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How To Buy A Car: Your New Jeep!
How to buy a car, and especially buying that new Jeep! What's the secret?
Pretty simple...Right? Heck no! To buy a car takes a lot of homework, searching and preparation to find that perfect sweet ride...unless you have billions of dollars to throw around. And even then, most high dollar buyers do their homework...but just a little differently than you and me. Read one of Jay Leno's articles in his search for just the right car for his massive collection in Popular Mechanics magazine. (He writes his own column there). Buying a brand new Jeep boils down to these 5 basic factors:
Choosing a new Jeep Model requires deciding on its intended use and who will be the primary driver. An SUV model such as the Grand Cherokee, Patriot and the smaller Compass might fit well for families and/or commuters. Since these SUV models come in 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive one should consider this option depending upon the type of road conditions to be traveled. Will your new Jeep be used for hunting...camping trips...etc. ? Do you live in a region where snow, rain, ice or unpaved roads may warrant more traction from a 4-wheel drive? If you plan to drive mostly on good roads and dry pavement then 2-wheel drive might serve you best...not to mention that 2-wheel drive Jeeps cost significantly less than the 4-wheel drive versions. Now, if you want great off road capability, but with some sacrifice in comfort and on-pavement manners you might want to look into the Jeep Wranglers, including one of my favorites...the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4-door.
If you want to buy a car...er!...Jeep that will really stand out go to my Jeep Wrangler Unlimited page by clicking here!
But, I would caution you to not be drawn in by what I call the "Jeep Mystique" regarding the classic Wrangler style.
New Jeep Out of the Question?
Many people of all ages have been lured by the cool looks...the history and the legend of the "Universal" style Jeeps which include the Wranglers and the old CJ's going back to the original Willys military Jeeps of the 1940's. The Wranglers are special purpose Jeeps and even though they have improved significantly in their on-pavement ride they are still primarily designed to handle rugged off road conditions at the expense of comfort. Don't expect the comfort of a Cadillac with the Wrangler. You can however get the smoother ride (even with the 4-wheel drive option) in the Jeep SUV models mentioned earlier. Choosing color, options and accessories will simply involve personal preferences and how deep your pockets are. I am partial to the "least is best" philosophy in that I only want what I think I need in a vehicle...nothing more. With color choice you might consider your local climate when selecting a particular shade. I live in Texas and dark colors increase interior heat in our scorching summers. Lighter shades conversely have a cooler effect. Also, darker colors show smudges and dirt more than lighter colors do. Again, it comes down to personal preference. Staying within your budget implies that you have set yourself a budget in the first place. If you haven't set some financial parameters when you plan to buy a car or new Jeep you may regret it later when you see that beauty on the showroom floor that just happens to be thousands more than you can comfortably afford. Listen carefully to these words of Larry's wisdom: No vehicle is worth putting unnecessary financial burdens on you or your family. Set a reasonable budget and then...stick to it!
Negotiating a deal is tough for some. I actually enjoy the process when I'm in the market to buy a car, but that's just me. Once you have selected the Jeep you desire remember this:
You may have to trim some unnecessary options or accessories to get within your budget range. Realize also that vehicles are marked up for the dealers profit. Don't be timid about offering a much lower price than the asking price. Most dealers/sales personnel expect you to negotiate on price when they think you might really want to buy a car that day, or very soon. Note: Some dealers will not negotiate much...if any... on certain very popular models which are in high demand, simply because they don't have to work as hard to sell these particular models. More of Larry's wisdom: If the seller can't or won't give you the deal YOU want.....by all means walk away! There are other dealers and deals. You can always buy a car another time. You might even have the salesperson follow you to the door with more incentives. If he/she still doesn't meet your offer...keep walking! I had walked away from a deal to buy a car recently (not a Jeep...shame!) and the sales associate called me the next day with an even better deal than I had proposed the day before. Sometimes you may realize that a particular model may not be within the reach of your budget. There's no shame in walking away and regrouping, or planning a new strategy. The worst thing you can do is to buy a car and get in over your head. I know...I have done both and believe me it feels better to have walked away from a poor deal than to take that deal and regret it later.
Financing and closing the deal also requires some pre-planning and preparation. It's a good idea to get pre-approved for a loan before negotiating a deal on a new car or new Jeep. Financing can be very creative with car dealers which could translate into costing you dearly in interest rates and dealer add-on costs. I like to use my own financial institution when I buy a car because I have already established a relationship there, and can usually get a better deal. Car dealers will often try to get you to use one of their financing partners which may be okay, but use extreme caution and read the fine print before signing anything. Also, upon signing the final papers you will usually be offered a number of items like extended warranties, special service contracts and other add-ons. These can add significantly to your final cost and payments...and most dealers are very clever with their sales pitches. Again, do your homework. Ask yourself if you really need that service agreement or extended warranty. Do you plan to even keep the vehicle much beyond the standard warranty period? It seems like a lot to remember when you buy a car or Jeep, but think of it this way...A new vehicle is the second most expensive purchase that most people make...with their homes being the first. And all vehicles depreciate with time and upkeep costs...so choose wisely. Well...I hope I have provided some insight into how to buy a car. The guidelines for buying a new Jeep are pretty much the same as buying any new car with a few basic differences. Jeeps are special and unique with that great Jeep history and heritage. But I'm not biased...not little ol' me! Good hunting and enjoy that new Jeep!
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