Tips for Buying a New Car Online
Buying a new car does not have to be a stressful, time-consuming experience. The beauty of researching and buying a new car online is you can get all of the information you need at your own pace, without hassle or pressure. Once you've narrowed down your options and you're ready to buy, you can request multiple quotes from local dealers with a couple of clicks, and compare them quickly and easily either online or via email, making it easy for you to pursue the new car deal you like best.
You'll have local area dealers competing for your business in no time. And that means you get a better price.
Choosing a new car can be difficult because it is ultimately a subjective, personal decision, and factors in your taste, lifestyle, and specific needs (such as a comfortable backseat with a built-in DVD player for the kids).
That being said, there are some very objective things to consider when choosing your new car:
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — Beyond the purchase price are several variables that will affect the total cost of owning a car. Will your car be expensive to insure? What is the car's gas mileage? If it gets very good mileage (especially with gas prices so high), your TCO will be lower. Also think about the car's resale value and reliability.
- Warranty Coverage — The better the warranty, the smaller the chance you will be forced to pay repair costs early in the life of the car. Look for longer warrantees on the engine and power train. Some manufacturers even offer "Bumper-to-bumper" warranties that cover everything in the car. Select manufacturers (high-end manufacturers like Mercedes and Audi, and aggressive mid-scale manufacturers like Mitsubishi) are offering to pay for the scheduled maintenance for the first 3-5 years you own the car! Consider purchasing an extended warranty if you plan to drive the car lots of miles or if you'll be using it under rough conditions.
- Maintenance Service — Certain manufacturers cover all maintenance costs for the first years of ownership. Volvo covers all regularly scheduled maintenance for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles. Mitsubishi covers maintenance for 3 years or 45,000 miles. Free scheduled maintenance can easily save you between $1,000 and $2,000!
- Tax Breaks — Purchasing certain cars can give you a tax break! People who purchase select Hybrid vehicles like the Toyota Prius are eligible to write off $2,000 of the cost of the vehicle. Small business owners who purchase large (3,000+ lbs) SUV's are able to write off the entire purchase price if the vehicle is used for business purchases. Look at www.irs.gov for the most up-to-date information.
- Lease or Buy — Leasing a car generally means renting it for a long period of time. Your monthly payments will be lower, but you won't own the car at the end of the lease and there may be penalties for excess wear or excess mileage put on the vehicle. Owning means higher monthly payments, but you'll own your car and you'll have more flexibility regarding how you treat it and when you sell it. See our Leasing vs. Buying article for more info!
For the first time, you have all the information, not the dealer! This means better prices for you. At OnlineAutoQuotes.com, the new car price quoting service is free — you have no obligation to buy.
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