A whopping 87% of people don’t like the car buying experience at a car dealer. The majority of people feel that they were taken advantage of by the dealership.
Whether you’re buying a new car or a used car, you have to protect yourself from scams and pushy salespeople.
How can you make sure you get what you need and protect yourself at the same time? Read on to find out the top questions you need to ask a car dealer.
1. What Is the History of the Car?
This question is more important for used cars. Ask a car dealer how many owners the car had. You should try to obtain a complete maintenance history of the car.
You can do research on your own by looking up the VIN number. This is useful to learn if the car had damage from accidents.
For new cars, you should find out how many times the car went on test drives.
2. What Does the Price Include?
You may just drove a car that you love that has all of the features and bells and whistles you want. Those features usually cost quite a bit more than the base package. Car dealers usually advertise the base price to get you in the door.
You should be clear what the price of the car is with all of the features you want and need.
3. Do You Offer Financing?
More car dealers do offer vehicle financing because they can make money off of the deal.
Some dealers allow you to get pre-approved online, like at Auto1co.com. This is a convenient option because you know what you can afford before you walk in the door.
The car dealer also won’t try to sell a more expensive car to you, making the car buying experience a bit better.
4. What Is the Warranty?
There’s always a chance that you buy a car that has mechanical issues. Ask the car dealer what the manufacturer’s warranty is. The dealer probably has its own warranty as well.
Warranties vary for used cars. Certified pre-owned cars have stronger warranties, but you may have to purchase a warranty for full coverage.
5. Is There a Return Policy?
The good thing about buying from a car dealer is that they usually offer a grace period to return the car if you’re unhappy with it.
You can use this time to make sure that you really want the car or take it to get it inspected by another party.
Car dealerships usually have a short window, between 7-14 days. Make sure you understand what that time period is before signing paperwork.
Ask a Car Dealer the Right Questions
Are you ready to buy your next car? You’re prepared to visit a car dealer now that you know the right questions to ask.
You want to get a sense of the car’s history and how the car dealer operates. You’ll have the confidence to know that you won’t get ripped off.
Ready for more automotive insights? Take a look at the blog today!