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Youd do plenty of tire kicking, both literal and metaphorical.
The real world doesnt always give you that time.
So how can you avoid blowing thousands on a lemon when time is not on your side?
Failing that, rent a cheap car for a week, perhaps through a peer-to-peer rental platform like Turo.
Professional car sales reps will smell that desperation all over you and charge accordingly.
That comes to $1,024.71 a month Ouch.
Not all of that is the monthly payment, of course.
Cars come with many ancillary ownership costs, includingauto insurance, maintenance, repairs, gas and registration.
Come up with a monthly average for these costs, and subtract them from your monthly transportation budget.
Thats how much you’ve got the option to afford on monthly car payments.
And theresno faster wayto increase your credit score than paying down your credit card balances.
The magic threshold for credit card balances is 30%, explained Meiggs.
Above that, balances start hurting your score.
Instead, get informal quotes by verbally providing your credit score at first.
Among the most common they use is the FICO Auto Score, which youll have to pay to access.
Consider including at least one new and one used car model in your final three options.
Perhaps you’ve got the option to afford a new Hyundai or a used Acura, for example.
you’ve got the option to then test drive both to see how you feel about each.
Just remember to raise your repair budget for used cars.
Dont be afraid to push cars hard when you test drive them, advised Meiggs.
Whatever you do, dont let a sales rep talk you into buying onTest Drive Day.
Dozens of dealerships can sell you a car that fits your needs.
Tell them up front: Im going to buy a car today.
But Im not going to settle for anything less than an outrageously low price.
Show them your price quotes, and ask them if they can beat them.
As a final thought, avoid dealership financing and add-ons.
Dealers sometimes accept low margins on cars but then make them up with 300% markups on add-ons.
Skip the maintenance package and pull out of the lot with nothing but a beautiful car.
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