Confident Buying; Overcoming Fears of Car Buying in Stafford

   Palms sweaty and stomach churning, negotiating is often the most stressful part of purchasing a vehicle. The key to being confident and getting the results you want is to be prepared before you walk into the door of a dealership. Online research will give you the best weapon to combat insecurities about negotiating.

       The first thing to know about car purchasing is which vehicles will give you a bigger discount before having to negotiate. Vehicles that are at least two years old will drop in value by 45 to 55%. As a buyer this means that used cars in Stafford, Va will cost less than half of the original sale price. With every additional year the vehicle value will continue to drop, dropping the purchase price with it. All of our vehicles at our Buy Here Pay Here lot at Airport Auto Sales are over the two year old margin so that our buyers can get the benefit of a vehicle that they love without having to pay an original MSRP price.

       Knowing your area’s market value can be a valuable tool. If you are interested in a specific vehicle, research the going sale price among the used cars in Stafford, Va. Perhaps your area is flushed with Honda Civics while Chevrolet Silverados are rare to find. The larger the market, the more options you have with the price. A larger market might indicate that those particular vehicles are difficult to get rid of. The larger market will also allow you to have more research on the sale price of a particular vehicle and if it is priced appropriately.

 

Find a specific vehicle among the used cars in Stafford,

If you find a specific vehicle among the used cars in Stafford, Va that you are interested in but the price is different than the average sale price; don’t hesitate to ask why.  A lower price might indicate that the vehicle has been discounted for a reason such as cosmetic damage. Typically, discounts are applied to a vehicle when it falls under the quality of the other cars like it on the market. Depending on what you are flexible on, these discounts can be a great opportunity to save some money. For example, if the vehicle has cosmetic scratch damage on the exterior paint, this could save you potentially a couple thousand dollars on a great overall car.

If the vehicle is priced above the local market value you should ask the dealership why. At Airport Auto Sales and our Buy Here Pay Here lot many of the vehicles are priced above the average market value because all of the vehicles are thoroughly serviced out and inspected before they are offered for sale. If a dealer can not answer why the vehicle is priced higher do not be afraid to walk away.

Overall, knowing what you can afford and what you want before walking into a dealership will take away many concerns. Don’t be afraid to call a dealership several times with questions before ever showing up to look at the vehicle. Walking in with a specific car in mind that has been researched thoroughly and cash in hand will often yield positive results for a buyer. Specifically at our Buy Here Pay Here lot, cash is the greatest negotiator. Be confident in what you as a buyer and not being afraid to walk away will keep away buyer’s remorse.