5 Major Car Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Buying a car is an exciting process. You might be thinking of what kinds of seats you’d like or the level of horsepower you want. As you get ready to buy a car, however, it is important to avoid making certain mistakes. Keep these top five car buying mistakes in mind while you shop for a new car and compare rates for auto loans.

Mistake #1: Buying the First Car You See

If you’re a busy person, you may not want to spend too long finding the right car. It’s tempting just to take the first vehicle that meets your minimum requirements for size and features. Before you finance a car, however, it’s worth doing some comparison shopping to see if you’re getting a good deal or a “lemon.”

Mistake #2: Skipping the Test Drive

Maybe you have a lot of driving experience, and you’re certain that you know how the make and model of a car will drive. This “background knowledge” might lead you to skip the test drive option. This is a mistake.

[bctt tweet=”Each car drives differently — even the same make, model and model year. If the car was previously in an accident, it might not feel good to drive. Do yourself a favor and make time for a test drive.” username=””]

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Mistake #3: Ignoring the Vehicle History

Perhaps you’re a handy person who feels confident that you would recognize a used car that had been in a bad accident. If you’re in a hurry, you might not ask for or order the vehicle history report. However, the vehicle history report contains critical information about service, recalls, repairs and any accidents. Those who skip this task could be missing out on some important safety information.

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Mistake #4: Buying More Than You Can Afford

The price of the car is not the only cost associated with driving. Don’t forget about car insurance, gasoline, routine maintenance, repairs and vehicle registration. If you forget to consider these other costs, you may end up overpaying.

Mistake #5: Buying a Car That Needs Work

Unless you plan to get a mechanic to give you an estimate, you could end up getting yourself into a sticky financial situation. A dealer might tell you that a vehicle requires a minor repair even though it really needs major work.

Now that you know which mistakes to avoid, check out this site. It could help with your upcoming car purchase.