Five Tips to Save Big Bucks When Buying a Car

Five Tips to Save Big Bucks When Buying a Car
Author: Mark Marine-8975

Most people hate buying a car. They rate it right up there with getting a root canal—downright painful. But why oh why is buying a vehicle such a nightmare? For many of us it is the painful negotiation to get the best price. Is there any way that we can buy a car and save money without all of the stress?!

YES! The reason that the negotiation is so stressful is that people don’t understand how car dealerships make their profits: your car loan. This is where the real profits come into play. And while everyone cringes when it comes time to talk about credit, don’t let your eyes glaze over just yet, because that’s where you need to focus if you want to be a savvy consumer and save money.

5 Tips to Save Big Bucks When Buying a Car!

1. Check Your Credit Report
Most credit reports contain inaccurate information. It’s up to you to find the inaccuracies and correct them - there’s no government agency that requires the credit report companies to amend mistakes to your report.

2. Good Credit Means That You’re Ripe for Abuse

When you have good credit, banks place fewer restrictions on your loan and that allows dealers to charge you more for the car and inflate your interest rate. So it’s crucial to know your lender’s conditions on your loan up-front.

3. Bad Credit Means the Bank Protects its Money

When you have bad credit, the bank places more restrictions on the loan. That gives dealers less wiggle room to add on options or raise the interest rate. But bad credit still means you have fewer options when borrowing money.

4. Get Pre-approved Before You Visit Any Car Dealers

That way the dealer is forced to make a deal that fits the conditions outlined by the bank - again, eliminating that profit wiggle room.

5. Have an Exit Strategy

Don’t let the lust for leather seats and a premium sound system melt your brain. When buying a car, keep in mind at some point you’ll sell that car. So you must be smart. You’ll pay much more for options than you’ll recoup when selling it down the road.

Mark Marine author of “Don’t Kick the Tires, Kick the Dealer” says that consumers also need to know that when it comes to their credit, the best thing they can do is pay their bills on time and beware of ‘credit repair’ scams.

“Understand that not all of the credit repair companies have your best interests at heart,” says Marine. “Some of these companies claim they can hide or remove negative information from your credit report, even if that information is true. But they can’t. In some cases after they’ve ‘repaired’ your credit, your score drops even lower than before you went to them.”

When it comes to your credit and buying a new car, consumers need to be informed. Check your credit score, get pre-approved first, and plan your exit strategy. A car purchase will affect your economic life for roughly three to seven years. That’s a long time to be stuck in a bad deal.

Visit www.kickthedealer.com for more information about Mark Marine.

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Mark Marine has been in the car business since 1989. He grew frustrated listening to the litany of stories from consumers who were upside down, or owed more than their car was worth, in their car loans. Bothered by the standard practices in the auto industry, Marine decided to start empowering consumers by explaining how dealerships operate. His work for consumers led to national interviews on the Allan Handelman Show, Everyday Wealth, Dr. Penelope Sugrosse and Ellen Rohr with Bare Bones Biz and The Jim Sumpter Show. Marine also hosted a daily talk show for four years on KTKK radio in Salt Lake City and wrote a weekly column in the Enterprise Newspaper, which was distributed to businesses throughout Utah. He currently lives in Utah where he owns and operates a car dealership.