Information about Cheap Cars, Car Parts, Car Loans and Others

Buying a car, new or used, is a big expenditure. Unfortunately, most people go to the car dealership thinking they have to pay the full sticker price of the car, not realizing there are many ways to save money. It’s also important to know how the dealers make their money on each car sale. Such knowledge will help you get the very best price on your next vehicle.

1) Know how much the car is worth.

Do your homework and research your car choices before attending a new car sale or purchasing a used car. You’ll want to know the true value of the car you wish to buy as well as the value of your current car if you wish to trade it in.

Visit the factory website of the model of car you want to see what the factory list price is for each vehicle. For example, Ford’s website (http://www.ford.com/) offers an online vehicle showroom where you can choose your next new car and pick the price range.

Go to several different dealers and research different deals on the same car before purchasing it. A lot of dealers’ prices will differ on the same make and model. Check out the wealth of information on http://www.carsguide.news.com.au which offers price comparisons on your new or used car as well as tips to help you when you purchase.

The Red Book (http://www.redbookasiapacific.com/au/) is an excellent resource to see how much a used or new car is worth. Car dealers make money by marking up the price, as do private sales. Knowing that a car is unfairly priced will help you to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

2) Get the proper financing.

Car dealers can make a bundle of money selling you more car than you can afford by offering you financing for a longer period of time. You can also expect to pay more for lease options if you’re not careful. Banks and finance companies typically offer a lower interest rate than car dealerships. You can also look into financing from the manufacturer of the car for sale—you’ll pay much less in interest than on a loan from the dealer.

Banks take longer to grant approval than finance companies, which can often approve your loan online in minutes.

Never pay for a new or used car on a credit card, as you’ll be paying lots more in interest rates. One of the very best tactics is to get pre-approved for the purchase of a used or new car at a financing institution before you go car shopping. When you’re shopping, don’t tell the car sales associate. A lot of times the car dealer will cut the price of your car, thinking they’ll make money on the financing later. It will be too late to change the price on the car once they realize you already having financing.

3) Buy at the right time of the month.

Most car salesmen work on commission and get incentives for selling the most cars. By the end of the month they know if they need to up their sales and they’ll be more persuasive and aggressive to get that one last sale. However, you can use this need to sell to your advantage.

Visit a car dealership at the beginning or first of the month for an initial visit, but not to buy. This takes some of the pressure off because the salesmen aren’t going to be as persuasive to have you purchase something you can’t afford or don’t want.

Visit several car dealerships to inspect the assorted car sales and take plenty of notes. Then return to the car dealership of your choice at the end of the month when dealers are eager to make a quick car sale. Chances are you’ll get a great deal on a fantastic new or used car.

4) Forgo the extended warranty and extras.

You don’t need an extended warranty, though the salesman will make you worry and fret until you shell out the extra money to pay for the warranty. Most of the time, if you care for your car properly and maintain it according to the factory specifications you won’t need an extended warranty.

If you really think you should purchase one, wait as long as possible. Most companies allow you to wait until you’re close to the end of your regular warranty to purchase one. By then you’ll know how much maintenance your vehicle needs. If it’s a lemon by nature then an extended warranty might be a good idea in the long run.

You don’t need most of the extras offered, like rust-proofing, paint protection, tinted windows and life insurance. Educate yourself about what you need and what you don’t to keep from paying unnecessary charges.

Verify how much you’re paying for hidden charges such as shipping and preparation charges. Most of the time you can negotiate these charges down in your car sale.

5) Consider Used vs. New

New cars depreciate quickly the first two years of ownership. In fact, expect your $20,000 new car to cost you almost $7,000 in depreciation and interest rates alone (with a 6.9% loan) during that time. When you buy a used car the original owner has already absorbed the depreciation costs, leaving you with a good car that’s worth every penny.

However, the car sale market may be so slow that good deals can be had when buying a new car over a used car. It’s essential to be aware of how much car you can afford to buy and to guard against getting suckered into buying more car than you can afford.

Used Car Purchase Tips:

The uncertainty about a cars history–whether it’s been well taken care of or possibly damaged by an accident–can make some people leery about buying a used car. When buying used, it’s important to look for a car that has been properly maintained and an owner who has the records to prove it.

When buying used consider forgoing the financing and instead buy outright. Financing is a way car dealers to make money off of used car sales. Opting to pay for it in full puts money in your pocket.

Don’t be afraid of high mileage. A car driven by Grandma on weekends could actually have more problems because an idle car usually has problems associated with sitting around, such as plugged lines or rusty breaks. If you’re unsure about buying a used car because you don’t know enough about how cars work, consider spending the money to get a vehicle inspection from a reputable garage.

Save your money by opting for auction cars

Sometimes it is very difficult to find a second hand used car in a good condition. Well, if you are searching for a cheap car, it is advisable to take a look at the car auctions organized by police and government bodies. There are cars used by the police, open for auction somewhere in close proximity to you almost every alternate month.

