Has car shopping overwhelmed you? If so, you certainly aren’t alone. However, it’s likely that some sound advice on the matter could have assisted you. Use these tips and ideas to take the pain out of buying a new or used vehicle.

Be sure that you know what type of car you’re looking for and some specifics, such as price, before you leave to go car shopping. How much do you have to spend? How many passengers will be in the car? Is MPG important? Do you want a sportier car or a family vehicle? Write down the features you want to avoid forgetting any.

If you don’t attempt to negotiate, you’ll end up spending more than you have to. Don’t ever pay sticker price for a vehicle. Dealers increase the price in order to have wiggle room with the customer; use this to your advantage.

Arranging financing prior to actually shopping for a vehicle is a great idea. You can do this through your local credit union or bank. You will often get a better interest rate by doing this, and you will walk into the dealership knowing how much you can really afford to pay for your new car.

Don’t take it for granted that the sticker price is the lowest you’ll pay. What the dealers list on the sticker is not what they actually think they will get. Bring a haggler with you if it’s not your forte. Know the amount you can reasonably spend, as well as the fair market value, prior to heading to the dealership.

When you go shopping for a new car, have someone else go with you. Your friend can listen for things you might have missed and they can give you advice if they think you shouldn’t buy the car you are looking at. This person can be anyone, from a family member to a close friend.

Safety features are a must when car shopping. You should always get a car with anti-lock brakes. You also want to make sure there are air bags, and the more the better. After all, you’ll be in your vehicle alot. Therefore, safety is important.

Wait until you have a deal on the vehicle of your choice prior to discussing trade-ins, incentives or down payments. Then you can consider incentives, trade ins and down payments. You will end up with a better price if you negotiate the deal first, then discuss these “extras”.

Test Drive

Test out specific makes and models by renting them. Look for a rental service that offers the kind of vehicle you are most interested in, then use it as a sort of prolonged test drive. Bring the whole family along for a test drive. This is a great way to get comfortable with a car before making the huge commitment of a purchase.

Be careful about giving out a social security number. Dealers request this information so they can run a credit report on you. If you don’t want to buy there, having multiple dealers do a credit check can harm your chance to get the best deal. Wait until you have a solid deal before you give them a Social Security number.

If you are looking for a car, you should take your buddy along to help you out. They will allow you to see mistakes so you’re not making a decision based on emotion. Ask this person to point out any possible problems or disadvantages that they identify during a test drive.

Always read before signing. You could be getting in some serious trouble if you’re out there blindly signing money away. Once your signature is on the document, it becomes a legal obligation. If you are uncomfortable reading the contract at the dealership, ask to take it home to look it over in your own time. If you cannot do this, get a copy of the agreement.

Research properly when getting a used car. The Internet is replete with useful resources about a car’s value. Use NADA or Kelly Blue Book to find out what the vehicle is worth. If this dealership is selling you a car for much more than these two sources state, go to another dealership.

You need to make sure that you look over the car closely when you’ve made your choice. Look over the body of the car for any imperfections. Review the interior surfaces for burns, stains or rips. Keep in mind that after you make the deal, the car belongs to you. This includes all the stains, rips, dents and scratches.

Keep in mind that all dealerships and salesmen are different. The stereotypical overbearing salesman is no longer the standard. A more gentle approach is being embraced by those dealers who want you to buy from them on more than one occasion. When a salesperson begins to be pushy, do not hesitate to leave. Other, more reasonable, salespeople would be thrilled to help you.

Always avoid signing As-Is warranties. This could be a bad decision. You need to aim for at least a two or three month warranty with your purchase. If you encounter a technical issue as soon as you leave the dealership, you will have to pay for the repairs.

Before you start talking, find out about incentives. You need to research the many aspects of incentive programs. Before you go into the dealership, you will be in a better position to haggle if you are armed with information.

If you want to buy a car, you need to keep these things in mind. The entire process will go more smoothly if you keep in mind the advice from this article. Read this article again if you need to.