available is to have a look on the road and
talk to your friends, family and work
colleagues about their cars. Also have a
look online. www.carsales.com.au is the
most popular car site in Australia and www.
hercar.com.au is the only site in Australia
where all of the car reviews are written
by women.
out how far your budget will stretch it's
time to create your short list. It's always
good to compare at least two models at
dealerships so that you can weigh up the
best option for you. One will usually just
"feel" better than the other. Also, when
looking at the cost, it's good at this stage to
find out ongoing costs such as fuel,
insurance and servicing. You may also want
to check out how environmentally friendly
the car is at www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au
but it is a good idea. You'll be able to
assess visibility, zippiness and ease of
parking. You can also have a good look
at storage and seat functionality: are
they split fold? Can they be removed
completely to put in your skis, bike or
luggage for long trips? Have a listen to
the sound system and see whether you
can plug in your iPod.
car. Cash/cheque, personal loan, lease or
dealer finance. If you are borrowing the
money (lease or loan) compare the
interest rates and application fees. It's
good to have an idea of how much you
can borrow and repayments before you
start to negotiate.
you to add-ons including window tint,
fabric protector, alloy wheels, headlight
and bonnet protector and much more. If
you are anticipating normal suburban
driving there really is no need to add
anything to a new car as most are built well
enough for city conditions. However, if you
want to make your car look more sporty
you can't go past alloy wheels and a darker
window tint!
are well versed in negotiation strategies.
Before you go into the dealership, check out
what deals are currently advertised. Deals
can include free on road costs (registration,
CTP green slip for NSW and stamp duty),
free leather seats and free air conditioning.
Some offers will be supported by the
manufacturer and others will be at the
dealer's discretion. You can usually get a
good deal on a car in stock at a dealership,
with a colour or transmission type. While
prices are negotiable, dealer profit on some
models can be quite small. For example,
cars around the $55,000 price tag may only
net less than $2,000 to the dealership. Once
you've agreed on a price you may be asked
for a holding deposit and to confirm your
order by completing the necessary
paperwork. Don't feel compelled to sign
anything on the spot.