When the time comes to buy a car, whether you need to replace your current vehicle or this is your first time, you need to go into the deal with a bit of preparation.
Cars aren’t cheap, by any means! And you need to know you’re getting the best price, the best vehicle for your money, and as few long term problems as possible.
As such, here are a few prep steps that we highly recommend every car shopper to go through before they try to buy a new vehicle.
Search Online First
It’s always the best place to start when you need to work through a lot of information quickly!
And when you’re in the market for a new vehicle, you’re going to need as much detail on your side as possible.
After all, without knowing average prices on the car models you’re interested in (as well as a bit of insider knowledge on what these cars are like to run), you’re not going to put yourself in the kind of good position to grab a good deal!
It doesn’t take too much time to narrow down the search either, especially with online marketplaces that let you search through used cars with as many different filters as you’re interested in.
Make Sure You’ve Seen the Right Documents
Any and all car dealers should have plenty of documents for you to both look over and take away with you once you buy a car.
However, you need to be sure you know what documents will be required, what they look like, the information they contain, and which ones you should never leave without.
The latter type of document is the most crucial to be able to spot check. And thankfully, there’s only really one of these: the vehicle’s registration.
If the dealer is unable to hand this over – or they seem to be a bit cagey about it when you ask them before you’ve signed a contract or exchanged money – proceed with caution.
Know Where to Find a VIN Number
This can differ from car to car, but you should be able to find the VIN number in one of usually three places.
The first – and most common place – is just underneath the base of the windshield on the inside of the car.
Another place is under the hood and close to the engine, and the third place is around the window on one of the front car doors.
You should be able to spot a VIN placement very easily, as while these stamps are small, they won’t look like anything else in the immediate area.
Although it can help to turn on the flashlight on your phone, as you might have noticed that all three of these places tend to be quite dark!
Why you need to know the VIN number
Without it, you won’t be able to double check the car is what the dealer says it is. Above all, you need to know that the VIN you’re seeing and the vehicle it belongs to are one and the same.
You can use a free online lookup tool to double check this. And if you find anything different about the VIN you’re seeing and what’s officially registered to it, it’s best not to buy.
Checking the VIN number will also let you see if the car has ever been part of a vehicle recall.
If it has, this might mean there’s an element of the car’s makeup that makes it unsafe, and it’s always better to know that in advance!
Take it for a Test Run
This is less of a prep step and just something that’s good to remember! But it’s still important to point out, so it makes the list.
You need to test out a car before you buy it, as you need to know if the car feels good to drive.
Test runs allow you to see what the vehicle might throw at you – just without any of the commitment. So make sure you check for as many things as possible while you’ve got your free hour.
For example:
- Are the seats comfortable enough? And if not, can they be adjusted to suit you better?
- Are the mirrors easy to tweak?
- Do the brakes stick?
- How does the wheel feel?
- Do any funny smells come out of the engine as you’re driving?
Vehicle Shopping? Get Prepped!
Do your research, get the documents, look for the VIN, and always test drive!
