The Biggest Mistake I Made When Buying My New Car

Buying a new car can be a long and arduous process, especially if you’re stuck in a dealership using high-pressure sales tactics. You may be excited and just want to start driving your shiny new vehicle. Unfortunately, the car-buying process is fraught with pitfalls, and it’s easy to make mistakes. I recently dealt with this when buying a new car of my own.

I’ve been eyeing a specific car for a while now, doing all the research, comparing different available features and trim options, and had decided on exactly what I wanted. So I took all my gathered information and determination to the dealership, feeling more than prepared for my purchase. However, once I got into a room with the salesperson, I quickly found myself overwhelmed and fell into one of the many traps of negotiations.

When it was all said and done, I drove off the lot with the exact car I’d wanted – along with a few other things. Part of my research was how much I should be paying for the vehicle, but it still ended up being more than I expected, courtesy of all the things that got added on. Once they started about packages and bundles, it became hard to track what was being added to the final cost, most of which I didn’t actually need.

Along with VIN etching, gap insurance, and a maintenance plan, part of the package I ended up getting included an extended car warranty. Unfortunately, the dealership’s warranty was overpriced, had a short duration, and didn’t cover much more than the manufacturer’s warranty that came with the vehicle. So while I had done my best to prepare for this purchase, it turns out I wasn’t as ready as I thought.

In addition to all the research I did, there are a few other things I should have done to avoid getting talked into all the add-ons I didn’t need. For example, while I was interested in some of the options in the package, like the gap insurance and extended warranty, there were other ways to get these options.

One of the things I could have done was ask for those add-ons separately rather than bundling them with things I didn’t want. But, of course, that wouldn’t make the extended warranty they offered. Still, I could have always taken the gap insurance they offered and purchased an extended warranty from an outside provider after.

I also made the mistake of going in to make my purchase alone. I should have brought a friend along as backup in the negotiation process, someone who could have helped me take a step back and consider everything being offered. Instead, it was really easy to get overwhelmed on my own, making me a perfect target for an aggressive salesperson looking to increase their commission.

Not all extended warranties are bad, nor are all of the other add-ons offered by dealerships. You just need to know what you’re purchasing and consider whether these options are something you need or even want. Don’t be afraid to get some of these add-ons from reputable professionals outside the dealership, either, or even do some of them, like adding paint protection, yourself.

With these tips in mind and a bit of careful consideration, you can learn from and avoid making my mistakes when it comes time to sign on the dotted line.