6 Easy Steps to Buy a Car Online

Buying a car is considered as one of the most significant expenses next to purchasing a house. It is an investment that requires thought and a lot of consideration. Bottom line, it costs a lot of money.

Nowadays, everything is being done in an instant. With a single click here and there, you are done shopping! Everything can be bought with a mouse or even with just a phone. Purchasing cars online has become a trend because it is deemed faster and economical but take note that it can also be a bit complicated.

Philkotse.com prepared some tips and tricks to save money and time when it comes to purchasing your car online.

Step #1. Choosing the Right Car

Buying a car is usually because of necessity so finding the best car that would suit and satisfy your needs is very important. Start by identifying your needs and your current status. Do you need a car with lots of cargo space?

Or perhaps a car intended for long drives but you have concerned about it being fuel efficient. How many kids or passengers would you usually have? Identifying the car that suits you would lead you in narrowing down what make and model of car do you need.

There are a lot of comprehensive websites right now that can offer you comparative reviews not just from the manufacturers and from expert car critics but most importantly from consumers like you who have honest to brutal reviews.

You would also be given a sneak preview of the monthly and annual fees involved.

Identify the car that suits you

Step #2. Set a Budget

What’s more important is sticking to your budget. You might get overwhelmed with all the reviews of your car of choice, but then again, it is crucial only to consider a car an option if you can afford it.

This will save you time from researching cars that are beyond the budget. It will also set aside the temptation of splurging more than what’s planned.

Save time and money by the 20-4-10 rule where you make a minimum deposit of 20%, set a financing term of not more than four years, and your monthly transportation expenditures should not go beyond 10% of your monthly income with insurance, gas, payments, and maintenance are taken into consideration. Set a budget cap and you can filter your research via the budget you have set.

Save time and money by the 20-4-10 rule where you make a minimum deposit of 20%

>>> Also check:

• What to save or spend on with a new car [Part 1].
• What to save or spend on with a new car [Part 2].

Step #3. Get in touch with a car dealership

Almost all car dealerships have already set up an online means of communication within their websites or via a messaging application. Review the best car dealership within your area and strike a conversation.

Some car dealerships, of course, would try to be pushy to get a couple of hundred dollars from you, but transparency will be a game changer.

If you know that add-ons, the monthly expectations less the sales trick, then you can have more time deciding while at the same time maximizing your allotted budget. Save an ocular at this point and get the conversation going online, via the phone or email exchanges.

Request and get quotes so negotiations can come into play too.

Be friendly with the internet sales manager but at the same time be firm. If you have the stock number or the VIN, provide that too, so they don’t give you the runaround.

Almost all car dealerships have already set up an online means of communication within their websites

Step #4. Negotiation is the key

Negotiate on the car price, the financial cost, and the trade in value. Negotiating online is very easy and showing proof can be a game changer. If one dealership offers you $13,000 then let them know that someone offered $12,500 and show that email quote.

It is a small world for the online car dealership, so you need to know on when to play your game.

Don’t be swayed with the upsells even if it just costs you $10 per month. Let them know that there are other key players in the game with better offers. Hear them out but don’t get influenced easily. Again, stick to your budget.

If the negotiation when buying a car is becoming a pain and is leading you elsewhere and with more money getting involved, drop it and don’t invest another minute.

Negotiate on the car price, the financial cost, and the trade in value

Step #5. An inspection from a mechanic

This is not going to be done online but getting someone to inspect before that final online purchase is very imperative. You can schedule someone online to do this for you if you are a bit too far from the location of the car or if you don’t know any trusted car mechanic.

There are services online for independent mechanics that can provide you with a full report on the car that you mean to purchase.

Getting someone to inspect before that final online purchase is very imperative

Step #6. Make that Final Purchase

Some car dealerships want everything fast too. It allows them to seal the deal, remove some time for the buyer to reconsider and get with it with another customer. This is true but getting out of the digital and instant world would be smart for this tip. Go see the car and go for a test drive.

This will reaffirm if you have chosen the right car. Besides, it would be nice to see the actual person you’ve been dealing with all this time. Putting on a real face and not just emoji or an avatar is quite reassuring too.

Making the final purchase online can still be done so long as you’re confident that this is the investment that you want

At this point, making the final purchase online can still be done so long as you’re confident that this is the investment that you want.

Buying your car online can really save you the numerous and sometimes unnecessary trips to the dealership and manually scouting and checking the cars as doing this costs you time and gas. Just make sure that you still stay safe while shopping for your car online.

>>> Worth reading: Important Facts About Buying a Car Online in the Philippines to Avoid Being Scammed.

Scams are aplenty, and scammers can confidently discuss and talk car business with you.

Again, a car is an investment, and it just provides that emotional thrill and satisfaction of seeing and driving that car that is meant for you. The online world is prosperous with resources that make shopping very convenient but always use your best judgment before you click.