Are You Really Ready To Buy A New Car?

Buying a car is the second largest purchase most Americans will make in their lifetime.

For most Americans, buying a car is the second most expensive decision they will ever make (buying a home is obviously the first). Even though the purchase will almost always involve multiple thousands of dollars, most people will buy several cars during their lifetime. Some will be brand new from new car franchises but most automobiles on the road were previously owned by someone else - in other words "used" cars. The actual purchase process however- stepping into a dealership in particular - is ranked by average Americans only two notches more pleasant than visiting an IRS auditor or the dentist.

Purchasing a car is an emotional investment even for the most logical, savvy consumer. It is a purchase that literally affects every area of your life. Everything from your reputation to your livelihood, from the safety of your family to your personal perception of success, rests on how well you make your car buying decision.

 

The Ownership Experience

Ownership? What do you mean by that??

Buying a car normally will take two to four hours. Owning a vehicle lasts an average of four to six years, sometimes as many as ten. Think about what your life was like five years ago. Ten years ago?

Your car is probably the most important mechanical item in your life. It takes you to the store. It takes you to your job. It takes you to your daughter's wedding and allows you to transport your grand kids. It allows you to attract the opposite sex. Your friends will pass judgement on how "hot" your wheels are, how comfortable the backseat is and how the windows roll up and down. Your favorite music is stored in it, the trunk holds a snapshot of your life from the last few years, and the permission slip for your son's field trip is hiding under the front seat.

The repairs and maintenance of your vehicle will consume your hard earned dollars. You will buy tires for your car, replace the windshield washers, and even buy insurance to restore it to the original condition if it gets crunched.
You will spend money on oil changes, dash covers and GPS systems. There are the 30,000 and 100,000 mile inspections, tire rotations, smog checks, and licensing fees. Take moment and think about how much money, other than gas, you have spent on your car during the past twelve months.

You will own it. Through marriages, children, job changes, location changes, and lifestyle changes, your car will stay with you. So why not do a little planning before you go? Why not learn a few tricks that will help you pick the right car to own?

The Fear Factor

"What Fear Factor? I'm Not Afraid of Buying A Car!"

When you have decided to finally go "shopping" to pick out a new car most people have been mentally "shopping" for six months or more. They have been searching the Internet for car values, asking their friends how they like their car and admiring different models in parking lots.

Yet when a salesman approaches you on a car lot with a friendly "How may I help you today" (or even something innocent like "Good Morning") your instant reaction is to respond with "I don't need any help". Have you ever wondered why?

FEAR

Fear comes in many forms and car buying has it's own unique set of terrors. There is fear of being "taken" during the purchase and paying too much. There is the fear of making a bad decision and being stuck with a lemon. There is the fear of not being able to leave when you want to, that they will hide your keys on the roof or take apart your trade while you are not looking. There is the fear that whatever you decide on, your friends/family/boss will tell you that you made a horrible mistake. There is the fear of not being able to afford to buy what you need and/or want. Or even worse to fall in love with a car and find out your credit doesn't allow you to purchase it. And these are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

Fighting The Fear

Empowering Yourself Through Knowledge

Recently there are a lot of "expert" sites that are more than happy to tell you how to buy a car. Frequently these sites are advancing either their own attitudes toward car dealerships or they try to convince you that the only knowledge that is important are the values of the car you want to buy and your trade in. They are wrong.

Knowledge IS power. There are a lot more factors to purchasing a new vehicle than just the monetary factors. Things like how to select a vehicle, the place you choose to buy, and who you choose to buy from make a huge difference when the ownership experience begins.

Even more important is finding the right car, which is a lot more than a simple money equation. There are a lot of subtle choices people make about their vehicle and how they use it in their daily life. If you are working with a skilled experienced sales professional, he or she might find out three or four of your personal "hot buttons". Keep in mind the Ownership Factor. YOU know YOU best. Here's a simple thinkinglist that might help you decide what features of an automobile will enhance your ownership experience.Sorting Out The Basics