PRETTY YOUNG THING

Finding a car perfect for your needs seems difficult, and buying is often regarded as easy.

The truth is that it’s not about finding the best car you can possibly get by penny-pinching or waiting until the perfect time to find one (you may need a vehicle sooner rather than later, after all), but in knowing which car compliments your lifestyle and moving on from there.

However, it may be a little time since you’ve purchased a vehicle. You may no longer have your parent's direct oversight now you’re a little older and more independent, or you might be purchasing from a garage instead of a personal seller and have little experience with that process. Sometimes, buying is more complex than you thought.

No matter what, it’s important to avoid a bad deal on your next car. While many retailers are trustworthy, there will always be those who hope to sell you the least value for the most amount of money. Of course, that isn’t necessarily unethical but rather sharp business sense, after all, we’re conversely looking to get the most for our money.

So, in this post, we hope to help you avoid a bad deal on your next car - no matter if you’re looking for a simple hatchback or premium Mercedes convertibles. Without further ado, please consider:

Check All Vehicle Documents

With the vehicle history report which should detail any work done and servicing, you can better understand issues that may have taken place like collisions pre-empting the need for recuperative work. This V5C Registration, MOT Certificate, service history records, your vehicle handbook, and if available, previous owner details are all essential to look at. You can also get an HPI check (the aforementioned report) on any car but you may need to apply for it. On top of this, the insurance documents and tax details can be made available to you, but you may have to arrange that separately.

Identify High-Pressure Sales Strategies

Ultimately, the person hoping to sell a vehicle will intend to sell it to you. That’s the best outcome for them. They gain nothing by spending an hour with you and then walking away with nothing. As such, some may try to adopt high-pressure sales tactics such as constantly pushing you to a decision, trying to cut short your test drive, offering seemingly predatory discounts or bundles that will expire if you leave the lot, and perhaps negating questions asked or giving short answers. This is where alarm bells should ring, as if you feel like you’re being pushed into a deal, you probably are. If the car was such a great opportunity, these tactics would be unnecessary.

Avoid Proprietary Additions & Bundles

Unnecessary warranty extensions, pain protections, undercoatings, window tinting, dent repair coverages, or even insurance plans are all examples of bundles and bonuses that you may be convinced to get and charged extra for, but that you don’t need to have. Moreover, most of these considerations can be applied after your purchase if you feel like that’s something you need. With a little care and attention, you can avoid those predatory pricing issues and instead move away with your budgeted expenditure, knowing you haven’t fallen for upselling.

With this advice, you’re sure to avoid a bad deal on your next car.

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Style 

First, you should make sure that you do think about checking out the style of your vehicle. This can include details such as the shape of the car and unique selling features that are part of the body such as a spoiler. It will also add to your personal style. We recommend that you think about looking for a car that looks great in the showroom and makes you feel good overall. You could even look at specific brands. For instance, you might want to check out an Audi dealership if you are interested in a sporty car. 

Features 

Another option worth exploring is the features that a car provides. This is another element that you will need to pay extra for but it can be worth it as it means that you’re always going to have more fun driving around in your car. 

For instance, you might love listening to music. If that’s the case, then we recommend that you do think about investing in a car with a great speaker system. These are often available on a car if you get a more expensive trim with the right features. 

Practicality 

Next, you should think about if a car provides the right practical benefits that you need for your lifestyle. For instance, you might love taking long trips. If that’s the case, then you need to make sure that you do think about choosing a car that has the right range. It will also need to be reliable if you want to avoid being left stranded at the side of the road. Another point to consider is going to be the size of the vehicle. Smaller cars may look cut but if they can’t fit in everything that you need then they can be a little pointless and cause you to question why you made this purchase. 

Color

Finally, you might want to consider the color of your new car. It is possible to choose a car in a specific color, particularly if you are buying the vehicle new. However, you will need to pay a little more for this choice with some of the popular colors often being the most expensive and more difficult to fit into your budget. If you are worried about this, then we recommend that you do think about speaking to a dealer to find out how different colors will impact the price before determining whether or not they are going to be worth it for you.