Car shopping can be fun. Don’t believe me? This article has all the tips and tricks you need to turn a new car purchase into an enjoyable journey. Keep reading to explore many easy strategies which will help you find a car you can afford, love to drive and have no trouble buying, too.

When you are going to buy a car, you need to know ahead of time which features are essential for you in the car. Have a clear picture of what you want, so you can search for the right price as well as the right car for your needs.

Do not get your heart set on a particular model of car when you are car shopping. You need to leave your options open so that you can get the best deal possible. The exact car you have decided you want may not be the best available option at the time you are ready to buy.

Do a little research before you enter the showroom. When you walk into a showroom, sticker prices are usually listed right on the cars. It is important to understand that all dealerships have some wiggle room from these prices. If you do your research online first, you can gain an understanding of how much the car you want is selling for you in your area. This will help you to understand how much room there is to negotiate down from sticker price, so that you get the deal you are really looking for.

Never leave your car with the dealership overnight. Many dealerships will offer you the opportunity to take the car that you are considering home in order to test drive it longer. While this is certainly appealing, it essentially means they are given the opportunity to hold the car you own hostage. This makes it more difficult to walk away from a bad deal, and it is not to your advantage.

Research both your car and your dealer before negotiations. When you know what they typically offer, you can use it to your advantage. Check out reviews, too.

If you are in the market for a used car, a great way to tell if the speedometer is correct is to look at the gas and brake pedals. If someone says the car has 30,000 miles on it, and the brake and gas pedals are worn, it is a good indication the odometer was turned back.

Know what you want before you step foot in a dealership. You are going to be dealing with professional salespeople, so have your mind made up about what you are willing to pay, what you want and what you are not interested in. That will make it less likely for them to sway you.

Whenever shopping for a used car, it would be wise to stick with certified pre-owned vehicles as this greatly reduces the likelihood that you’ll end up with a car that is in poor condition. Just make sure that the certification if offered by the car manufacturer rather than the dealer.

Set a spending limit before shopping for your new car. It is easy to get swayed by pushy salesmen or a nice leather interior, but it is important that you stay within your budget. You may like the cause of spending extra, but you will not like it when it comes time to pay for it.

Understand the financing office. Most dealerships make the bulk of their money in the financing office. Your interest rate, extended warranties and other add ons are all sold at a premium once you are in there. Understand this, and select any of those options carefully. Most are not necessary for the average car owner.

Many people who have bad credit end up at a buy-here pay-here dealership. Be very careful of these types of dealers. Usually they buy cars at auction for little money and the majority of the money they make is off of the high interest rates they charge. If you have any choice, always get a loan from a bank, not the dealership.

Before you start researching what kind of car you should purchase, you need to look into your current situation. Don’t decide your budget based on the car, but decide the car you will purchase based on a realistic budget for you and your family. Doing so will save you financial headaches.

Watch out for dealership advertising fees. These are often tacked on to new car purchases, and you should not have to pay them. Car dealerships have to advertise as part of doing business, and many shoppers who challenge this fee will win. If your salesman will not remove this fee, ask to speak with a manager.

To make your negotiations go smoothly when purchasing a new car have a minimum of a twenty percent down payment saved. By having a down payment, you will be able to lower your interest rate and payments and have leverage when discussing your trade in options. You may find that you will net more savings by not trading a car in and selling it on your own.

If you’re buying a used vehicle, you need to make sure you get a record of any accidents it may have had with previous owners. Just because a car looks good doesn’t mean that it’s in tip-top shape. The dealerships have a nasty habit of making things look better than they really are.

If you have a few cars in mind that you’d like to look at, be sure to check out the insurance cost first. People tend to forget about the cost of insurance until after they’ve made a purchase. This can lead to having a larger monthly bill than you expected, which may make the car too expensive for your price range.

That’s it! It’s as easy as using the tips above during the car buying process. As long as you take all of this advice to heart, you should have no problem in the future as you navigate the car purchasing process. You’ll drive away in your new car and realize how simple it was.