The Auto Loan Assist™ Handbook is an independent consumer guide developed to deliver an understanding of the car buying process. A step by step car buying tool offering various related education topics. Developed to inform consumers on the effects of credit on their auto loans and to protect their interest when engaged in the car buying and financing process.

The Car You Want.

For many consumers, car shopping will be a difficult and stressful process. Remember, investing your time to research the market, buying process, and your personal finances, will strengthen your decision, ensuring that you buy the right car for you, your needs, and your financial situation.

Most of what you need to know can be found on various car buying websites, before ever setting foot on a dealership. By doing some research first, you can determine the options, color, make and model of the various cars that fit your needs. Upon determining which vehicles fit your needs, you will want to put diligent effort into studying the market and developing a price range that you believe is fair for the vehicles you have selected.

Best Practice.

You will want to learn everything that you can about what you should pay. Discover the price you can expect to pay for the vehicles you are interested in. This will help you eliminate some vehicles from your list and decide whether to buy new or used. Visit various dealers’ websites in your buying area to determine if they have your particular vehicle of interest in their lots, and, if they do have the car you’re interested in, find out how much they are asking for it.

Reading the want ads in the newspaper is another option for conducting your research. Circle the vehicles that might suit your needs and compare them to the ones you find online. Want ads typically contain private seller listings, which will offer a different price point than online searches and at dealerships.

Aside from comparing prices and models, remember to search for special deals (like rebates and 0 percent financing options) that could save you money or supply valuable incentives. Collect all of this information and studying the details, you can figure out how far you’re willing to negotiate with the seller. Also, be sure to do all of this research and determine your cutoff amount before seeing a dealer, this will ensure that you don’t overspend.