How To Buy A Cheap Car: 7 Tips The Trade Doesn't Want You To Know

Buying a cheap new car isn't as difficult as your local car dealer might want you to think - all you need is to know a few simple facts and you will be able to get the kind of deals that you hear other people talking about, but never seem to get yourself.

When I was working directly in the motor trade myself, I would get 20%, 30% and sometimes even more discount on new cars that I would sell on to the public after keeping a share for myself. I don't sell cars any more, and I'm ready to tell you my secrets.


If you choose you're moment, you can get a great deal. No dealer will turn you away because you're buying at the wrong time, but the last week of every quarter (March, June, September and December) sees a rush to get registrations, and manufacturers give dealers bonus money for taxing cars then, and the dealers will pass that on to you for being in the right place at the right time.

You can also cash in on the salesman's ego to get a bargain. One of their 'perks' is a company car, which is often a higher spec than standard. Most salesmen wants the latest 'plate, but they have to sell their car first, so when the new plate is out, or the model changes, they'' often sell their own car for little or no profit just to change their own car.

Consider buying a pre-registered car. These are cars that have been registered in someone else's name, either a dealer or a leasing company, in order to get extra discount. You would appear as the second owner, but the car is brand new with delivery mileage, and you will have saved hundreds - maybe even more - into the bargain.

Apart from the obvious 0% finance offers that you see, normal dealer rate are usually lower than the bank to start off with, but you'll find that they're also prepared to reduce their rates if you just ask. And for every 1,000 you borrow, a 1% reduction in interest rate could save you as much as 50 - on a 10,000 car you're another 500 in front - just for asking for a lower rate of interest!

Few people realise that dealers actually need your part exchange vehicle, because if everyone came in without a car - they wouldn't have any used cars to sell. Just before you take your car to a dealer, invest 10 in one of these hand car washes that will also hoover your car out and clean the dashboard. Stick an air freshener in too, and you'll be presenting you're car as 'ready to sell' and the price that you'll be offered will certainly be higher than normal. Few people ever think of cleaning their car before they ask for a price, but those that do always get top money!

In recent years, car dealers have started to buy fleets of late model, low mileage cars from leasing companies and other sources. Because of the huge levels of discounts that these companies command, their fleets are incredibly cheap - you can often get them at almost half price, even though they're only a few months old and have only covered a few thousand miles. They're still under warranty, probably haven't even covered enough miles to need a first service, but you will make massive savings just because your name isn't the first one in the log book - but if you've just saved 5,000, do you really care??

By: Mark Stephens..

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

About Mark Stephens: After 23 years selling all models of new and used cars in the UK, Mark Stephens will tell you how to buy a cheap car with the security of dealing with a main dealer. There are more top tips on his website.
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Buying a Car: A Problem for Women

by Evander Klum

According to a recent poll conducted by CarMax Inc. the nation's largest retailer of used cars, purchasing a car has remain to be a problem for women. The survey was conducted on the company's website and the result shows slight improvement from last year's poll result.

There were 12,000 women surveyed on carmax.com and were asked to share the things that they lack or found hard when buying a car. And here are the results:

* A quick, effortless transaction - 21% * A salesperson I liked and trusted - 16%

* Lowest, fair pricing - 14%

* A fair trade-in value - 13%

* Respect for/attention to my wants and needs - 13% * A fair, reasonable finance rate - 7%

* Understandable paperwork - 4%

* Other factors - 12%

To help women car buyers CarMax has offered the following tips:

1. Make use of the internet to research for vehicle types, models, makes, options like whether you can add other components such as Sterling catalytic converter for instance, features and of course prices. Visit automotive web sites the provide car reviews, history reports, and consumer reviews just to get an idea on the car you want to purchase.

2. Make a print out of the car's information you want to purchase.

3. Be sure to bring all the necessary papers with you such as driver's license, car insurance and in case you already have a car bring its registration and title.

4. In case of a pre-approved car loan make sure to bring with you the approval letter.

5. If it's your first time try to ask for referrals from friends and families.

6. Go to a retailer that offers no-haggle prices and provides a menu of pricing on each part of the car buying transaction including the vehicle price, extended service plan, the trade-in, and the financing scheme.

7. If you are to trade-in your car makes sure that you get a separate appraisal. There are automotive websites online just like CarMax that provides free appraisal. Having your car appraised before trading it can help you to understand the fair value of your trade-in.

8. Be confident of your car shopping abilities.

9. Don't be afraid to ask questions. It's your right as a buyer to know everything you need before you make a purchase.

10. It's okay to walk out of a dealer's lot if you can't find anything that's within your liking.

About the Author

Evander Klum is a Business Administration graduate who hails from Alabama. He enjoys extreme sports and he is also a car racing fanatic. At present, he works as a marketing manager at an advertising agency in Cleveland.

Buying A New Sports Car - Twelve Tips To Avoid Financial Sticker Shock

By Valerie Mills

Nothing (well, almost nothing) can compare to the thrill of driving a road-hugging high performance sports car. Instant steering response. Power at the exact nanosecond you ask for it.

Then, if you have one of the sexier models, you'll attract attention on the road, filling up, and in the shopping mall parking lot.

