Things to know when buying a car?

[Crystallas]

I was told that the tax burden shifts to the buyer once the car is off the lot instead of the dealer. :shrug:

Plus dealers give better deals because of year end incentives since cars sold in Jan go to the next fiscal year.

That's not what I mean with taxes. I am talking about the buyers perspective.

Anyways, it doesn't matter because dealers and auto-manufacturers aren't going to fully show you their cards. Winter is still the best time to buy. Some dealers might push those incentives for the end of year, like you say. Others might push out last model year deals at the beginning of the next year, and extend offers to model year just so they don't lose the sale.


Jos might chime in. He's a financing manager or something like that for a dealership. Or he'll be too stoned and just post pictures of his Tundra.

 

[brett05]

Or Dews

 

[DrGonzo]

Personally I would not buy a full-sized truck unless I needed it for work. A 4x4 is nice for midwestern winters but why go broke paying for gass if you don't need to? You might want to look into Tacomas. They are bombproof and run forever, though not cheap to buy.

Unlike many I am not against buying new, because I like knowing my car is under warranty while I'm still making payments on it. I may keep them longer than the five years they are warrantied or I may get the itch and trade into something else before the warranty runs out. It doesn't really make economic sense, but dammit I work hard for my money and I want to enjoy a nice car.

If you buy new: go test drive it but DO NOT buy from the showroom salesman. Tell them "I'm not here to buy a car today, I just want to drive it and see if I like it." Then carefully research the best price and make the deal online. You will be much happier and get a better deal. Don't overpay! They make money off factory incentives and dealer hold-backs they never tell you about, so "invoice" doesn't mean what they paid for it.

 

[Unannounced Fart]

Rush,

Make internet quiries. They give you the lowest no hassle price right off the bat. Then go to the dealership and either see the internet guy or a sales guy with that price in hand.

I second this. You should just call the dealership and ask for the internet guy. He/she will give you a no hassle offer right over the phone, and you can use that to negotiate with other dealers. The internet salesman earns $ off of quantity sold, not commission. Also browse the forums of the car you're interested in and look for pricing sheets that show dealer vs. retail costs of all the options, which can also be used in negotiations.

 

[xer0h0ur]

The best piece of advice I can give you is to pay extra attention when you're sitting down with the douchebag from the financing department because they will try their damnedest to sneak in additional charges. Sherman Dodge pulled that bullshit when I was buying my Charger from them back in 07. Since I was forcing them to give me the $2000 SRT spoiler for free for me to buy the car with them instead of Napleton Dodge they tried to confuse me on the paperwork to recoup that $2000. All in all go down the line on the charges and make sure you damned well know what every charge is for so they don't sneak shit in.

Other than that I would ask for it in writing what any "extended warranty" or "maintenance package" covers because they hook you with shit that at the end of the day the maintenance department claims doesn't cover you. I fucking hate Sherman Dodge. They can kiss my dick.

 

[Omeletpants]

I have only leased vehicles for the last 25 years.

 

[DrGonzo]

I actually had good luck (twice) with a website called "CarWoo.com." It was a deal where you paid $20 up front and then dealers would line up to outbid each other. I recommended it to someone else recently and found out it was bought out by or somehow subsumed under Truecar.com. I have never used them so I don't know if they are any good.

 

[94SupraTT]

I've been driving around my Mitsubishi Diamante for the past several years but will finally be purchasing my first car. I am pretty much between a Ford F-150 or a Chevrolet Silverado at this point. I need the storage and generally want a "bigger" car and, after driving my brother's Tahoe, felt this was the way I'm going.

While I don't need advice on car, truck, financing, etc. I have never went through the car buying process. Being that this is my first true car, I am buying new. Any information, advice, tips, you guys can offer up would be appreciated

As others have said never buy new for reasons mentioned. Depreciation, new model bugs, etc. The only exception to that I can say is if you get a crazy employee discount. The company I used to work for had a partnership with GM and the deals they gave on cars was INSANE. That is probably the only time I would have bought new.

 

[1COBearsfan]

What xerohour said too. The auto industry is shady as **** so cover your ass. It's for this reason that I always buy super-used with cash. I just bought probably the last daily driver I'll ever need. Got a '93 Mercedes 300D for $3000.

I have only leased vehicles for the last 25 years.

Holy shit, seriously? You could have bought another house with all of that money

 

[Omeletpants]

What xerohour said too. The auto industry is shady as **** so cover your ass. It's for this reason that I always buy super-used with cash. I just bought probably the last daily driver I'll ever need. Got a '93 Mercedes 300D for $3000.



Holy shit, seriously? You could have bought another house with all of that money

Leasing vs buying is nearly a wash

 

[DrGonzo]

Leasing vs buying is nearly a wash

I agree, if you get a new car every five years or so, which is what I've been doing. I know the most economically rational car is always the one you have. But I get fixated on getting something else and wind up trading in for a new one. I always have equity and my payments are affordable. I'm pretty sure my next car will be a Mk VII Golf R in 2016. Seriously I may just keep that car forever and not trade out of it because it's super-sweet.

