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Moving to Philly. I'm going to be buying a new car. Most likely a Corolla. Living in NYC and I've never purchased a car before! Can anyone run me through the steps and what to look out for.. i'm totally lost and from all the horror stories I'm very nervous about getting ripped off by dealerships..
if you're buying new, you have little more to worry about than just getting the best deal. if you're getting a used vehicle, stick with certified pre-owned vehicles purchased from the dealer and make sure it has some sort of extended warranty that at minimum covers the drivetrain (engine, tranmission, etc.).
now, as far as getting the best deal with the least amount of hassle on a new vehicle, here's the best method i have heard so far. e-mail as many dealerships in the area that you would be willing to go to. most dealerships have designated a person who deals with internet inquiries, but if they don't, try to e-mail the fleet manager if they have one. tell them EXACTLY what you want (make, model, trim package, tranmission choice, options, color, etc). Let them know what you are and are not flexible on (for example, you may not care what color it is). Ask them for the best price they can give you out the door. When you have that from as many dealerships as will give you an answer, just keep letting the others know what the best deal is you have received and see what they can do. when you get a price you like, that's the end of it.
now, the only problem is that with the 'Cash-for-Clunkers' program in full swing, Corollas are flying off the lot because of their awesome MPG. dealers may not want to take the time to deal with customers e-mailing them when they have 5 people on the lot ready to buy. it also means that's it's not a buyer's market right now to find the good deals. if/when the program dies and sales are slow again, you're likely to get the better deal on fuel-efficient vehicles.
lastly, if this all sounds like too much of a pain, you always have the option of buying something like the Scion which utilizes a 'pure pricing' philosophy. with Scions, the price is what it is. there is no haggling and you get the same price on the vehicle from any dealer nationwide. some like this, some don't. if it sounds like your cup of tea, i would go for it. from a usability and reliability standpoint, there's little difference between the Scion xD and the Corolla. heck, they're both made by Toyota anyway.
Many auto makers' website has a dealer locator tool. I suggest you go there to find all the Toyota dealers within the area you plan on shopping. Go to their website to see how they're pricing their cars. You should also consider sales taxes for particular areas. In some cases, you may get a better deal by shopping outside of certain areas. If you're buying new, that's the time to ask about any accessories made for your vehicle. These accessories can be added to the overall purchase price of the car.
Toyota Corolla Accessories
they include alloy wheel locks, body side moldings, rear bumper protection, spoiler, mud guard, all weather or carpeted floor mats, auto dimming rear view mirror, emergency and first aid kit, remote engine start, and car alarm.
Moving to Philly. I'm going to be buying a new car. Most likely a Corolla. Living in NYC and I've never purchased a car before! Can anyone run me through the steps and what to look out for.. i'm totally lost and from all the horror stories I'm very nervous about getting ripped off by dealerships..
Consider either taking a knowlegable friend along or using a buying service.
Something to think about is that they may have something like "Zip-Car" in Philly, so you don't *have* to buy a car right now or else walk. This can give you some time to get educated about cars.
Urban environment is, pardon my French, hell on cars, you will take a big depreciation hit over the first 5 or so years of ownership, if you buy new.
I bought a new 2009 Corolla one month ago. I called my credit union because they have a car buying program, asked them how much the Corolla should cost, called several dealers and asked for their best price, asked if they'd match or beat the price the credit union quoted me, and found one dealership who'd sell me the car for a couple of hundred dollars less than the price the credit union said. The whole process only took one afternoon of my life.
I bought a new 2009 Corolla one month ago. I called my credit union because they have a car buying program, asked them how much the Corolla should cost, called several dealers and asked for their best price, asked if they'd match or beat the price the credit union quoted me, and found one dealership who'd sell me the car for a couple of hundred dollars less than the price the credit union said. The whole process only took one afternoon of my life.
P.S. It's a great little car.
Wow. I hope I land a sweet deal like that too. thanks all u guys for your input.
If you are buying new it is hard to pass up the CostCo auto buyers program (http://http://www.costcoauto.com/enterzipcode.aspx?gotourl=%2fdefault.aspx - broken link). Sams club has a similar program. If you are not a member it is worth buying a membership for the car alone.
I bought a new truck for myself and one for the wife. Costco saved us about $3000 on each purchase. We got them $2500 under the window sticker and free 10 year 100,000 warranties.
Do not buy the GAP insurance from the dealership. They charge up to $1000 or more, when your auto insurance co only charges $50.
You do not have to finance thru the dealer, banks, credit unions and even your insurance co often have better rates. You are allowed to stack up rebates, cash for clunkers. Check online for rebates, don't count on dealer disclosing all.
We reviewed different trucks in emails, got preapproved for the auto loan online with the sales woman. All in all we spent 30 minutes at the dealer when we picked them up.
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