Car Buying Tips

Buying a car is an investment and the returns are satisfactory only when you feel that you have got the right car at the right price. We at DriveInside.com are here to help you make the returns on your car rewarding. Just follow the following simple car buying tips and find the right vehicle for you.

How much you can spend?

Before you embark on the journey to find the car that suits your like and need it is essential that you first identify how much you can invest in a new car. Calculate a realistic amount that you are ready to spend on your new car.
Find out (if you want to finance your car)
 How much down payment you can make.
 Monthly installment (EMI) that you can afford to pay.

Which car do you want?

Buying a car has financial implications on most of us for some years after purchase. Hence it becomes essential that we clearly identify what we need and make the investment wisely.

Find out
 How many passengers will be riding with you?
 How much driving will the car be doing on an average?
 What kind of driving is the car most likely to do-city or highway?
 Is mileage important to you?

Where to start the search?
Having identified the above you will have an idea of which type and price category you should go for.
Use Advanced Search to choose a combination of options and create your own specific search.
This will help you find the various options and help you narrow down to three or four options that suit you the best.
Use the Compare Cars feature in the Research section to compare your chosen models. This feature gives you the specification and feature data of the cars side by side so that you know which car leads from the front.



Contact Dealers

The next step is to contact the dealers of the short listed options. Use the Contact Dealer form to find dealers near you to provide you with the prices and information on the cars you have chosen.
This will help you get the exact price for the model variant you have chosen. Use this free service to compare quotes from various dealers and get the best price option.

You can also now visit the dealerships to test drive your top picks. Make sure the salesperson knows that you have other models under consideration as well and the final decision needs to be made.

While test driving make a note of the following:
 How is the drive of the car over bumps and dips?
 How easy is to maneuver the car?
 What is the acceleration and braking like?
 Are the interiors and the drive comfortable for the rear passengers as well?

Make a note of the service and behavior of the salesperson. A good salesperson will help you answer all your queries and give you all the information accuracy without being pushy.
Don't settle on a dealer because you are ready to buy. Search around until you find the one- or a couple of them that you like, so that you have room to negotiate.

Getting an unbiased opinion

Make sure you get the opinion of the people who currently own the car you are considering to purchase. Asking an actual car owner is definitely better than asking a salesperson. Get the opinion of as many people to remove any biases and get the best judgment.

How to get the best deal?

Buying a car can be very intimidating with all the models available and the huge amount of finances involved. That's why a research before making your final decision is a must.
 Know your financing options well. If getting a loan is the only option then find out what are the various schemes that the bank have on offer for loans. Nowadays there are dealer arranged financing options wherein the bank associated with the dealer gives you the loan.
 Remember that the loan is given on the Ex-Showroom price. To this price is added the registration cost, insurance cost, and handling cost to arrive at the on road price. Thus the down payment you give is a little more than the difference between the ex-showroom price and the loan amount. But the dealers have a lot of cash discounts, free accessories, cash discounts by financers but you negotiate with them well to get them.
 You can also check out the websites of various banks to find out what are the rates on offer by various banks.
 Put down as much down payment as possible. This will give you lower monthly installments and help you save money.
 Be aware of the various financial schemes, rebates and incentives that the dealer has to offer. Talk to him about the insurance, free accessories, warranty and after sales service. Do not agree to any financial scheme without thoroughly checking the terms and conditions.

Know the overall cost of the purchase. Not only should you take into account the present finances but also consider the long term cost of ownership. Take estimates of
o Depreciation
o Insurance
o Registration and sales tax
o Maintenance and repairs
o Fuel costs
 Find out the lowest cost and bargain upwards. There are surely dealer margins and discounts that the salesperson can forego off at any time with a little coaxing and cajoling. Even if you don't manage to get cash discounts you might get free, extra features in your new car. Talk about the insurance coverage, registration fees, road tax, standard and optional features in the car, etc.
 Make sure you cover all aspects and leave no stoned unturned to get the maximum benefit and the best possible deal.

Closing the deal

Compare the final quotes given by the chosen dealers. Settle for the deal which gives you the best deal. Do not look for the lowest price but for the best overall deal including the additional fees and free accessories.
Confirm the delivery date and time.

Post-Delivery Check
Before taking the possession of the car look around carefully. Inspect the car for any scratches, dents or dings. Check all items and accessories that were a part of the deal. If there is any missing report immediately. Either get them installed then or take it in writing and get them later.
Before you drive away with your new car, make sure you take the following from the dealers.
 Receipt of payment
 Insurance certificate
 Delivery note
 PUC certificate (valid for a year for a new car)
 Sale Tax and Octroi certificate
 Registration Certificate
 Invoice
 A pair of identical car keys
 Owner's Manual and Service Book