 

[xer0h0ur]

Leasing vs buying is nearly a wash

Except for that whole ownership thing...

 

[Omeletpants]

Except for that whole ownership thing...

Tell me again why I want to buy a car? I havent paid a repair bill or bought tires in 25 years. I dont worry about wear and tear cause my cars look nearly new when I trade them in. I dont have to sell them just turn in the keys. I get dealers offering me crazy deals to flip my car early. So, what's the downside again?

 

[Unannounced Fart]

Leases aren't a viable option for people who drive a lot. What's the cap, 12k-15k miles/year? What's the penalty for exceeding that? I looked into it years ago, but I decided against it b/c of my driving habits.

 

[Omeletpants]

Leases aren't a viable option for people who drive a lot. What's the cap, 12k-15k miles/year? What's the penalty for exceeding that? I looked into it years ago, but I decided against it b/c of my driving habits.

I dont drive a lot. The interesting part is that the milage overage is negotiable even at the end of the lease. Happened twice with my wife's car that they excused her. Part of it is the condition of the car you return. I have had porters that pick up my car buy it for themsleves and other dealers that have literally sold the car I returned the same day I brought it back.

 

[Crystallas]

I never lease a car because I enjoy working with my hands. That used to be a man thing, but the feminisation of 21st century mankind has drifted men from being happy to get dirty, to men who get manicures and spend free time shopping. Sounds like a passive attack, but tell me that is not true while being honest.

 

[xer0h0ur]

I DIY whenever I can but I know what I am and what I am not and I'm no mechanic. I understand a lot of whats going on under the hood but I can't pull an engine apart and fix it. I can't service a transmission. I can change my oil, do bolt on modifications, fix random other shit as long as I have instructions. Frankly the days of being able to fix cars easily are long gone. All the new shit has so many sensors and computer controlled components that I wouldn't have the first idea where to begin with fixing a problem that lights up the check engine light. I mean I can plug in an OBD-II code reader like a boss but from there I know shit else LOL.

 

[Shawon0Meter]

Carfax or something similar can be a good idea

I'm kinda sorta looking for a car right now if I stumble across the right deal....I thought I did on Saturday and was pretty set on buying it. I knew the dealership offered free carfax reports so I took a look at it and the car was a rental car in nyc for 3 years. Completely killed my interest in it.

 

[airtime143]

Check this link.... informative and funny about shit dealers will pull with you
Be ready to walk away from multiple dealers. Some guys follow sales techniques to the letter, and they are the fun ones to break. If they ask you to sit in their office while they check with the manager, remain standing and look over the folder of other vehicles you are looking at very conspicuously.
A great dick move to sway things your way is to marginalize the sales guy-
If he pulls the "let me ask the so and so" routine, ask if there is a sales manager you can deal with instead of him to make the process easier.

Dont let him run you around.... if you are talking price, do not sway from that until it is hashed out. dont let him pull the whole "what monthly payment are you looking for" bullshit. he will just try to talk you in to a longer loan.

When I bought my last toy(charger srt), I knew what I wanted, I didnt mind shopping around... did so for over a month... and when I found one I wanted I walked in completely prepared.
I told the guy "this is what I am willing to pay. I have my own financing, and My credit union has this warranty for this price... If you beat the rate and the warranty, I will buy form you."
They beat the rate- 4.6% was what I had, they got me 4.0, and whatever bonus they get from that bank.
They beat the warranty in price, coverage, and duration.
The price I pitched did not gouge them too bad, and they gave it to me for the price I asked for, since I gave them the financing and warranty.
At the end, after everything was hashed out THEN i mentioned the trade in.
I told them I wanted at least X amount of dollars- they could not give that to me. No loss, I sold it on craigslist for over that amount.

Bottom line- Know what you want and be prepared to fight for it.


On the decision between ford and chevy.... I have an 06 avalanche that I use to haul my boat and as transport in the winter, 180k on it with no big issues. it did about 25k of that with a big ass plow on the front of it.
I believe the avalanche shares much with the tahoe.

As for ford.... I am horribly biased against them. I have a 450 super duty for work, and have nothing but problems with it. The drive train issues are mostly a result of being loaded to the maximum, so those would not be relevant to you.... But the interior and the electronics are a nightmare. 2 blower fans, 3 fan speed switches, the gauge cluster... all went out within 100k.
Much of it is lack of attention and time spent in the thing, but I am far happier with the fit and finish of the chevy.

 

[botfly10]

If you know what you want find a message board dedicated to that vehicle. A LOT of the time there will be a thread about what people have paid for the vehicle.

I bought a new car a few months ago and I got it for the low end of what people were paying. You may have to go to several dealers, but you'll eventually get a fair price.

Me personally, I think those extended warranties are BS.


Fords are pieces of shit..stay away.

Yeah, not sure why you would buy a ford and GM is not that much better. Get an asian car and you wont have to do a damn thing but breaks and oil for 100k miles.