Car Buying Guide - IV

For the this car buying guide topic, I encourage you to hang with me.

The topic may seem elementary and not very exciting to talk about initially, but between the lines there are a couple of facets to this topic that can really save you some good money... or cost you if you're not being diligent.

So, hang in there and give some thought to what we cover.

This certainly isn't the most severe of the car buying mistakes people make from time to time, make but it does come to my mind. I guess really this would fall under the category of patience, or the lack thereof.

But, human nature is funny and there are many people seem to have great patience and shop around for their best price when they are looking to buy clothes, shoes, groceries and the like, but when it comes to car buying and shopping they head to their closest most conveniently located car dealership.

If you have to patience to shop for your other consumer goods you should muster up that patience and even more, when you car shop.

You should make it a point visit dealers not only close by but in the surrounding area as well. It could save you much money.

Every car dealer is not the same!

How could they be?

At the very least, each of their employees is going to have a bit different personality. Each dealer, depending upon when you visit them is going to be in the middle of a good month, bad month, or in between month. And this alone is going to certainly have an affect on how willing (or motivated) they are to put together a good car deal for you.

Don't take this car buying guide tip too lightly. This is a big money saving tip hidden right in the previous paragraph.

When you shop around you may find that even the prices on the cars may vary somewhat. This is because the MSRP is determined by the manufacturer who considers many factors before pricing and shipping their cars to a particular automobile dealership; a couple of which is geographic and demographic.

But, getting back to the personalities involved when car shopping; I discuss in my car buying guide that salesperson shopping can be a source of great savings (or expense) to you when it comes the to car buying process.

By visiting various car dealers, you will also not doubt come across a litany of personalities.

If you find a salesperson that you can tell enjoys working on and putting deals together and isn't afraid, or isn't offended by receiving and considering offers, you should make a note of that and get their business card.

Nothing is more frustrating when trying to work a car deal than having to deal with a salesperson that can't seem to understand their primary purpose is to sell you a car. And if it takes some negotiating to produce a win - win situation, then that's what they should do.

>>> Potential Big Money Savings Tip <<<

Sales people work on commissions. No big revelation there to be sure.

However, they all have different bonus plateaus based upon how many cars they sell each month.

Here's a very real example for you.

Let's just say I'm a salesperson that hits a pretty nice bonus if I sell 20 cars this month. And let's just say I'm sitting on 19 cars when you walk on the lot or call. You can bet I'm going to do my level best to put a deal together for you. And I'm not going to worry so much about how much commission I make on the car I sell you because...

you would be my 20th sale and my bonus that will kick in will far outweigh my worrying about maximizing my profit on this particular single car deal.

Be aware that the inverse of the above scenario can be true as well. If for example you walk on to the same lot and you happen to be greeted by a salesperson that is in the middle of a lack luster month and has no hope for hitting bonus, they're motivation won't be as high...

and even worse...

since they have no hope of hitting a sales bonus they may very well work their hardest just trying to hit home runs (trying to make the most they can off of each individual sale) in an effort to make up what they won't be getting in bonus money!

Don't be the one they make up financial ground with! Everyone is human. Salespeople have families to feed and bills to pay. It's just a fact of the business, and this is a nugget you should know and be aware of.

Before you head out, check out the dealers C.S.I. (customer satisfaction index) this is an industry term that can be found in such publications as J.D. Power. Also check with the Better Business Bureau, and even ask friends and neighbors about their experiences.

The bottom line is you should visit various dealers and even get outside your general geographic area because opportunities do change. Don't be lazy, and don't car shop when you are tired or feeling beat down. This will end up costing you money.

Be patient and persistent when you are in the car buying mode you will reap the rewards with saving a good bit of money.

Be sure to stop by and get all the details in my complete car buying guide eBook.

Car Buying Guide - V

For this segment of the car buying guide, let's discuss a hard fact that is sometimes hard to believe about car buying, and that is even with the amount of money and the financial commitment over time involved in car buying, many people impulse buy when it comes to their car.

Keeping in mind that for most of us, buying a car is a financial outlay second only to our home, is exactly why taking the time to honestly determine what kind of car genuinely fits your lifestyle is so important.

This is even more to the point if you have someone else in your life that is also going to be driving the choice of car that you decide to buy.

Take some time to frankly determine what it is that you use your car for most. If you travel a great deal, be sure to check out trunk and storage space. How does the gas mileage fit your budget? These days this is a biggie. Run the numbers and do the math, don't get caught off guard. Remember your folder? ... this is information that you should have researched.

If you do travel or spend a good bit of time on the road, you'll probably put a higher premium on a smoother, quieter, ride because even though an SUV may look attractive, over those long miles on the road, the smoother suspension will be nicer.

The point is there is not much worse in the car buying experience than getting just a few months into your car payments and realizing that the car you just bought is a mismatch for your lifestyle, your comfort, and you don't particularly like it. Be pragmatic and honest between your 'wants' and your 'needs' when it comes to car shopping.

Also, try to look at your lifestyle longer term. For example you may have young kids, which today, may fit nicely in the back of your sexy two door coupe. But, in just a couple of years are going to be too leggy and even have a time just getting them in and out of the back seat.

There were a few times indeed, when I would field a call from a someone who had not too long ago had purchased a car and at the time were quite happy, but had come to realize that their new car no longer fit the bill for them personally.

Although I would certainly like nothing more than to sell them yet another car, as you might well know there was little chance for me to be able to get them out of their current car because of the depreciation hit they took, and without some significant financial outlay on their part they were pretty much stuck.

Remember, buying a car that doesn't really fit your needs but strokes your ego, may give you a temporary lift, but eventually the reality of your needs will overshadow your initial impulses, and those payments are going to certainly continue for a while.

If you'd like to jump ahead and get all the details on the entire car buying process and how get your best possible deal, I've leveled the playing field for you with my complete car buying guide.