Car shopping is something most people have a little trouble with. This is probably because it’s not that easy to figure out what a good vehicle should be equipped with. You also have to have good negotiation skills, among other things. Follow along with this guide, and you’ll be a car shopping master in no time!

Look for your car on the Internet before going to the lot. Do not visit a dealership until you know which car you are interested in purchasing. Some online research can be great for narrowing your list of possible makes and models and for learning things that the salespeople may not tell you.

During negotiations, concentrate on the total price instead of the monthly price. You may get a great monthly rate, but if you’re paying that rate for many years, your new vehicle is going to end up costing a lot more than it’s worth. Instead, negotiate for the best overall deal on the price and financing of your vehicle. Then calculate what your monthly payments will be.

Get an outside mechanic to look at a used car that you are interested in buying from the dealership. If the dealership says no, go somewhere else. To the untrained eye, it’s almost impossible to determine whether a vehicle has been damaged in a flood, wreck or fire. A mechanic can identify these and other issues before you agree to buy the car.

You should never pay a car’s sticker price. The dealer isn’t expecting to get the asking price. If you don’t think you can properly negotiate, bring along someone who can. You need to know what a good price is for the desired car beforehand so that you can figure out what you’ll be willing to pay.

Talk to your friends and family to discover their opinions. Are they happy with their vehicles? Do they regret their purchase? Have they heard anything interesting about current models? When you’re in the market for a car, this is a good way to get some preliminary information that you can start with.

Test drive any car before you purchase. Even if you once had the same exact vehicle, you have to be sure that this one works just as well. There might be a subtle difference or a mechanical issue that might elude you if you hadn’t driven it.

Safety features are important when you are shopping for a new car. You must make sure you have ABS or antilock brakes. The more air bags the car has, the better. You are needing to use this vehicle a lot, so safety is important.

Salespeople have quotas to make. This system works to your advantage at the end of the month. If a salesperson is behind on their monthly quota, they will be ready to lower prices to get you to buy a car. This may make negotiations easier.

The end of each calendar month is the best time to shop for cars. Typically, you can get the best deals around this time. When the month is nearly over, you can get a better deal, since your salesman may be trying to meet his quota.

Bring a friend along when browsing for a vehicle. Bring someone along that is unbiased and understands the market. Your friend can offer you an unbiased opinion. Your friend should also accompany you on your test drive and give you their opinions on how the car handles.

Have you read what you’re signing? You should not just sign the contract without reading. Ensure you read it from top to bottom. Once you sign, you are legally bound by the entire document. Take a copy of the contract home or have a professional look over it with you if you’re having difficulties. If that is not realistic, get your hands on a copy.

Make sure you allow time before making a purchase of a car that has been newly released. You will pay more for the newest model when it has just been released that you would if you waited a bit. Let several months pass and then come back to purchase that car at a lower cost.

After reading this article, you should have all the tools necessary to shop for a car. It really isn’t that hard; just apply what you’ve learned. You’ll be immensely grateful as you drive off with your new wheels. Don’t let yourself be intimidated by car shopping. Start looking for that new vehicle right now!