You've Got to Get Around

Your car is spending more time visiting your mechanic than sitting in your garage. You have a 17 year old with a social life so active they absolutely must have their own transportation.

In other words, you need to buy a car. But you want to get the right car at the right price. Now, more than any other time in decades, you need to be sure that what you get will be safe, get good mileage and not cost you two years salary.

I am not a car expert, by any means. I do, however, have a lot of experience in getting high quality at a lower price. So let me share some not-so-secrets:

1. Don't buy new!
As most of you know, a car loses a huge chunk of its value the moment it drives off the lot. If you are always used to new cars, find a car that is either this year or last year and only has 1,000-2,000 miles on it. You will get the same quality without paying for it.

2. Research, Research, Research.
This should not be an impulse buy. And believe me, I have bought impulse cars. That's how I learned thse lessons. When you have an idea of what you want, either from TV commercials, driving around and looking at lots or by word of mouth, check them out. Compare cars, prices and amenities. You can do all of the at Vehix.com. They allow you to compare (and even buy). I suggest you test drive a car before you buy it, even if you find it online.

3. Don't be afraid to bargain.
My husband worked for a used-car dealership. It was a very well known and very respected dealership, one of the top three in the state. It was their policy to let a prospective client stand up and start to walk away three times before they made their lowest offer. If the client didn't walk away three times, the dealership got a higher price. This may or may not go on in other places, but car sales are down and you have done your research, so you will know just what to offer.

4. If you want to buy at a car auction, be knowledgeable.
I have put the link on the right for a report on how to buy knowledgeably at car auctions. This goes back to research. Click Here!