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Car Buying - bnext bnext community
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Car buying
| “I just wanted to buy a car, if I wanted a lemon I would have gone to a grocery store”
Doesn’t sound like something you want to be saying after forking out thousands of dollars is it? Unfortunately, this does still happen. Researching before you buy is a great way to eliminate so many problems you might come across.
We’re not asking you to sit down with Hot-4’s magazine or head down to the local car show to check out the burnouts, just a few handy tips to get you started on your way to welcoming the newest member of your family.
Remember when your parents used to always say “if something looks to good to be true it usually is”? Well this is a great time to keep that in the front of your mind. Its hard to not get caught up in all the excitement of sitting in an awesome car that looks great and has a great sound system (that the seller has kindly turned up to cover the sound of the hole in the muffler), but you need to think about why this great looking car is a third of the regular price (never mind the guy also trying to sell you a great deal on a Rolex at the same time).
Dealerships can be the same, do your research to know what you want, so you can side swipe all the tricks of the trade and get the best deal.
Before shopping around you will need to work our how much you can afford to re-pay, taking into consideration petrol, insurance (we can help you with that too), servicing….all the things that come along with a car. Bnext offers a range of flexible, affordable loans for you, so check out our easy to use loan calculators and get started! Or, if you have already done your research, click here, fill out the forms and get closer to fulfilling your dreams! (…ok well at least vehicle dreams.)
Choose the right vehicle
Choosing the vehicle – Buy the type, make and model of car that best suits your needs…. We all have something in mind we really want, but is it really going to be the best thing for you? A big V8 is great, but the servicing and petrol costs that come along with it also need to be taken into consideration. Same as for a small car, they are excellent on fuel and zipping around but in reality, do you need more space in a car? Have a look around not only on the major car maker sites, but head down to local dealerships, keep an eye out when you’re driving around yourself. Plan a bit ahead to make sure you are selecting the car that screams you!
Compare Prices/Deals
Ok so you know what car you want, you know what colour want, you even know if you want cup holders and an iPod dock, now the thing to do is shop around for the best price. You can do this by getting some rest on a Friday night and getting up on Saturday and doing a car yard tour. Head to your dealerships, keep in mind that you have already decided what you want and its really easy to be tempted with added extras, but are they in your budget?? You can do this online as well as there are some handy comparison calendars about, however you might miss out on a deal the dealer could offer you in person.
Write it all down!
Any deals warranties or after market care you are promised with purchase needs to be in the contract! If you are offered extras to help sweeten the deal and you take them make sure they are written down and signed by the dealership, you will need proof you are entitled to the benefits.
Background checks
If buying a used car privately, call the Office of Fair Trading who administers the Register of Encumbered Vehicles (REVS) to check if there is any outstanding finance owing on the vehicle and the Written Off Vehicles Register to make sure the car has not previously been severely damaged and is classified as a write-off. The rules are different in each state so check the links below from a) where you live and b) where the car is being purchased from.
| QUEENSLAND
| NSW
| VICTORIA
| SOUTH AUSTRALIA
| WESTERN AUSTRALIA
| ACT
| NORTHERN TERRITORY
| Some other things to think about on a used car: How many km’s has it done? Is it coming up for a major service? Has it been routinely serviced in the past? Redbook is an excellent site to check out whether you’re paying to much, jus the right amount, or whether it’s the best deal you have ever seen (in which case, be careful!!)
Dealers
Contrary to all the clichés, car salespeople are not all underhanded types, just people doing their jobs and if you work with them, they can actually help you. Make sure first of all you are dealing with a licensed dealership (this gives you access to a cooling off period, warranties and the like); and if you don’t like the first person you are dealing with then move on to another! You are putting a lot of money into this investment so you have the right to deal with someone you feel comfortable with.
Online car sites
Online car sites are more and more popular and convenient to buy your car. There are rules and regulations that are to be adhered to when people list cars on there but you need to use your smarts and keep in contact with the site managers for anything you feel is dodgy. If you have any doubts, about a sale, then proceed with extreme caution! On most of the websites there are tips on how to best use the particular site so make sure you read up on those.
Insurance
Last but by NO means is least getting your new buy insured! It’s really important to make sure you are covered for anything you think MIGHT happen to your car. As previously stated, for most people this is perhaps the second biggest investment, you wouldn’t buy a house and have no insurance would you? Bnext can help you with premium Allianz Insurance that covers you on all bases. For further info click here.
| When it comes to buying a car, there’s a lot to contemplate. Do you want a used car or a slick set of new wheels? Are you going to buy privately or through a licensed car dealer? Do you want lots of grunt or is it economy you’re after? These are all questions you need to ponder when faced with the decision of which make and model you are going to purchase.
Everyone has a different approach when it comes to buying a car: some spend weeks and months poring over reviews to get the very best deal; others outsource the job to a car broker; and some just march into a car dealership and pay full price for the first car they fancy.
For most of us, a car is the second biggest purchase we will ever make. So clearly, the clever approach is to be prepared. Research the is key: you need to do more than just walk the walk when you are facing off with a fast-talking salesman wearing mirrored shades.
The car you love should also be the car you can afford and if you are smart, you can save yourself a few thousand dollars on everything from the cost of the car to the type of loan that will best suit your needs.
Before you start shopping around you will need to work out how much you can afford to pay, and also how much you can afford to repay. bnext offers a range of flexible car loans with varying interest rates depending on the type of vehicle being purchased.
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