If you are in the market for a car, the idea of going to a dealership might be daunting. The idea is always that the minute a customer enters a lot, they are immediately besieged by hungry car salespeople who will not let them leave until they have signed some paperwork to buy a car. Maybe you even have a car in mind, a Subaru, perhaps. If you are thinking about buying a Subaru and know a place with a large Subaru inventory, here are some tips to help you buy it.
Tips for buying a car:
- Know what you can spend. Get your credit score. When you call your bank or talk to the Subaru dealers, you want to know where you actually stand. Look over your income and expenses and decide what you can actually spend on your car. Remember that the cost of the car is more than the monthly payment. There’s insurance, gas, maintenance, etc. Factor those costs into your budget. Once you make your decision about what you can afford, you will feel better when talking to car dealers.
- Do some research. Know something about the cars. The dealer will have a large Subaru inventory so it is good to narrow the search down. If you know something about the model(s) you want will help. Even if you do not go away with the same car as the one you thought about when visiting Subaru dealers, you will feel more confident negotiating a deal.
- Call your bank. The local Subaru dealers will all want to offer you financing and that may be the best way to go but then again it may not be. Talk to your bank about what they think. They know you. You are their customer and they want to make you happy to keep your business. They might be able to offer you something you did not even know about. And you can always go by the adage, “They can’t say yes if you don’t ask.” Carefully read any loan documents.
- New or used? You’ve looked at different cars for sale and narrowed down the list to cars you like. Does it make more sense for you to get new or used? Your decision may alter what kind of loan you get.
- Take advantage of the test drive. One of the best things about going to new or used Subaru dealers is that they will let you take the car out for a test drive. Do not just drive one car, drive a few. Think about how much driving you do and what your commute is like. How does the car handle? Can you see yourself driving it a long time? Trust your gut.
Buying a car, new or used, can be fun. It does not have to be a terrible experience. The car salespeople you meet do not want you to leave unhappy. They will show you each car in their Subaru inventory if they have to. Sure, they want the sale but a bad Yelp! review does them no favors. Do your research, buy your car and enjoy it knowing you got the best deal possible.
