Going car or truck shopping without doing your homework is like, well, taking a team into the big game without a plan.
It鈥檚 like driving across the country without a map – or GPS device.
We were reminded of this when we happened upon Evan Griffey鈥檚 Car Buyer鈥檚 Checklist 鈥� 10 things everyone should consider when buying a new car on MSN Autos.
鈥淭o help you navigate 鈥� the car-buying process and emerge with the most car for the money, we’ve put together this checklist of what every car buyer should consider鈥� to help you find a vehicle that pushes all your buttons without wilting your wallet,鈥� Griffey wrote.
However, Griffey isn鈥檛 the only expert who offers suggestions on getting a better deal on a car.
Scott Rundle of 麻豆直播 Consumer USA offered The art of negotiating the best deal on the RoadLoans blog, 鈥淭he Open Road,鈥� and on the SCUSA corporate blog.
鈥淭he buying process 鈥� can be a challenge,鈥� Rundle wrote, adding that there are 鈥渟ome simple things you can do to get the best deal鈥� and urging readers to 鈥渄o your homework.鈥�
The website autobytel, 鈥淵our Lifetime Automotive Advisor,鈥� offers its own New Car Buying Tips . 鈥淎 shopping tips checklist is helpful so you don鈥檛 forget anything,鈥� says autobytel. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want to get to the dealer and back home only to realize you didn鈥檛 ask your most pertinent questions.鈥�
Edmunds.com and Cars.com, two well-known names in the automotive industry, also offer advice.
Edmunds provides its 鈥�10 Steps to Finding the Right Car for You,鈥� 鈥�10 Steps to Buying a New Car,鈥� 鈥淪ecrets of a Professional Negotiator鈥� and 鈥淕uide for First-Time New-Car Buyers.鈥� Also online, Cars.com has 鈥渁n extensive advice section for new and used cars, where shoppers can get information on safety issues, insurance, incentives, repairs, and resale value.鈥�
While there is a lot of advice on what you should do, Bankrate.com auto blogger Terry Jackson writes about 6 common car-shopping mistakes, including 鈥渄eciding too quickly鈥� and 鈥渓etting your guard down.鈥�
鈥淧art of the problem is that unlike most other purchases, buying a car is often an emotional rather than a rational decision,鈥� Jackson writes. 鈥淪omeone gets what is sometimes called 鈥榥ew car fever鈥� and it can’t be quenched until the old set of wheels are replaced by something that’s shinier and sexier.鈥�
So, avoid new car fever, at least until you鈥檝e developed your game plan by exploring a range of sources. Plenty of help is available (see above). You just have to get online and search a little.
