7 Essential Tips for Buying A Used Car
If buying a home is the biggest investment you’ll make in your life, then certainly, buying a car ranks second. Because cars are an investment, new or used, it pays to do your homework first!
Know Your Credit Score
This is so important! A good credit score is directly tied to new car and used car interest rates. In short, your credit score is at the center of financing your new vehicle.
Know what you can afford and stick with your budget. A good rule of thumb is to have at least 20% down so that you can lower your monthly payments.
Get Pre-Qualified for Used Car Financing
Once you’ve figured out your budget, get loan pre-approval from a lending institution. You can use your own bank for used car financing. Or you can choose to use our dealership for financing.
Research Car Insurance
Once you know the make and model of the car you want to buy, do some research on car insurance. Will the kind of car you buy require more expensive insurance? Find out!
Used Car Buying Through Our Dealership (What You Don’t Have To Do)
If you’re buying your car privately, you have to take more precautions. You’ll need to come prepared with a list of questions for the seller such as:
As a Carfax dealership, we sell Carfax used vehicles. That means you, the buyer, can purchase a car with complete confidence. You don’t have to be a used car guru to buy a quality used vehicle.
75-Point Used Car Inspection
With a private seller, it’s best to take the vehicle to your mechanic to make sure the vehicle is in good working order. Buying a used car through our dealership, you won’t have that worry or expense.
That’s why as a Harrisonburg used car dealership, we have seven tips we recommend you follow before you start the car buying process.
Know Your Credit Score
This is so important! A good credit score is directly tied to new car and used car interest rates. In short, your credit score is at the center of financing your new vehicle.
Demonstrating that you pay your bills on time—through a good credit score—means you’ll get a better interest rate.
Everyone in the US is entitled to one free credit report per year from any of the three major agencies such as Experion, TransUnion, and Equifax.
Before you start the used car buying process, check your credit first! Even if you pay your bills on time, your credit report can have errors. It’s estimated that 25% of credit reports have erroneous or incorrect information. Check it!
Make A List of Car Models That Interest You
Before you come to our dealership, make a list of the kinds of cars that interest you. Once you have that list, then do some research on repair costs and price points.
Make A List of Car Models That Interest You
Before you come to our dealership, make a list of the kinds of cars that interest you. Once you have that list, then do some research on repair costs and price points.
This kind of knowledge is valuable because it empowers you as a car buyer, allowing you to make informed decisions about your purchase. You know what you’re buying before you buy!
Know Your Budget and Stick with It
Know Your Budget and Stick with It
Get Pre-Qualified for Used Car Financing
Once you’ve figured out your budget, get loan pre-approval from a lending institution. You can use your own bank for used car financing. Or you can choose to use our dealership for financing.
If you choose to use us to finance your loan, you’ll find our rates are highly competitive with local banks. And our financing process is quicker for getting you into your new vehicle.
And finally, we have simple interest loans. You can pay ahead on your loan without any penalty!
If you’d rather use your own bank, our financing department can work with you. It will just take a little longer.
Research Car Insurance
Once you know the make and model of the car you want to buy, do some research on car insurance. Will the kind of car you buy require more expensive insurance? Find out!
Used Car Buying Through Our Dealership (What You Don’t Have To Do)
If you’re buying your car privately, you have to take more precautions. You’ll need to come prepared with a list of questions for the seller such as:
• Why are you selling this car?
• Are you the only owner?
• What’s the condition of the car?
• Have there been any collisions with this car?
These are just a few of the questions you’ll need to ask to get to know more about the vehicle you may want to buy.
However, if you buy a quality used car through our Harrisonburg car dealership, you’ll find that we already have this information for you.
As a Carfax dealership, we sell Carfax used vehicles. That means you, the buyer, can purchase a car with complete confidence. You don’t have to be a used car guru to buy a quality used vehicle.
Our sales consultants can pull a report on the vehicle and give it to you to review. You can then decide if you want to move forward with the purchase. Plus, every car we list online states that it is a Carfax car, truck, or SUV.
75-Point Used Car Inspection
With a private seller, it’s best to take the vehicle to your mechanic to make sure the vehicle is in good working order. Buying a used car through our dealership, you won’t have that worry or expense.
Besides being a Carfax Advantage dealership, all of our used vehicles must pass a 75-point inspection or the vehicle is not available for sale.
We back up the sale of our vehicles with either a 30 or 90-day warranty, depending on the age and mileage.
Make buying a used car an easy, enjoyable process. Become an informed consumer. And when you’re ready to buy, consider Joe Bowman Auto Plaza. You can buy your car with confidence! Learn more about us here.
