| ou tired of your car? Is your family outgrowing it? | | | | best. A two-door vehicle would be inconvenient. As |
| Perhaps your job or recreational activities requires a | | | | to features, air-conditioning and power steering would |
| different kind of vehicle. People buy cars for many | | | | make for comfort and easy handling. Child safety |
| reasons. What are yours? Realize that some may be | | | | locks and driver controlled windows are also |
| emotional. Understanding your reasons and needs | | | | important features for families with small children. As |
| prepares you to buy rationally. | | | | you can see, careful consideration of your needs will |
| Always remember that you are the customer and it | | | | help assure a proper purchase. |
| is your money. Buy what you want! Purchasing a car | | | | Do not ever rush to make your purchase. Remember |
| is a long-term investment, not to be taken lightly. | | | | to create a picture of the car you want before |
| Make sure you choose the automobile you want to | | | | visiting any cardealers. |
| live with. This means liking the way it drives, not just | | | | Ideally, you want to purchase the car from a local |
| the way it looks. An excellent approach is to envision | | | | dealer, to save time now and for convenient |
| yourself in the car during your ordinary life situations. | | | | servicing later. Nevertheless, do not limit your search |
| If you can picture yourself in that car, then it is | | | | to local dealers—the convenience of buying |
| probably the one for you. | | | | locally could be costly if a better deal exists fifteen |
| Before you go near a car lot, you should decide what | | | | or twenty miles away. Buying your car away from |
| type of car you are looking for. Make a list of your | | | | home does not prevent you from servicing locally; it |
| needs. Think about how you will use the car. What | | | | is common to buy in one place and service at |
| do you and/or your family need the car to do? Do | | | | another. Buy from the dealer who gives the best |
| you want a sporty car for weekend drives on the | | | | deal, even if that dealership is not close to home. |
| open road? Do you need the vehicle mainly for | | | | Recommendations from friends and previous |
| business purposes? Will you often have many | | | | customers can help; consulting your local Better |
| passengers? Do you want two or four doors, a | | | | Business Bureau and consumer protection agencies |
| minivan, a hatchback, automatic or manual | | | | (for consumer complaints) is another good idea. |
| transmission, air-conditioning, power steering, power | | | | This may sound strange, but actually there IS a best |
| windows, power door locks, power brakes, stereo, | | | | time of day and month to buy. When? Shortly |
| sunroof? | | | | before closing time on the last day of the month. |
| For example, suppose Mr. Perez is a | | | | The dealership always wants one more sale by |
| thirty-two-year-old government worker with a wife | | | | month's end. Selling cars is a straight commission job; |
| and two small children. He needs a car mainly for | | | | if there is no sale, there is no money for the |
| work and family purposes. He needs room to carry | | | | salesperson. To create excitement for that last extra |
| cargo and wants economical, dependable | | | | sale, the dealership generally has a bonus program. |
| transportation. | | | | Since the manager and salesperson have an extra |
| Based on this profile, Mr. X. clearly does not want a | | | | incentive, you usually will not get the same deal any |
| two-seat sports car! Because he needs room for | | | | other time of the month. Shop first, then come in to |
| family and cargo, a large sedan or minivan would be | | | | close the deal at the end of the month. |