Free Car Buying Tips

May
22

TrueCar No Hassle Car Buying

Whether you’re shopping for a new or used car, save big with TrueCar. Save a whole lot of time and frustration, and never overpay for a car again. Give TrueCar a shot today!

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Search for used cars at TrueCar.com


BuySmart300x250

May
20

How to Shop for a 2015 Honda Odyssey

honda-300x250In case anyone else has been shopping for a 2015 Honda Odyssey, here are a few quotes and chatter that has taken place between me (alias: Brian), and various salespeople at Chicagoland Honda dealers. The company and salespeople’s names have been removed for confidentiality purposes. If you would like a recommendation for a Honda dealer, feel free to contact us.

Most of the quotes below were sent based off this email request:

I am looking to purchase a new 2015 Honda Odyssey LX. Color is not an issue. I am looking for your best out the door price, including all taxes, fees, destination, etc (I live in SoandSo County, and need new plates). I own a Honda Accord and am a recent college grad (please include any owner loyalty and college grad rebates if there are any).I am sending this to four local dealers, and will contact the dealer with the lowest price by this Friday. I have already test driven this car and like it. Due to my busy work schedule right now, I am only able to reply via email. Thank you in advance! -Brian

I created a fake new Yahoo! email account for this as well, since I don’t care for any more spam to my personal account.

 

One dealer sent a fairly decent quote:

[Read more…]

Feb
01

Free Car Buying Tips & Guide

This guide was created to protect people from getting ripped off at a car dealership. As a former car sales pro with over five years of direct dealership sales experience, I have an immense amount of information to pass along to you that will help you save a ton of money on your new or used car.

In order to secure the lowest pricing for your new car, you will need to obtain multiple price quotes from your local car dealerships.

Where to find the lowest price quotes from local car dealers:
Edmunds free dealer price quotes and TrueCar offer buyers the quickest way to receive multiple car dealer price quotes.

These two sites enable you to request price quotes from multiple manufacturers (e.g. Ford, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, BMW, etc.). Likewise, Edmunds and Yahoo! Autos offer the ability to request quotes from multiple dealers at the same time. This kills two birds with one stone because it 1- saves you time, and 2- lets the dealer know to send their best price because you will be receiving quotes back from multiple dealers. When dealers compete for your business, you win.

In addition to these two sites, you can [Read more…]

Dec
21

Avoid Getting Ripped Off on Taxes

A car dealer can take advantage of you without you even realizing it. For example, a salesman can overcharge you on taxes on the bill of sale, and get paid commission on what he overcharges you. You can avoid this scenario by finding out your tax rate ahead of time, which depends on what county you live in. As advised in our new car buying tips, you should always bring a calculator with you to the dealership. Determine the taxes you should be paying by [Read more…]

Dec
21

Hidden Fees on the Bill of Sale

In light of our gloomy economy, salespeople are looking for more ways than ever to trick you and make you pay more for your car. If you are buying your car below invoice, as this site will teach you, salespeople are hard pressed to find additional ways to pick up the deal and make a profit.

Clearly, your goal is to avoid any hidden fees on the bill of sale. For this to happen, you first and foremost need to [Read more…]

Dec
21

Auto Accessory Tips

Tire Rack is the authority when it comes to tires and wheels, and has a large inventory of discount tires and wheels, plus tire reviews and ratings, custom wheels, and discount brake pads and rotors, In addition to having the best price and service, they also have a national network of thousands of independent Recommended Installers ready to handle your installation needs (near your home or office).

Auto Parts Warehouse offers replacement auto parts, performance parts, and auto accessories at wholesale prices, saving as much as 75% on dealer pricing. Plus, get free shipping on most auto accessories and performance parts.

Advance Auto Parts has a huge selection of quality auto parts and accessories, and in particular has great deals on brakes and brake parts. Get yourself some #stoppingpower!



Dec
21

Auto Insurance Tips

Saving money on auto insurance can be a real headache. Luckily, we have found the top two companies that will save you the most money year after year: Allstate and Geico.

Allstate Insurance has offered top notch service and pricing on auto insurance for a long time. Allstate offers free online quotes, accident forgiveness, a safe driving bonus, deductible rewards, and new car replacement benefits. I personally use Allstate and can vouch for their quick and efficient service, fast payments, and very helpful customer service. Are you in Good Hands?

Geico Insurance is a reputable company that offers low pricing and free online car insurance quotes. Additionally, Geico offers insurance quotes for motorcycle, ATV, RV and boat. Geico has been known to offer fast and courteous service and quick payments. See how much money Geico can save you on your auto insurance.

Dec
21

Manufacturer Specific Car Buying Tips

Each car manufacturer differs greatly in terms of pricing, quality, warranties, etc. Deciding which manufacturer to buy from will differ based on your upbringing, income and tastes. Researching reliability ratings and pricing in our new car buying tips page will help you choose what manufacturer appeals most to you. This page gives you a basic overview of the price/quality ratings across all the major manufacturers, and provides tips on [Read more…]

Dec
21

Free Tips on Choosing the Right Car

Choosing what car to buy is usually half the battle. Choosing whether to go new or used, and deciding which make and model to go with can often be quite time consuming. These pages will help guide you in the right direction in terms of what vehicle works best for you. Money will play the largest factor whether you decide to go new or used. Deciding how much money you would like to spend on your purchase is the first step. [Read more…]

Dec
21

Car Financing Tips

Financing a car can be tricky, especially considering the large number of lenders and varying interest rates. You need to know your credit score and credit history before you step into the dealership. Your Equifax credit report will tell you what you need to know about your credit history, and give you an idea of what APR’s you may qualify for. Alternately, you can view your free credit report (with option to purchase your FICO score) at AnnualCreditReport.com.


What's Your Credit Score?

With this information in hand, you should also shop interest rates at your local bank and credit union to see how low of a rate you qualify for (in my experience, customers have obtained the lowest rates from their local credit union). Use this information to compare the rates available at the dealership, or special rates available through the manufacturer. You will save yourself time, frustrations, and dealership headaches if you simply [Read more…]

Dec
21

Used Car Buying Tips

Buying a used car is typically more of a headache than a new car due to high dealer mark-ups and not actually knowing what a dealer owns a used car for. That being said, you can save a significant amount of money buying a used car, One of the biggest hesitations when buying a used car is not knowing whether the car has been abused or in a prior accident. Other unknowns are whether the previous owner performed routine maintenance (oil changes, air filter changes, tire rotations, etc.). The good news, however, is that used cars are [Read more…]

Dec
21

Free Guide to Car Dealer Terminology & Slang

There is a reason why most dealerships have a bad name or reputation, and most of it has to do with how they perceive their customers. Dealerships love customers who pay retail price for their car, and hate the ones who pay thousands under invoice (that’s you). Granted, they are very good at withholding this negative emotion towards customers, but nonetheless the following slang still exists [Read more…]

Dec
16

Free New Car Price Quotes

Free New Car Price Quotes at Edmunds
Get your free new car Price Quotes at Edmunds, the web’s most trusted auto resource.

Free New Car Pricing at Automotive.com
Receive free price quotes and make dealers compete for your business.

DriveTime – Free Used Car Search for the Credit Challenged
DriveTime is the used car dealership for those with bad credit.

CarsDirect – Build and Price your Car Online for Free
Let CarsDirect take you through the entire car buying process painlessly, and for free.

FordDirect Free Online Quote
Get a Free online quote for 2008 Ford models including the Escape Hybrid, Taurus X, and the Super Duty Truck!