By Josie Moyer
September 23, 2016
Is it time for a new car? Here are a few tips to help you choose the ride that’s right for you.
Assess your current needs but also think about the future.
Marketing experts say car buying decisions are based on 80% emotion and 20% logic. So before you visit a dealership and purchase the first sports car you slide into, make a list of your practical needs. For example, if you live in Malesso’ and work in Yigo, you’ll probably want a vehicle that has exceptional fuel economy. Another factor to consider is where you see yourself in five or even ten years. Do you plan to start a family or to have more kids? You’re going to need room for a car seat, extra people and cargo. Or maybe your kids will be heading off to college in a year or two, leaving you free to downsize from that minivan (and go for the sports car).
Determine your budget and financing options.
Unless you’re going to pay cash for your car, you need to think about how much you can really afford to pay on a monthly car loan. It’s a good idea to also factor in the annual cost of car insurance. Guam dealerships are trained to advise and help customers navigate the financing process. Some even offer pre-approved loan screening based on the buyer’s credit worthiness. A pre-approved loan is convenient because it can tell you right away whether or not you qualify to buy your dream car. If your credit history is holding you back from obtaining a traditional bank loan, Guam AutoSpot in particular offers an indirect financing option through the dealership. The thing about letting a dealership help you get a loan is you don’t know whether you’re getting the best interest rate available to you. Do a little research before committing to a loan offered through a dealership. A good place to start is to check if your personal bank can finance your purchase. Check other banks and compare all of your options. Remember: you’re going to be making those monthly payments long after that sublime new car smell fades away so finance wisely.
Shop online before visiting the dealership.
Accenture, one of the world’s largest business consulting firms, revealed in a study that most consumers seeking to purchase a new vehicle are doing online research to help them make car-buying decisions before visiting a dealership. Car dealerships know this to be true which is why you can visit any dealership’s website and search extensively through new and used cars, sorting preferences by price, make, model, body style, trim level, and even color. This saves on time that used to be spent going from dealer to dealer looking for the perfect car. Websites also allow shoppers to browse in peace without feeling any pressure to buy from an eager salesperson.
Before visiting a dealership, do a bit of online window shopping at these Guam dealership websites:
Atkins Kroll – akguam.com
Cars Plus – carsplusguam.com
Guam Auto Spot – guamautospot.com
Nissan Motor Corp. – nissanguam.com
Prestige Automobiles – prestigeautoguam.com
Triple J Motors – carsguam.com
All of them offer access to information and pictures of new and used car inventories, as well as financing tools and information. Once you’ve decided on a potential dream car, you can schedule a test drive through the dealership’s website and see where the road takes you. Many drivers will tell you they knew which car they were going to buy when they first saw it or first sat in the driver’s seat. Whether or not this turns out to be true for you, our goal is to help you to make the most informed, albeit emotional, decision. Good luck and drive safe.
