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6) Find out what you should pay before stepping into a showroom. Dealers will offer below invoice prices even on some sports cars because of rebates, dealer incentives, and dealer returns when they make a sale.
7) Remember incidentals. Yes, you have to pay to transport vehicle from manufacturer. Yes, you have to pay for options. And remember sales (and sometimes luxury) tax.
The Driving Experience . . .
8) Unless you have driven exact model and year you want to purchase, step into showroom and test drive car. Driving previous year’s model is unacceptable. If dealer lures you into his web and asks you to test drive an earlier model, RUN out of show room. You’re wasting your time.
9) Pick at least 2 different road types for test driving. The winding, hilly road is one road type. Road hugging capabilities are tested here. If car is standard, smooth-shifting is another test. A car that cuts back after you release clutch is NOT smooth shifting.
The highway is another road type. Make sure power is sufficient to handle entrance ramps and merging with traffic. If you get an instant response at highway speeds, car is a possible winner.
Closing Deal . . .
10) If you like car, get dealer’s best quote. Then, find at least one other dealer to give you another quote ON THE SAME CAR. If you don’t like car in test drive, you probably won’t like car – ever. Move on to next model.
11) When you decide on a car, call your insurance company and find out what vehicle will cost per year. And don’t choke on your coffee when you hear amount – you can shop around.
12) Estimate how much real estate taxes will be on car, especially if it’s a high-priced model. This could be another financial shocker!
As you can see, sports car buying is a process. Do you need to do all this stuff? Nope, you don’t. But consider financial sticker shock when you’re paying an extraordinary amount for maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and taxes! Just for that Autobahnesque experience!
Valerie Mills, a copywriter/designer specializing in direct mail and web advertising, has written sales letters, web sites, and brochures for the finance, self-help, and technology areas. Refer to web sites http://v.mills.home.att.net and http://teachyourkidsaboutmoney.com