How picky are you when buying a car? (vehicle, manual transmission, convertible)

[SpeedyAZ]

Are you one who walks into a dealership with the exact color and option packages you want and will not accept a vehicle that doesn't meet your exact specifications? Or are you the type who has a vague idea of what they want in a vehicle but is open to suggestions and different makes/models?

I'm the type who walks into a dealership and knows almost exactly what I want, the colors, and what I am willing to pay. I don't deviate from my masterplan very often. The only thing I'm usually fairly open about is exterior color choices, there are usually a few that catch my eye.

[jambo101]

I do my homework on the exact car before i buy and know all the options i want and what price i'm willing to pay.Mom on the other hand is a total impulse buyer,when she goes out to buy a car you never know what she'll come back with. Last time she bought a car she really liked the MINI Cooper,so off she goes to buy one and comes back a few hours later in a Toyota Rav4 seems there was a Toyota dealer next door to the place selling the Mini's

[gman6974]

I have never bought a brand new car but I do know about what I want and will inspect every inch of it before I buy it.

But the usual check up is:

1. Drive it of course.
2. Expect chassis for bends/repairs.
3. Check underneath hood for engine cleanliness.
4. Check suspension and stance on level ground.

Edit: Read the op wrong but whatever lol.

[plwhit]

First thing I do is ask the salesmen a question....

How can you tell when a salesmen is lying?

and then say

Whenever they open their mouths

I know what I want, any BS and I walk out the door.....

They start playing the let me check with my manager game and I walk...

[jtur88]

Not very. I buy a beater when I need one (i.e., my old one dies), and I just shop around for the best I can find that meets my needs. In the past 20 years, I've bought Ford, Olds, Dodge, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, all with over 100K (some with 200K), all for less than $3K, a total of maybe ten cars (we usually had two).

[johna01374]

I typically know the model and options i'm looking for along with the cost for those options. I've typically picked out my interior and exterior color already as well.. I'll sometimes take a model with additional options but won't take one with anything less than what I want.

Again. You should know the price of the car with the options you want. Anything else you can ball park.

[Merc63]

I dont' buy new, but I usually have looked at the kinds of cars I want and options, then narrow teh choice to a few that meet those criteria in my price range.

I just did that with an '06 Mustang GT Convertible. Wanted a late model convertible, manual transmission, in blue or black, under $17k. Looked at a Mini Cooper S, BMW 325Ci and the Mustang, and settled on the Mustang:



Brought it home Tuesday night.

[NJGOAT]

Used car purchases usually involve a lot of research prior to a decision. Once I have picked a model, I figure out what options I want and how much it should cost. Then I go out and look, look, look. Sometimes I find what I want right away for the right price, other times, it could take months.

New purchases are usually much easier. I figure out the model I want. I figure out what I'm willing to pay and what all the rebates/discounts are. I go to a dealer with a good reputation and try to work out a deal. I'm not too strict on saying it has to have x, y, z as a couple times being a little flexible on color or an option has netted me a nice break on price.

One other important thing is that unless I know I want to use the manufacturers 0% financing, I ALWAYS get my own financing ahead of time.

[cowboyxjon]

I've bought new cars in the past, but I prefer to buy used. Usually I'll have a general idea of what I want and how much it should cost, but I'll compromise on things like color or a minor option or two if the price is right. My current vehicle is black, but if I had a color choice, I think I would have chosen dark green or dark blue. Other than the color, the price was right, the condition/mileage was what I wanted, and it had all of the other (major) options I wanted, like a manual transmission.

[ragnarkar]

Call me weird but I actually want to buy a car with some dents and scratches around its bumper and body (and be appropriately priced for those things) as long as it has a clean title. I can't stand to think of the day I end up denting or scratching my newly bought car (whether it was brand new or used.)