Common mistakes made by car shoppers

By Product Expert | Posted in Tips and Tricks on Wednesday, January 17th, 2018 at 9:47 am
happy couple with new car keys

Buying a new car (or used, but it’s still new to you) is a process. Most of the time, you don’t just show up unannounced and buy the first car you see on the lot. Car shopping is unlike any other shopping experience because you’re making an investment of at least 10 years, hopefully anyway. With such a big purchase to make, there are often mistakes that shoppers make. Let’s explore some of those blunders. 


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Skipping research

You should always do research when you make any significant purchase and that’s especially true when planning to buy a car that could cost tens of thousands of dollars. There are many reliable car research websites that help give shoppers some background information. Check out Kelly Blue Book, Cars.com, or Edmunds.com for information on makes and models, reviews, pricing, rebates, and all sorts of other great information. 

Looking at one dealership 

Even if you know you want a particular make, check out a couple different dealerships. It pays to shop around if you’re looking for a good deal. You never know what the prices are at the dealership down the road so be sure to compare prices and deals. 


View our inventory and avoid these mistakes when you come by! 


family at a car dealership
man looking at car with salesman

Not doing a thorough test drive 

When you find a car that you want to buy, doing a test drive is pretty standard. Take the car on the highway and down familiar roads. Pull over and check out what’s under the hood. It’s important to test drive a car as if you were using it during your everyday routine. Check out how the car feels backing up or pulling into a parking spot. If you’re serious about buying it, you’re going to want to drive it like it’s yours. 

Buying from someone you don’t trust 

Whether it’s someone from Craigslist or shifty salesperson, don’t buy from them if you don’t trust them. People everywhere fall for sales tricks. Even if you have a slight suspicion, don’t waste your time. Move on to someone else who won’t try to swindle you. 


Contact us with any other car buying questions 


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