Come Prepared
Before you step foot on the car lot, gather the following information:
- Fair Market Value of the vehicle(s) you are interested in
- Trade-In Value of your vehicle
- Your Credit Score
Bring a Friend
Shopping alone makes it easy for the salesman to establish rapport – the key to “making the sale”; A friend can make it difficult for the dealer to use aggressive sales techniques.
Keep Your Trade-In Decision to Yourself
Negotiate the best deal possible on your new vehicle before letting them know you’re going to be trading-in. This way the dealer can’t pad the purchase price of your new vehicle to make up for a great trade-in offer.
Inspect Before You Buy
When shopping for a used car, take your potential purchase to a mechanic for inspection. The $75 – $100 cost could save you thousands in unexpected future repairs.
Get vehicle valuations, make and model information and comparisons by visiting our Auto Buying Center online. Also, sign-up to receive your credit score each quarter – free of charge – within Online Banking.