How to Save Money When Buying a Car
Use this expert guide to save money on your next car purchase.
The cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact on the global car market.
People still need (and want) to buy new cars — but they’re not willing to spend as much money as before. This is something that you can probably relate to.
If you are someone that’s looking to save money when buying a car, you’ve arrived at your destination. Below is a collection of tips and tricks that’ll help you save bags of money on the next car you purchase, whether it’s a MINI or an Audi.
Shop Around
The key to saving money on a car purchase is to shop around.
You’ll often find that you can get better car deals in completely different cities and countries. For instance, you might live in the US and save $3,000 buying a used car from Canada — you get the idea. It’s all about shopping around for the best deal.
If you find a car you like from another city or country, you’ll need to compare car transporters for your car transport. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get your hands on the car you’ve purchased. This works because the car transport company will pick up the car for you and ship it directly to your desired location. You don’t have to do anything except pay the shipping fee, so it’s super easy.
Moving into the future, millions of people around the world will continue the trend of purchasing cars from completely different places. The amount of money that you can save is crazy, which is why so many buyers are doing it.
Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate with Dealers
Car dealers are used to negotiation. Therefore, you shouldn’t be afraid to open talks with them so that you can potentially knock hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars off the original asking price. The more experienced you become at this, the easier future negotiations will be.
When negotiating a price, make sure that you:
- Stay calm
- Always be polite
If it escalates into an argument, the dealership might outright refuse to sell you the car, which you obviously don’t want.
Use Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace was launched back in 2016. Since then, it’s connected countless car buyers with sellers. The best part about this is that Marketplace is well-known for having some of the lowest car prices around, as people usually use it because they want to quickly sell their cars direct.
When you have a spare second, fire up Facebook Marketplace on your smartphone and search for the car model you’re interested in. You might quickly find that an individual is selling this particular car model in your area — and they’re selling it at a much lower price than the last dealership you checked out. If so, you’ll be able to directly message the seller to discuss everything in more detail and (potentially) go ahead with a purchase.
Consider Downsizing
Another great way to save money when buying a car is to downsize. This is because smaller cars are typically cheaper and come with more efficient engines, meaning you can save money when filling up at the gas station. It’s a no-brainer — especially if you’re someone who doesn’t have a big family.