Money hacks for purchasing car on budget

For as long as I can remember my favorite car is “Chevy’67 impala” courtesy of Dean and Sam Winchester in “Supernatural”. Unfortunately when I had to buy a car I could not afford that classic vintage by long shot, so I had no other option but to wear adult pants make a decision according to my budget rather than my fantasies. I love to commute there is no argument about it, I have made many good friends on commute but my odd working hours have really made it difficult, that is when I decided to get a car. Purchasing car is not an easy task you have to put lot of consideration and money on it. I wanted to get a car that will last me few good years with minimum maintenance, so to make to sound investment it is really important to research what are you getting into, so I rolled my sleeves and got to work, I talked to my friends who owned cars and read of articles on how to purchase and maintain cars.

By the end of the day I was much more educated about cars functionality and their expenses, how can I afford and maintain one and through these tips I bought my first car year ago. Safe to say my research worked and I got a running car on my budget which hardly requires any maintenance, if you are also looking for a reasonable car on budget then keep on reading the tricks I used while purchasing my car;

 

Work out on your budget

It is very important to come up with a fixed price as car budget, in this budget you have to estimate:

• initial cost of car

• registration

• licensing plates

• maintenance

• repairs

• service

• car wash

• fuel

You cannot barge in to any dealership without a budget in mind and if you do, you will face the financial consequences. You have to think about the payment of the car as well as how much you can spend on your car monthly. This budget will assist you in choosing car that best accommodates your budget and your life style.

 

Firsthand or secondhand?

Both new and old cars have their list of pros and cons you have to decide where you will benefit the most with your limited budget. The new cars initially cost a lot but they do not consume as much fuel compared to old cards neither they need frequent visits to car shops for repair and maintenance.

 

Although old cars has more fuel consumption and requires a repair here and there, but they are low-cost, their depreciation value is not that much low than new cars. Their monthly installments are low and after adding monthly expense of the car they will still be affordable compared to new cars.

 

Do not set your heart on one car

Whether you have decided to go for new car used cars in hesperia do not set your heart on a particular car, in this way dealer knows that you will not go for any other option and you are willing to buy the particular car at any cost which makes them less likely to negotiate. Go in shops with mind-open check different cars, check their reliability and resale value and most importantly if they can be easily accommodated in your assigned budget. Work on your bargaining skills, do not agree with dealer on everything, research on your own then make reasonable offers. Negotiate a good deal with terms and condition and possible warranty.

 

Always compare prices

It does not matter if you have decided to get a new car or reused car always match their prices before making a purchase. to get a deal for an old car you can also visit car auctions where the cars are sold without middle man so you will save a lot more although run away from those cars which are labeled as “cash only” and “sold as is”. For new cars check their prices from at least two to three dealerships, their price range can vary depending upon the popularity and service of the dealership.

 

 

 

 

 

Mechanic for once over

Once you have selected the car do not just buy it, even after negotiating a good deal and looking at its history you should get it checked by an individual mechanic once over to make sure there are no stinky surprises later. Especially if you are purchasing a secondhand cars they might be problems your dealer is not willing to tell you in order to get a good bargain, to make sure you are not getting deathtrap in the name of car always take a mechanic to go tooth and comb through car. You can ask your dealer and make an appointment for your mechanic, mechanics are happy to look at cars with little incentive, believe me this will save a lot of cost in future.

 

Drive it before you buy it

Every car is a little different but it gets adjusted over time, but you need to take car for a test drive before purchasing it so you can know for sure if you are going to get used to it in future. Some cars are pretty to look at but later prove to be uncomfortable; it may be the height of the seat, distance of steering wheel or any other thing that makes it difficult to accommodate you. By taking it for test drive you can access if it fits comfort zone as well it fits your budget.

 

 

 

Last day of the month

If you are planning to buy a car, try to go to dealerships on the last day of the month, the dealers sales are being totaled and the dealer who have sold the most cars get the added bonus, so if you go at the end of the month all they want is to make a sale so they can add up in their ledger for fat bonus, so they are most likely to negotiate and agree to your terms and condition so they can close a deal.

 

By the end of the day

Even if you are going on the last working day of the month try to make it just before the closing hours, the dealers are more than anxious to get to their homes and want to make a deal to close the place. In this way you can make a good deal with them as they are willing to make adjustments so that can put their feet up.

 

Avoid optional extras

You might want a beefed up sound system to play your favorite while you are on way to beach, but hold on that thought, these added extras will add up to the original amount of car and can get out of hands very fast. A sound system, leather covers, LCD display, amped up headlights which might seem not-so-expensive at that time, can disrupt your entire budget. If you want these add-ons so bad you can wait for few months to get them install when you have budget for it, until then resist the temptation.

These money saving hacks made the experience of buying car very easy and affordable for me, because of these tips chose the car which best accommodated my needs and was affordable on my beginner’s salary. Tell me which of these hacks do you like the best? Do follow them on your next visit to dealership and mention how much you were able to save by these tips!