Like any significant purchase, buying a car comes with a considerable amount of stress. The reason is that the difference between a great deal and a bad one can be a matter of many thousands of dollars. That kind of discrepancy means that the stakes are high, and you can feel the effects of a mistake for many years after you make it.
Luckily, there are five crucial questions you can ask to make sure your Abbotsford car dealership is treating you as they should. You can find them below.
How Does the Sales Associate Make You Feel?
While this point may seem insignificant, it is actually one of the most important. The reason is that most of us have an excellent intuition about when we’re being mistreated. Some examples of ways a sales associate might do so are trying to make you feel rushed or confused. If this is the case, you’ll likely want to find a new provider. There are too many ethical sales associates out there to deal with one who is not. What you can look for instead is a person that seeks to inform you about the vehicle above all else.
Did You Get Any Discounts Off Sticker Price?
Love it or hate it, most dealers inflate the prices that you put on the vehicles in their lot. This practice allows them to get a bit more money on most transactions. You can do two things to curb this effect. First, ask for discounts and special offers, as most dealerships continually have sales going on. Second, you can engage in some light negotiation, which should get you some money back. This factor is also evidence that choosing a great dealer is so important. The reason is that with an ethical business, you don’t have to fight for a good deal. Instead, they offer it to you readily.
Is it Close to Standard Value?
Though every car is different, you can settle on a target price by using a few online tools. The most common of them are Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds, and Truecar. These platforms will give you a rough idea of how much you should end up paying for the vehicle that you want. This number can also serve as a starting point for negotiations, as letting the dealer pull up an initial price may increase your final bill.
Are the Financing Terms Fair?
Ultimately, financing helps both sides of the equation. The dealer makes a bit of money off of interest, while you get to purchase a car without having all of the money upfront. Still, this practice can turn sour if you do not get fair terms on your financing. An example of this idea is a dealer than convinces you to pay a higher interest rate in exchange for a lower monthly payment. While this adjustment might seem insignificant to you in the moment, it could be worth thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your loan. When at a dealer, don’t be afraid to ask for a final cost of the car with all interest included. Doing so will give you a more accurate idea of the deal you’re getting.
Are There Extra Fees?
Some dealers try to sneak in extra fees at the end of your transaction. What you can do to avoid this trap is know which of these expenses are standard. Generally, those will be taxes and DMV fees. If one of them has a cryptic name like “service fee,” you could get it waived.
One thing to remember when buying a car is that there is no rush. You don’t need to buy one in the first few days of your search, and you probably shouldn’t walk out of your first Abbotsford car dealership with a new vehicle to your name. Instead, take it slow and ask the five questions above. If a dealer checks all the boxes, you can then go forward with confidence.
