With so many options out there, buying a car can be quite the hassle. You need to know what you really need and what you can live without. Just follow along with the tips here, and you’ll be a great car shopper.

Take a good look at the underside of the vehicle. Try to keep your eyes peeled for signs of rust and erosion. A car can look great on the outside, but be falling apart underneath. If you see rust under the vehicle move on. This could mean a lot of repairs later on.

Rather than buying a brand-new car, purchase a lightly used one that is only a couple of years old. Many cars come with transferable warranties that last for three years or 36,000 miles. You will save a significant amount over buying new, and the warranty will give you peace of mind for the first year or so.

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.

Do not buy a car just because it is a good deal. You have to live with this car after you take it home, so it needs to be something that you really like and that works for you and your family. You also need to make sure you can really afford it.

When shopping for a car, bring someone along. He or she can give you another perspective on a vehicle, and may be more willing to leave if you are not offered a good deal. This can be any relative, a co-worker or a friend.

Have a budget in mind before you go car shopping. This involves assessing your monthly income and bills, and having a clear understanding of how much you can really afford to add to those. Doing this will help you to stay in budget when you make your new car purchase.

Be firm in what extras you want. Almost every salesperson is going to at least attempt to “upsell” you in an effort to get a bigger sale. Don’t let them pressure you into the next model up or features you don’t need. If they claim not to have the model you are looking for in stock, only the “better” one, ask if they can locate one at another dealer.

Talk to your friends and neighbors before buying your car. Ask what their experience was like with various dealerships, and visit only the dealerships that you are hearing positive things about. This can save you a lot of hassle while you are shopping and make your car buying experience that much more pleasant.

Never shop for a car based on what you want to pay monthly. Most car sellers will try to help you shop around a monthly payment. This means they can put you in a car that is not what you want by telling you it is what you can afford. The only one who wins is the dealership.

A dealer with a great reputation may offer you a better deal than one which advertises great prices. You may find that a dealer who people like to buy from offers perks which aren’t available elsewhere, including reduced pressure sales tactics and lower overall price due to freebies thrown in to the sale.

Take your time when shopping for a car. It can be very tempting to purchase the first car you see because it looks nice or it has nice seating. However, there may be a car out there that is even better for you. Shop around and make comparisons before making a purchase.

If you know what kind of car, you want, and you know what dealership you want to go through, give them a call before you go. This way, the dealer can have the car ready for a test drive when you get there. It will save you and the dealer time that could be spent negotiating.

Do not try negotiating unless you see the car that you want is available. He might tell you that he can get it in for you, but you do not know if it will be the exact one you want. You do not want to waste your time negotiating for a car that you do not really want.

Shopping for a car at the end of the month is ideal. Salesman just want to achieve their goals each month and the next sale might be the one that gets them over the hump. Allow yourself some time to negotiate in advance of month’s end in order to get the best deal.

When you decide that it’s time to start car shopping, it’s a good idea to figure out how much you can pay for a car. It’s important to look at how much the car is going to cost you overall, not just the monthly payments. It’s easy to extend your term so that your monthly payment is affordable, but you may be seriously overpaying for the car this way.

Once you have an offer you like, mention your trade in. Your older car may not go for much, but you should already have a good deal on the new truck or car. You need to seal the deal now that you’ve gone through all this effort.

If you are considering purchasing a car from a private seller rather than from a car dealership, make certain that the person selling the car has the authority to transfer ownership. While there are methods of transferring ownership if a car is financed by a third party, this process will frequently add steps to your purchasing of the car.

Now that you’ve come to the end of this article, you know how to car shop. Just find out more by researching. Remember to never make a purchase you do not feel 100 percent comfortable with, and also remember the tips in this article.