Yes, you can pretend you're driving the Autobahn with the wind blowing your hair. But beware of state troopers just waiting for an "arrest me red" entry on their ticket issuing track record.

Before You Fall In Love . . .

Before you step into that showroom and fall in love, consider the following practicalities:

1) How much do you want to spend? $20,000? $30,000? Or more?

2) What's the tradeoff between performance (power) and gas mileage? Higher performance usually equals less gas mileage.

Does the vehicle use premium gas? Right now, the difference between premium and regular is 20 cents per gallon. At 20 miles per gallon and 15,000 miles per year, the cost differential is $150.

3) What about reliability? Some upscale models cost considerably more to maintain and have a higher incidence of repair costs. Would you appreciate paying $125 just to diagnose the problem when the check engine light comes on? Or paying $70 for an oil change?

4) In a climate where snow and ice are winter realities, do you want to drive it year round? Or store it over the winter?

A rear wheel drive sports car is impractical for winter driving. A front, all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive sport car can be driven in snow and ice, if you use all-season tires. If the little devil comes with performance tires, you will want to buy all-season tires (and possibly rims) for winter driving. Add another $1500 to the price of the car for the right tires and rims.

Do Your Homework . . .

5) Once you've decided price, performance, gas mileage, reliability, and practicality for all-season driving, get on the Internet. Here you can compare models and pricing and read reviews. Google "buying a new car" or "new car prices" and several sites will pop up.

Another source is Consumer Report (the new car issue) where your criteria will be easy to find. Red dots are good. Black dots are not. Most American car dealers consider this issue of Consumer Report a nightmare because it favors foreign car models, especially Asian cars. However, as explained in the newest version of this report, American car manufacturers are catching up.

6) Find out what you should pay before stepping into a showroom. Dealers will offer below invoice prices even on some sports cars because of rebates, dealer incentives, and dealer returns when they make a sale.

7) Remember the incidentals. Yes, you have to pay to transport the vehicle from the manufacturer. Yes, you have to pay for options. And remember the sales (and sometimes luxury) tax.

The Driving Experience . . .

8) Unless you have driven the exact model and year you want to purchase, step into the showroom and test drive the car. Driving the previous year's model is unacceptable. If the dealer lures you into his web and asks you to test drive an earlier model, RUN out of the show room. You're wasting your time.

9) Pick at least 2 different road types for test driving. The winding, hilly road is one road type. Road hugging capabilities are tested here. If the car is standard, smooth-shifting is another test. A car that cuts back after you release the clutch is NOT smooth shifting.

The highway is another road type. Make sure power is sufficient to handle entrance ramps and merging with traffic. If you get an instant response at highway speeds, the car is a possible winner.

Closing the Deal . . .

10) If you like the car, get the dealer's best quote. Then, find at least one other dealer to give you another quote ON THE SAME CAR. If you don't like the car in the test drive, you probably won't like the car - ever. Move on to the next model.

11) When you decide on a car, call your insurance company and find out what the vehicle will cost per year. And don't choke on your coffee when you hear the amount - you can shop around.

12) Estimate how much the real estate taxes will be on the car, especially if it's a high-priced model. This could be another financial shocker!

As you can see, sports car buying is a process. Do you need to do all this stuff? Nope, you don't. But consider the financial sticker shock when you're paying an extraordinary amount for maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and taxes! Just for that Autobahnesque experience!

Article Content from: 123-Car-Reviews.com
About the Author: Good "Car Reviews" site: 123-Car-Reviews.com

Why should you buy a safe car?

There is no doubt that safety should be one of your most important considerations when looking to buy a new or used car. Unfortunately, safety is something that a majority of car buyers take for granted.

Research shows that the safest cars on the road can offer up to five times more protection to drivers and passengers in crashes than those that meet the minimum standards. That is a significant statistic, that can quite literally mean the difference between life and death.

The number of safety features offered by makes and models is growing daily. Although, in a majority of cases, a modern car will provide a better level of protection in a crash than an older one, this is not always the case. Furthermore, not all modern cars are equipped with the same level of safety features.

Two key safety features to ask for when buying a new car are Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and side curtain airbags. ESC is considered to be an 'active' safety feature in that it can help a driver to avoid a crash. Side curtain airbags are consider to be 'passive' safety features, in that that help to protect drivers and passengers when a crash cannot be avoided.

ESC helps drivers to avoid crashes by reducing the danger of skidding. It does this through the use of sensors that detect loss of control and then automatically applies the brake to the relevant wheel, effectively bringing the car back on its intended path. Statistics vary worldwide, however most experts agree that ESC reduces the risk of single vehicle crashes by an estimated 40%.

Side curtain airbags deploy from the top of a cars door rails, above the side window. They are designed to protect a driver's head in a side impact crash. Research conducted in the USA estimates that side curtain airbags have the potential to reduce driver deaths in the event of a side impact crash by around 40%.

Safety features such as ESC and side curtain airbags aren't available in all vehicles, but they should be! It is your own best interests to ask for features such as these when you are looking to buy your next car. Hopefully you will never need to use them, but if you are unlucky enough to be involved in a crash, then you just might be thankful that you took the time to buy a safe car.

By: MotorDude

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com


http://www.motordude.com/ provides the latest car news as well as advice for car buyers. Maybe it's time you asked yourself the question, how safe is your car?