Visiting used car dealerships can make it easy to find a wide variety of used vehicles, but limiting your search to dealership lots could keep you from finding the right car. This guide highlights common advantages and disadvantages of going to used car dealerships to shop for your next car or truck, and offers tips on how to find a dealership for you.
Depending on your situation and how far you must travel to reach a used car dealership, you may notice disadvantages when going to a used car dealership. In any case, be sure to do your research before visiting the showroom, and only purchase when you are confident you are getting the best deal.
In some cities, used car dealerships can be found on every corner. If you live in a remote area, you may have to do a little traveling. There are many ways to locate used car dealerships near you. Further, you can narrow your search to include dealerships that have great reputations and offer decent vehicles at reasonable prices. By doing some research before you travel to any dealership, whether it's online, on the telephone or by speaking to others, you'll be able to gain valuable information to narrow your vehicle search and create a great used car-buying experience.
Before traveling to any used car dealerships, it's possible to do a quick search online. This is especially effective if you already have a general idea of what type of used car you're looking for. There are many online sites that offer options to limit your searches for type of vehicle, year, price range and even features such as power options, mpg and accessories. You can then enter a mileage range, usually based upon your zip code. All the matches in your area will then be returned with dealership location, directions and phone number. You may even find a picture and details of the actual vehicles they have in stock which match your search terms. This will help you to define your search and pinpoint the vehicles for you, before wasting time or gas money hunting down vehicles at all the nearby dealerships.
Another useful action to take is to check dealer ratings, reviews and complaints on online forums. Get feedback from customers and consumers on particular used car dealerships in your area. Use this information, bad and good, to determine if your time, or want for a certain used car is worth any hassle. You can usually search by zip code, or dealership name to see if any feedback has been submitted. People enjoy having an outlet to give thanks or complain about their experiences, so you might find some helpful results regarding the used car dealerships you have in mind, or information on a location you hadn't yet discovered.
Asking people you know should help you to find used car dealerships near you. You could check with family, friends and co-workers to see who's had a great experience and what dealerships are recommended. You might even check with people at the grocery store, your nearby convenience store or mechanic. Many people have had the used car buying experience and will give you first-hand knowledge of specific car dealerships and what to avoid when buying a used car. Your local yellow pages will also have many listings, saving you the time of travel. If you have specific questions regarding types of vehicles, special financing or advertised specials, making phone calls is a great way to limit your searching and focus on one or a few locations which may be able to meet your needs.
A quick entry into your favorite online search engine (e.g.: Google, Yahoo, MSN) will return many results for used car dealership online ratings. Using these online ratings can give you an idea of what other people have experienced at certain dealerships in your local area and across the country. You'll be able to benefit from this information whether you've already got a specific used car dealership in mind, or whether you're simply looking for the best dealership to visit to make your purchase. How to Stay Updated with Used Car Dealership Rebates
A used car dealership will often offer discount sales or rebates for making a purchase of a used car at their establishment. Sometimes your purchase will need to meet certain criteria such as price point, trade-in value or financing. Used car dealership rebates generally depend upon which location you select and what type of car you purchase.
A rebate for a used car is an incentive offered to you to buy a certain type of car, or to buy a car from a certain dealership. Rebates are offered for various reasons. Many times they will offer this incentive to clear the lot for new inventory, or to clear out vehicles that haven't sold in a few weeks. You may also get used car rebates for graduating college, being a member of the US military, buying a hybrid vehicle, or trading in a currently owned car. It's a good idea to research certain vehicles and dealerships before you make a decision. Check your local newspaper or online listings to determine which local car dealerships are currently offering rebates, then check online dealership ratings.
Online used car dealership ratings websites will provide you with comments and ratings to help you decide which used car dealership you'll be interested in dealing with. You can input your zip code and read about other people's experiences at the dealerships in your area. You'll usually find ratings in terms of customer service, sales pressure, financing process and overall experience. Once you decide on a dealership, check the cars they have to offer and do some online research to find out blue book values and other pros and cons of owning certain makes and models. You'll want to make sure you're taking advantage of rebate offers from dealerships that will give you the best deal with the least amount of hassle, and provide you with a quality used car.
