Are you having difficulty buying a new car? Don’t worry, you aren’t the only one having problems. Many people around the world go through the same difficult process when they have to buy a car. Luckily, you have an advantage. You have this article, which has car shopping tips that will make the buying process easier.

If you can’t afford a car, don’t let the salesperson talk you into buying it. Frequently, people are talked into purchasing a sports car when the salesperson tells them how good they look in it. Know that the person selling you the car is interested in commission, so when they sell a pricy car, they get paid more.

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.

You should always have someone go with you when going car shopping. This person can provide another perspective, which can help you make the best decision. This person could be a spouse, parent, or even a friend.

The model you want needs to have the latest safety features. ABS or anti-lock brakes are very important. In addition, the car should have multiple air bags. You are sure to spend lots of time driving, and therefore safety should be a top priority.

Work on your credit score before you buy a car. A bad credit score means higher interest fees. That will result in a higher monthly car bill. And in some cases, that will result in higher premiums for car insurance. Get your credit in order so you aren’t locked into high fees for the life of your car loan.

When buying a compact or subcompact car, make sure that it has enough room for each person who will drive it. The car may be your daily driver, but it may not have enough leg room for others in your household. If there is a chance that someone else will drive the car occasionally, bring them along while shopping.

Once you know how much you have to spend, find out about the cars within that range. Learn about the car itself, its miles per gallon, number of doors, trunk space, driver’s reviews, safety record and how frequently it needs repairs on average. Assign each a rating and go for those at the top of the list.

Always take any used car you are thinking of buying to a mechanic that you trust. Do not take the dealers word that the car is in good condition. They might have only owned the car for a few days or bought it from an auction. They really have very little knowledge of the vehicle you are trying to buy.

Demand a safety report and vehicle history report from the dealer. Any good car dealer will have these items available for any vehicle on the lot. This is information that will tell you how safe the vehicle is as well as any major accidents or work that has been needed on the car.

One important thing to keep in mind is the overall average value of cars in your country. By knowing the general value, you can see if the car lot where you are shopping is overcharging or not. If you feel all their prices are too high, simply move on to the next one.

When purchasing a car, do not fall for the salesman’s ploy that you must make a deal now to get the special pricing. Instead, tell the salesman you are going to get something to eat and will return in an hour. This will allow time for your emotional attachment to lessen making you able to negotiate the best terms and price.

Find out all you can about rebates. You can either get a cash rebate, low loan interest rate or the dealer themselves gets the rebate in cash. It is the manufacturer who offers these rebates, not the dealership. This will only be available on cars available on the lot, of course.

If you know what kind of car you want, call the lot and ask if they have it. If you just drive there, the salesman’s job is to just get you to buy a car. If you are looking for a specific car that isn’t in stock, going there is just wasting your time. Take the few minutes it takes to make a quick call first.

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!

Never buy a car without test driving it first. That even includes brand new cars and trucks. Not only do you want to make sure the car is mechanically sound, you also want to see how the car fits you. Decide if the car “feels” right. Some cars are not designed for taller people, for instance.

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.

Now that you’ve seen the tips, it should be a little easier to do your car shopping. You may have started out with same car buying problem that others commonly experience, but now things will be different. If you use these tips, you’ll be able to march to any dealership and get the car you want for an affordable price.