Car Buying Made Easy

In truth there is no easy way to buy a car. It all takes time and in some cases a lot of patience. Finding the car that you really want does not always make it the car you can afford. So, there are a few steps you can take to make the car shopping experience a pleasant one.
Set a budget
This sounds like so much common sense, but it is one of the most essential things you can do, particularly if you are considering taking out finance to purchase your car. If you intend to pay outright, the process is far easier. You can buy what you can afford, but even then you should consider the running costs once the vehicle is legally yours.
Always check the insurance group of the car. Get a few online estimates and then decide if you can really afford to insure it. It may look beautiful sitting in your drive, but you don’t want to leave it there forever. Use the many vehicle guides that are available on the internet, such as Parkers to check the mileage on your proposed car. Is it going to be affordable? All these things have to be included in your annual motoring budget.
Where to buy?
In the modern marketplace there are many methods of purchasing a car. You can buy at auction, privately, from a dealership or from an online auction. Buying from an online auction is always a risk unless the car is local and you already know it. You are buying something totally on faith. Sometimes it will work, but sometimes it won’t, and it’s always a gamble. Vehicle auctions are slightly safer in that you have the chance to meet the car in the flesh, as it were. You can also start it up and watch it being driven through. With many newer models, you will be offered a trial. On older cars, once the hammer falls, the car is yours no matter what.
Dealerships
This is the tried and tested method of purchasing a new car. Here you have the chance to take a test drive, view the car several times, compare its mileage and condition with others and even do a bit of wheeling and dealing of your own. The price on the windscreen is what the garage wants, but it is normally open to negotiation. If you are paying in cash, you can usually get a reduction on the asking price; if you are paying with finance instalments, then that becomes less likely. If you have a car to part exchange, you will be able to shop around and find the garage that can exchange your old clunker for cash.
Should You Go for Finance?
Finance is something most people have to take out if they want to purchase a newish car. There are precious few who can afford to hand over cash for a car only a few years old. There are two options for funding your purchase: car finance made through the dealership or via a personal loan with your bank. Remember that on a finance agreement, the car remains the property of the lender until the balance has been cleared in full.