly and open manner, but remain firm. You do not have to take back from the seller! Remember that he is trained in this kind of thing and knows exactly what tactics to use on you. Tip: the margin for the appropriate selling price is usually around 20 percent.

You can also clearly signal to the seller that you have received a better offer from another seller. If he wants to sell the vehicle to you in any case, he will accommodate you in price. However, the supposedly different offer must not be set too low and thus unrealistic, as this would make you appear untrustworthy.

Keep in mind that even dealers can only use a certain amount of leeway when negotiating the price. This means that at some point, no matter how hard you negotiate, you will not get anywhere. If this is the case, try to get free additional services. Maybe the seller will give you an extra set of tires or some other service?

Offer to pay cash for the car. This attracts some sellers, because they get the money for the car in one fell swoop and don’t run the risk that they might not be able to pay a loan installment. Nevertheless, turn down financing offers from the dealer and stick with your lending bank or with cash payment with equity.

Save with annual and factory cars

A sports car is expensive and if it is brand new, often overpriced. This is shown by the rapid price reductions in the first year and something like this can also be seen by comparing the prices of year-old and new cars. A year old car does not have to be worse than a new car, often it has not even been driven many miles yet.

This also applies to the factory cars. These have been used by the factory staff and after a year often have only 5.000 km or a little more on the speedometer. They are almost as good as new, have high-quality equipment and are still much cheaper to buy than a new car. You do not have to accept losses in the technical status or comfort!

Photo credits:©shutterstock-title image: wavebreakmedia -#01: industryviews -#02: kurhan -#03: syda productions -#04: industryviews

about the author

Rebecca liebig is currently eight months pregnant. Full of anticipation for your baby, you and your husband enjoy the exciting time. From the first nausea to the movements of your girl, keep a record of everything. After all, you want to remember this time later too. When planning the children’s room, the ideas may differ. But there’s one thing rebecca and her husband agree on: they want to really enjoy this exciting time. Rebecca plans to stay home with her daughter for three years. Your husband would also like to take two months of parental leave.