Buying a car for yourself is an exciting experience. But that excitement can affect the way a car dealer negotiates with you. It’s good to be excited, but it’s important to know what you’re doing when it comes to approaching pre-owned car dealerships and wanting to buy a used car. You need to be confident going in and throughout the deal, and we’re going to tell you how.
Have a budget
There is power in having a set budget before walking into a dealership. Because when you know exactly what you are willing and able to pay for a car, you’ve already stumped the salesperson who now has to readjust their sales pitch.
When you create a budget for a car, you need to think about more than just the initial cost of the vehicle. You need to include interest, car insurance, petrol and servicing fees that will need to be paid for over the course of ownership of the vehicle as well. That’s why, when you calculate a budget, you need to stick to it.
Set yourself a maximum price that you will still be able to afford, but look for something cheaper. The best thing about browsing used car dealerships in Gauteng is that you’re likely to find the exact same car (with possible minor mileage and gadget differences) at a variety of prices, one of which should be in budget.
Get your loan pre-approved
When you know what you can afford to spend on a car, you need to get your car loan pre-approved if you’re going down the financing route. This will save you from falling into a higher interest rate offering from the dealership and it will also help you to stick to the budget you’ve set.
Having your car finance pre-approved gives you the security to walk into any car dealership in Gauteng in full confidence of your financial plan.
Do your car and dealership research beforehand
Randomly walking into used car dealerships in Gauteng will give away that you don’t know what you’re doing and salespeople will use that against you. If you’re going to be confident about your visit to the used dealership, you’re going to need to do your research about the car you’re looking for and where you’re going to find it.
When it comes to researching cars, you need to decide on what you’re looking for. This is in terms of preferred make, space, average fuel consumption, mileage, model, vehicle history (specifically for used cars), and extra gadgets such as electric windows and air conditioning. Once you know what car (or a top-three range of cars) you’re looking for, you can start checking out the dealerships that have one on offer and the different prices. Remember, the same car can be sold at different prices depending on the dealership.
It will also be in your favour to research what the resale value is of the car you’re interested in according to the book value. This will give you a good idea of how much more a dealership is asking for a car compared to what it’s worth. And you can confidently use this information in any negotiations.
When it comes to researching dealerships, take a look at their advertised price ranges, the types of cars they offer and their reputation or customer reviews. You want this experience to be an enjoyable one, so great customer service is a must. Knowing where you’re going to browse for cars and knowing exactly which cars you want to look at can give you the confidence to walk right in and ask for what you want.
Bring back-up buddies
Just because you have all the facts and know what you want doesn’t always make it easier when you arrive at the dealership. If you’re still a little unsure, bring back-up buddies. They’re mostly there for support and to stop you from feeling overwhelmed when the salesperson you’re dealing with brings a colleague to assist in persuading you to make a sale you’re not entirely comfortable with.
On your own, it’s easy to just give in, but when you have someone with you, you can have more confidence to stand your ground because your decisions are supported. You could even go so far as to pull a good-cop-bad-cop routine with your friend as a negotiating tactic.
Take a proper look under the hood
It will be a bonus if the friend you bring is clued up on car mechanics or you need to make sure you at least understand what’s going on when looking at a car engine.
The more you know about cars, the harder it is for car dealers to dazzle you and charge you for simple jargon. When you go viewing for used cars, you need to ask to “pop the hood”, test drive the car and look at the vehicle’s service records. But, more than ask, you need to understand what’s going on in all those circumstances and know what to look for to make sure you are, in fact, getting a good car as well as a good deal.
Also view:
Vehicle Finance, Car Insurance and Road Safety
Buying and Selling a Vehicle – Informed decisions and the Vehicle Retailer
The Online Vehicle Retail Market and Safely Selling Vehicles Online