SHOPSMART AUTO’S – CUSTOMER INFORMATION – DECEMBER 26, 2020

Written by admin on . Posted in Audi, Car Specials, Chevrolet, Dodge, Electric Vehicles, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, SUV

How to buy a new car

  1. Maximize trade-in value
A lot of people like to trade in their old car so they can resolve all their car-buying hassles at the same time. But this could be a costly choice. While trading in a vehicle is convenient, dealers usually may try to low-ball customers and only pay the wholesale price. To see how much that is, go online to a pricing guide, look up your car and compare the trade-in price (what you would receive) to dealer-retail (what the dealer will try to sell it for).

Often, the difference can be $3,000 or more. For example, Edmunds.com’s True Market Value used-car pricing shows that for an average condition 2017 Honda Accord EX, the difference between trade-in and dealer-retail is more than $3,700.

New trade-in options are available, such as selling the vehicle to CarMax. Or, you can sell it to a private party.  At the very least, look up the trade-in price of your car and negotiate the highest possible price for it.


  1. Seal the deal
If you are negotiating via email or phone, ask to have the car delivered to you rather than picking it up at the dealership. It’s quick and stress-free.

But most people go to the dealership to sign papers in person. Even if you have a preapproved loan to pay for the car, the dealership’s finance manager may offer to beat the terms of the loan. It doesn’t hurt to see if he or she can get a better interest rate. Just make sure all the other terms of the loan are the same.

Before the contract is drawn up, the finance manager may also try to sell you additional products and services. Buying an extended car warranty at the right price can provide peace of mind. But check first to see how much warranty is included with the price of your new car. Most new cars have a bumper-to-bumper warranty covering at least three years and 36,000 miles, along with a powertrain warranty that typically lasts up to 75,000 miles. The powertrain warranty covers all the parts that make the car driveable, such as the engine, transmission and suspension.

Take your time reviewing the contract and don’t let yourself be pressured into signing just to get it over with. The contract will include the agreed-on sales price and these additional figures:


  • State sales tax.
    This is a percentage of the cost of the car.

  • Documentation fee.
    As crazy as it sounds, the dealership actually charges you for filling out the contract. This “doc fee” is capped in some states. In states such as Florida, some dealerships charge as much as $700 for doc fees.

  • Registration fees.
    A dealer has the ability to register the car for you, which is convenient.


Some dealerships might include additional fees, of which some may be bogus. It’s tricky to know what’s legit and what’s included just to boost their profit. If the dealer’s finance manager can’t explain a fee in the contract to your satisfaction, ask to have it removed.

Make It A Champion Day!



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Shop Smart Autos is not responsible for any errors in price or vehicle information provided to us from our dealer partners. We take every precaution to ensure the information is accurate and correct. Any questions please contact the dealer.

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