You're Probably Researching Your Next Car Purchase All Wrong

Buying a vehicle will be one of the most expensive purchases for many consumers. So, most savvy shoppers will spend some time and conduct product research on what make and model will best fit their needs, budget, and lifestyle. Despite a slowly improving market, the problem is that there is still a disconnect between what you should buy and what you can buy.

There are a lot of vehicles from dozens of automakers within various segments and price points. It can be very easy to get overwhelmed with so many choices, and therefore buyers will look to various media outlets for product reviews and model comparisons to help them narrow the field. Often what buyers find are the same cars recommended over and over again. However, the research can fall short because it can’t articulate the current market conditions for a specific model, and buyers end up entering the car market for a model that may not be actually able to buy.

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In order to avoid a similar situation, consumers need to shift the way they select their next new car. Due to the nature of how car reviews and comparisons are published, it’s impossible for various outlets to be continuously up to date on the inventory situation for any given model. Therefore I strongly recommend that buyers not get fixated on just one model and mentally prepare themselves to shop for a contingency plan. Because if the top choice is the model that everyone recommends, it’s probably going to be hard to find.

In a previous post, I laid out a methodology so buyers can see exactly how dire the inventory situation is for their selected car. If you do a radius search and are coming up with very few options and/or the majority of the listings are for ads with “stock photos,” you may be in for a challenge if you want to get something at a reasonable price without a really long wait.

The next tip is to really be honest with yourself about how critical certain features are. For example, if you don’t have the type of job that requires you to show up for work in a terrible snowstorm, you probably don’t need AWD/4WD. Or perhaps that 360 parking camera on the top trim isn’t as important as it seems, and therefore by not shooting for the loaded model, you increase your chances of success by aiming for the mid-level trims.

When conducting your research on that new car, the question isn’t, “What’s the best car?” But rather, “What’s the best car that’s actually available?” And you may also want to consider, “How much am I really willing to pay to get what I want?” For some folks, a premium is worth it to get their desired configuration right now, for other buyers shop for that plan B model to get a more competitive price.

Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to Tom@AutomatchConsulting.com

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