Be sure to check out our article 5 rules for buying a car – checked by us, because today we continue with 5 more bonus rules for making sure you make the best decision, when buying a brand new, or second-hand car and that you won't find yourself in the car dealer's trap at some point. Keep reading!
Understand your total financial commitments!
You have to understand the long-term financial commitment of taking our car finance for over 4 years. The idea of paying for your dream car in the feature, because you can't afford the deposit and the monthly payment right now may sound amazing at this moment, but how can you be sure that you would be able to pay for this vehicle every month for the next 4 years? Think reasonable and don't try to purchase something you can't afford in general. If you are realistic you would save yourself a lot of nerves and tears. If you can't handle your payments for the next couple of years, the finance company will take the car and if this is not enough, this will ruin your credit rating.
Always test drive the car you are planning to buy!
How are you going to know you feel comfortable in this car, if it is easy to drive, or you are not putting off by anything? You don't feel comfortable to drive an unfamiliar car with an unfamiliar person? Well, this doesn't sound like a good excuse, because you are going to spend a lot of money on this car! Make sure to test drive the car that you are really planning to buy, otherwise you are wasting your time and precious time of the salesperson.
You want everything in black and white!
Yes, for sure, if the dealer makes a promise, insist that they put it in writing. Otherwise, it doesn't exist at all. Car dealers are known for making promises in order to make you buy a car from them and they are also known for failing to deliver these promises. So don't count on your luck. If you don't have it in writing, it is practically worthless.
There are plenty of cars in the sea!
Unless you are not hunting down a very rare model, don't get depressed over unsuccessful negotiations, because there always be at least one more other places to look for the car. Being patient is another thing that will help you a lot! With so many vehicles listed every year on the UK’s car market, you are surely not going to run out of options!
The perfect car doesn’t exist and anything can go wrong anytime!
Well, we know we don't sound very optimistic, but this is the real world, no matter the brand, no matter the price, no matter if brand new or second-hand vehicle, every car can break down at any time. So you have to make sure you don't spend all your money on the car and have a room and saving for eventual repairs. Believe us, repairs are not cheap at all!