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Common Car-Buying Mistakes
Unsavvy buyers get taken for a ride.
Thinking of buying a car? Don't make the mistake of dropping by a lot to browse. You may end up with more than you bargained for.
"That's a good way to accidentally buy a car," says Joe Wiesenfelder, senior editor for Cars.com. Salesmen are going to bring all the pressure to bear that they can to entice you to make a purchase.
Everyone knows it's important to research a vehicle before taking it on a test drive, but not everyone knows the kind of reconnaissance that leads to getting a fair deal.
Real research means finding out which kind of financing is cheapest for you, exploring several possible vehicles (including used ones), and visiting more than one dealership to do some comparison shopping.
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Bottom line: It means going into a dealership with confidence, knowledge and, potentially, an open mind. It also means knowing when to walk away.
"Spending more money doesn't necessarily mean that a car will be more durable," says David Sargent, vice president of automotive research for J.D. Power and Associates. "There are some very good, very durable, inexpensive cars out there and not so good, not so durable, expensive vehicles."