Cars that are auctioned by police are generally the ones that are seized from criminals by the law enforcement agencies. These bodies are also in a practice of selling their own cars once they reach a certain age or go over say, 60,000 miles. These type of auctions offer a large volume of cars. In these auctions, it also happens that some of the good performing cars are sold for very cheap. It is easy for anyone to find a large variety makes and models right from the family cars to sports cars.

If you participate in any auction, you just have to place your bid on the cars you want to buy. During the auctioning, you get a directory of the cars that are open for bidding. So, according to your needs, pick the ones that are of your interest and place your bid. Always remember to find the resale value of the car you are interested in. Once you have determined the amount you are willing to spend for any car, you have to just place your bid. And if your bid is the highest one, the car will be yours. Most of the cars would go from 45 – 70 % less than their actual resale price. Therefore, don’t get excited and get into the bidding process by carefully watching the other bidders.

Try to reach the auction venue as early as possible and remain there until it gets over or until you have successfully owned the cars that you want to buy. Generally, the best deals strike either at the beginning or at the end of the auction. Most of the participants reach late at the auction venue and leave early. Comparatively, there is much less competition in the bidding at the beginning and at the end of an auction.

Before filing the final formalities such as writing the check, or verifying any other document, make sure that you have properly inspected the car. Most of the cars are in good condition but it is always suggested to be prudent, because once you have paid for the car, it’s final. Also, before leaving the auction venue, make sure that you are having all the documents needed for the ownership of the car.

The car auctions organized by the police and other government bodies are a great source of getting a second hand car in good running condition, much cheaper than its actual worth. Even if you use the car for an year or so and then resell it, it is possible that you get an amount higher than the amount at which you purchased the car.

Today if you’re a smart consumer, you will search for the best low cost auto insurance or cheap car insurance rate especially now when insurance rates are not as low as they used to be. It’s not only smart but absolutely necessary to seek out the lowest possible vehicle or car insurance quote. Most car or auto insurance companies offer a wide range of policies and plans to their policyholders and therefore can offer discounts and free online cheap car insurance quotes.

If you’re just starting to look for cheap car insurance quotes, you’ll want to compare both long established and newer insurance companies for cheaper rates. The new auto insurance companies are competing for your business, but of course they don’t have a long term history to back them up.

Auto or car insurance rates and quotes are never going to be identical for each company. There are many variables in insurance plans. Make sure to find out all you can about the company you’ve selected. Check online for customer car insurance reviews and ratings but keep in mind that negative reviews can happen with any auto insurance company. You want to make sure you find out exactly how much your deductibles will be and any conditions attached to them.

Keep in mind that insurance companies change their rates from time to time so the quote you got yesterday may not be good today. Many insurance companies will offer lower or cheaper insurance rates or more affordable budget rates than others with the same type of policies. You’ll want to make sure that you have full quality coverage or at least the coverage you basically need in your insurance policy. Make sure the insurance agents will be easy to contact at their office or home. If buying insurance online, find out how easy it will be to contact your agent over the Internet.

You want to make sure to compare all the cheap car insurance quotes that you do get; some may be very similar to each other but some of the quotes could be quite a bit different. In the U.S. many insurers offer a good-grade discount to students who have a good academic record. They may also have resident, student discounts to those who live away from their home. And senior drivers are often eligible for retirement discounts reflecting the lower average miles that are driven by this group. Women drivers can get discounts from some companies.

Make sure to check out the online, discount car insurance brokers who can give you fast online cheap car insurance quotes to compare from several different companies. Of course, avoiding accidents will keep your insurance costs down, so keep the kids quiet so you can concentrate on your driving. You can keep them busy with quiet car games kept solely for this purpose and give rewards for good behavior. In general, insurance premiums tend to become much lower at the age of 25.

If you don’t have a very good driving record you might not be able to get the insurance deductible you want. Make an attempt to focus on trying to turn your driving record around to further lower your insurance costs. And if you’ve always been with one company, don’t assume you’re getting the best insurance rate; compare the features and get quotes from other several companies. But sometimes longevity will play a part so make sure that you aren’t giving up the long history you may have with a good workable insurance company rather than going with the cheapest quotes.

If you haven’t had any automobile accidents that were your fault and you’re a good driver, then consider a higher deductible. You would pay out a larger sum of money in the event you have an accident that’s your fault but you would save on your monthly or quarterly insurance premium. Several car insurance policies or plans are based on a reasonable estimation of the annual average projected distance expected to be driven with figures provided by the insured. This low mileage discount benefits drivers who only drive their cars now and then.

Make sure the car insurance company you select offers excellent, quality low cost and cheap rates of auto insurance and a high level of customer service. These are just a few of the best tips that can help you understand discounts, save money on your auto insurance and give you an idea what to look for when you’re getting a cheap car insurance quote.