In 1990, dual airbags and ABS were considered the latest in automotive technology. Twenty years later, cars had touchscreen “command centers”, and hard drives. Some cars are even able to park themselves.
While cars have certainly come a long way in the last 20 years, the prices have not. Getting the most car for your money is still as hard as it’s ever been. That’s why you need to start “thinking outside the box” when it comes time to shop for your next vehicle. The two most important factors that can save you money is, what vehicle you buy, and how you buy it.
Thanks to today’s competitive world market, there’s a lot of really good cars out there. In years past, Japanese cars offered consumers the most value for their money. During the 1980’s & 1990’s, cars like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord were able to show Americans that there was a sensible alternative to the modern family car. Today, Korean companies like Kia and Hyundai are doing the same thing.
If you want a nice family car for a good price, avoid the mainstream Japanese offerings and go drive a Hyundai Sonata, or Kia Optima instead. You’ll be amazed at both the refinement, and the price. If you need the room, and utility of an SUV. Both Kia and Hyundai offer trucks that will fit the bill. The Kia Sorento and Hyundai Veracruz are sensible alternatives to popular family haulers like the Honda Pilot, or Ford Explorer.
Luxury cars like the Lexus ES and BMW 5-Series aren’t safe from the competition either. Hyundai’s new Genesis offers nearly the same level of luxury and refinement, for thousands less. You can have your Genesis as a sedan, or a coupe. And, both offer the same level of build quality that you’d find in their competition. There’s a lot of sensible cars out there. If you take the time to look around, you’ll probably find something that you’ll like. Once you find the right vehicle, take a moment to think about where you’re going to buy it.
While getting your vehicle from a private seller may seem like the obvious choice. Many times, you’ll have to pay the full book value, if they still owe money on it. Plus, you’ll have to deal with their bank to get the title.
Buying a car online might seem like a good idea. However, you’re buying your vehicle “sight unseen”. Which means that you have no way to verify the actual condition.
A dealer can make your buying experience go a lot smoother. But, you’re not going to save any money. If you really want to save some cash on your next vehicle, go directly to the source.
Auto auctions are where the dealers, banks, fleet operators and government agencies go to liquidate their excess vehicles. All of their trade ins, repossessions, fleet vehicles and seized cars will eventually find their way to a new owner through the lanes of an auction.
Once only the domain of car dealers. Auto auctions have evolved to meet the growing demands of the public. From online bidding, to extensive post-sale services. It’s now easier than ever to buy cars at wholesale prices.
If you decide to buy through an auto auction, you’ll need to find a good auction service to work with. They can get you access to the auctions. Plus, they can help you eliminate the guesswork from deciding which deal is right for you. With all the advancements in automotive technology, and buying options, this is really an exciting time to be in the market for a new car.
