At Nicholson Auto, we want to make sure you get the best deal possible. To help make sure you don’t spend a penny more than you need to, we’ve put together this short guide to saving money when buying a car.

It’s packed with tips from the importance of pre-researching your vehicle to negotiation tactics every car buyer should know. Read on, and start saving!

Due diligence

Saving money buying a car isn’t always about what you spend – it’s about what you didn’t have to spend. Every purchase should begin with thorough research of the make and model of the car you’re intending to buy. Does it fit your needs? Is it reliable? Are you likely going to have to spend a lot on maintenance? What about fuel economy?

And then it comes to the actual car itself and its needs. New cars have manufacturer warranties – see how long those are. Used cars should, ideally, come with a mechanic’s report. Car yards might have those available for you, and you should insist on one if you’re going private as well. Spend some time here, and you’ll spend less money later down the line.

Buy used

Buying a new car has plenty of advantages: newer features, lower insurance rates, extended warranty coverage, just to name a few. But those advantages do come with a cost, and the value of your new vehicle will start to drop the moment you start driving.

Instead, consider buying a used model of the same or similar car. Sure, they might have a few more k’s, but they’ll also often have a lot fewer 0’s on the price tag as well.

Negotiate

You don’t have to take the price tag as the final offer on a car! You don’t have to be some haggling guru to get a better deal either. Simply asking “is there room to negotiate on price?” and being polite is often enough to knock a little off the top, or to get some freebies thrown in.

Compromise on the bells and whistles 

Nearly any car will have some extra gubbins to add on: heated seats, built-in GPS, a rear camera – they’re all nice to have, but they aren’t necessarily must-have, and they will cost you more to have them included.

Your best bet is to go in with an idea of what accessories are absolutely essential to your enjoyment/use of the car. If you’ve already got a third-party GPS, do you need a built-in one? If you’re already the best parallel parker this side of the Tasman, do you need that rear camera? Compromise at this point will save you dollars, which always makes sense.

Pay cash

Cars, especially new ones, can be expensive, and not everyone will have the cash immediately available to buy one outright. Car finance is an option in this case, but you should always keep the interest costs in mind before you decide on that route.

If you’re able to wait for a few more weeks or months and save up, paying cash will mean you pay less for the car in the long run. Patience is a virtue for a reason, after all!

For more information or to start your car buying journey, get in touch with the experts at Nicholson Auto today.