Do you want a shiny, new car in your driveway? Are you worried about how hard it is to buy one? We wrote this article with you in mind, and the advice here will make buying your next car a process which you not only enjoy, but leaves you with an amazing car at a great price.

Before beginning your car shopping journey map out exactly how much of a payment you can afford. Take the time to write out a budget and see how much money is left over each month. By doing this one step, you can avoid getting into a situation where you put a financial strain on your budget.

Think ahead when you are planning on making a car purchase. Do not make the mistake of buying a car without thinking about whether it would be practical for future use. Buying a sports car will not make much sense if you are planning to have a family anytime in the near future.

Never turn over your trade-in keys to the salesperson before the deal is finalized. Some pushy salespeople will hang onto them in an effort to pressure you into hearing them out, even after you have turned down a deal. Keep the keys in your possession and only hand them over when the deal is done.

Do not be so free in giving out your SSN. Many of these dealerships get that kind of information early to ruin your credit. Having multiple dealerships check your credit will have a negative effect on your score. Do not allow anyone to pull your credit until you have hammered out your deal.

Investigate cash rebates and discounts you are eligible for. Sometimes, there are discounts for veterans and students, for example. There are all kinds of discounts and rebates that are often run. Do a little research and find out if you qualify for any of the special deals that are available. That could save you some money on your car.

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.

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.

When shopping for a car, it is important that you keep safety in mind. “Passive Safety” involves the features the car has to keep everyone in it safe. This includes reliable seat belts, air bags, energy-absorbing crumple zones and head protecting advice. Look for these features when searching for a car.

If you are planning on using your current car as a trade in, don’t let the dealer know right away. Your first goal is to negotiate down the price of the car you wish to purchase. Information like trade-in value is valuable to the salesman, so keep it to yourself until the right moment!

The first offer a salesman gives you won’t be the lowest possible offer. Make sure you provide another counter offer, and then you’ll know it’s the lowest they will go. They don’t want a long, drawn-out negotiation any more than you do, so a couple of offers should get you a good rate.

There are many options other than going to a dealership to buy a car. For example, auto brokers or buyers’ agents are available to help you through the process. This lets you sit back and have them do the work, while it will cost you a bit extra for the service.

Take the time to learn about the cost of ownership of the car. Research the cost of tire replacement as well as brake replacement. They are the two most common repairs that will need to be made to cars. If you cannot afford the tires, you likely cannot afford to keep the car.

When shopping for a new car, keep in mind what are your needs. Seeing many new cars can be distracting for a shopping, and you don’t want to walk away with something that isn’t practical. Even though the new sports car may look and drive nicely, it wouldn’t be practical to be used as a family car.

Do not always assume that used cars are the way to go if you want a deal. Sometimes dealerships and manufacturers offer incentives on new cars that make them the best deal, especially if you are buying last year’s model. In addition, banks will often finance at a lower interest rate if the car is new.

Know your budget when buying a car. Create a thorough list of what is safely affordable to you and then begin researching to find the best value. This could help avoid the stresses of car shopping from a monetary standpoint.

A fifteen-minute test drive is just not enough. Fifteen minutes only allows you to learn so much about the car, and you will inevitably miss out on something. Whether it is how well the car accelerates to pass, or how comfortable the driver’s and passengers’ seats are, you sometimes need more time to discover a car’s unique quirks. If you are seriously considering purchasing a vehicle, ask the dealership if you could take it for a longer test drive; perhaps an entire evening or afternoon.

Your feeling about the car is as important as how well it drives. Regardless of whether the vehicle drives smoothly, if you don’t feel comfortable in it or just don’t like the vehicle, it is not the car for you. Remember that you’re the one who has to drive this car for the next several years, so take your time and choose one you’ll enjoy driving.

It isn’t too hard to buy a car now, is it? You just needed the right advice to make you a confident buyer. Take all this knowledge and use it in your buying adventure, then share it with loved ones to ensure they have the best possible car shopping experiences, too.