Popular Baton Rouge car dealerships and other nearby dealers like Covington's Baldwin Subaru have impressive offerings for prospective buyers. However, you'll need to consider your budget before choosing a vehicle in their inventory. Once you have chosen a car that's within the limits of your financial capability, note that there are several things you can do to get the best price for it:
Buy at the Right Time
Purchasing a car has seasons, wherein there are times of the year and days of the week when you can actually enjoy more savings. Josie Rubio writes about this fact in his recent article for The Christian Science Monitor:
"[...] for the biggest savings, buy a car in August, when the highest discounts are offered on the current year's models and the dealers increase incentives, according to TrueCar, an automotive data company that provides a negotiation-free car-buying platform.
TrueCar reports that the best day of the week to buy a car is Sunday, when there is lower consumer demand and higher incentive for dealerships to close out the week with strong sales. The average transaction price is $29,300, a 4.6 percent decrease and a $1,402 savings compared to the average price for the rest of the week."
Aim for a Fair Price
Leading car dealerships in Baton Rouge are like any other business-they want to turn a profit; thus, it's unreasonable to offer too low a price for their products. The key here is to first check online the average selling price of the car you want. After learning the standard price of the vehicle you aspire to drive, you can negotiate better (and more reasonably) at the dealership.
Most dealers have a profit margin of 10 to 20 percent. This gives you an idea of how much they paid for the car and how low they are willing to go. You should also ask for quotes from different dealers to get yourself a great deal.
Have a Solid Financial Plan
Going into a car lot without knowing how much money you have available is just asking for the dealer to be stingy on discounts. First, being unaware of your credit score means dealers could raise their financing rates on your purchase. Second, without a pre-approved car loan, dealers may not be inspired to meet your offer.
Avoid Add-ons
One of the ways to lower a car's price tag is to opt out of some add-ons. Car dealers like to offer rust-proofing, fabric etching, and extended warranties. However, there are times when all you really need to pay for is the car, some taxes, registration fees, plus some battery and tire fixes. Anything more than necessary may already be a luxury.
(Source: Buying a car? How to save money at the dealership., The Christian Science Monitor, June, 24, 2014)
