When car shopping...

Welcome back and thank you for minding us, even though we’ve explicitly told you not to in the title of this page.  I’ve recently found myself browsing the Internet, sifting through thousands of listings of automobiles up for sale.  One thing you will not find a shortage of when shopping for cars is options.  This however, can be a good and bad thing.  I’ve decided to share with you a few of my personal tricks to narrowing down the abundance of listings.

First, you should have an idea of what you’re looking for.  I like to think of myself as pretty well informed about most of the cars that are on the street today, so for me this might be a little easier than it is for you.  I recommend that you browse all different types of cars when you begin shopping to get a general idea for the type of vehicle you’re looking for.  Once you know whether you’re looking for a car, truck, suv, coupe or sedan you should then start narrowing down the make and models.

Second, narrow it down.  Once you can identify what style you’re interested in the process becomes a bit easier.  I personally, will never buy a coupe because I can’t stand trying to squeeze people in tiny backseats and having to readjust the driver’s seat each and every time.  By narrowing down the style you get a bit closer to that “perfect fit” for you.  Once you’ve got an idea that you’ll never get a coupe and are in the market for a sedan, then it’s time to start really researching different make and models.

            Next step, do you’re research.  The most important thing you can do when shopping for a car, is to arm yourself with knowledge before you step foot on a sales lot.  A car salesman is like a shark, and when someone steps onto their lot with no idea as to what each vehicle has to offer, they smell the blood in the water.  At this point you should have compared several comparable make and models to see which ones offer the features that you’re looking for.  You shouldn’t need to talk to that pesky salesman unless you’re asking for the keys to take it for a spin or to say “I’ll take it!” 

            Last but definitely not least, take it for a spin.  While you should have a pretty good idea as to what car is right for you by doing your research, the only way to know which one is right for you is to drive it.  I firmly believe that you’ll know the right one before you get it off of the lot on your test-drive, you’ll know it’s the one as soon as your foot hits the gas pedal.  If you don’t feel like you’re at home when you hit that pedal, you should keep looking. 

            Cars are a huge investment, and most of us plan to keep them for quite some time.  Choosing a car isn’t a quick decision; it should take some delicate thought before you sit down to sign off on it.  Take a few test-drives, and don’t be afraid to test out a few cars that you may not even be considering purchasing just to see what’s out there, or just to see why that sticker price is so outrageously extravagant.  The most important advice I can give you is to relax, and enjoy the car buying experience.  Take you’re time, move at your own pace, and don’t settle on anything that isn’t up to your liking.

Jeremy Bugbee