Okay, so you know what kind of car you want. And you have your budget and your financing all set up and in place. You’re ready to go to the dealership and get yourself that new (or new used) car! This is probably one of the most nerve-wracking parts of buying a car for anyone, because it means meeting face-to-face with a salesperson and having to talk business about buying a car.
Yes, for many people this can be intimidating, but you have done your research, so it’s going to be a cinch! But along with the trade-in value of your car, the financing you’ve arranged, and the average price sticker of the car that you want, there are a few more things you need to know. These pertain to when you’re actually at the dealership dealing with the person that will sell you your car.
The Best Time of Year to Buy a Car
It’s true that different dealerships will have different promotions and sales throughout the year. But the general rule of thumb is that there are two times during the year considered to be the best for buying new cars. These are from July to October and the last two weeks of December.
Know the Competition
You can bet that the dealership knows what their competition is offering for the car that you’re interested in, and you should too. This is one of the best ways you are going to get a good price on a car. If you know that the dealership across town is offering the same car for five percent less, or that they have much better interest rates on their financing deals, you need to let the dealer know that there’s nothing stopping you from going to the competition to get the best deal.