Buying a new vehicle is a herculean task, and so, it is essential to keep some things in mind.

1. Checking the ownership and reliability cost
The buyer has to make sure the cost of ownership is low and the vehicle is reliable. J.D. Power’s 2019 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study collects reports from owners about car reliability. You can take a look at this before shortlisting vehicles.
The total cost of ownership is the biggest concern. Many cars are quite cheap to buy, but will cost a fortune when it comes to insurance, repairs, maintenance, and value of depreciation. Make sure you account for ownership costs while making a decision about buying a new vehicle.

2. Test drive the car
Ensure that you test drive every vehicle you’re interested in buying. They should be driven in quick succession so that it is easier to compare the cars and make a decision about which one to buy. Morning or afternoon is the best time for a test drive. In the midweek, dealers are not very busy and are more likely to give you good service. Pre-book the test drive appointment with a sales manager as they will be able to find the right model for you. A proper test drive track should be selected to check the reliability of the car. It must have a bit of every type of route. Smooth roads, small hilly areas, rough pavements with a lot of turns, a stretch of a highway, and so on. The traffic conditions should vary as well. Testing a car on clear roads will not allow you to understand its performance. The brakes, clutch, gear, seat positioning, and steering levels should be compared.

3. Signing the agreement
If the negotiation is done via mail or phone, the car dealer should be asked to deliver the car to your doorstep as it makes the whole process of buying a new vehicle easy and hassle-free. When you go to the dealer in person, the dealership’s finance manager may try to convince you to sign the papers in person. The finance manager may also try to sell you some additional products and services which may not be required.
If you’ve received a pre-approval for the car loan, make sure that the interest rates are the same as you were informed about before the loan is disbursed. Getting an extended car warranty at the right price is of vital importance while buying a new vehicle. So, you should check if the warranty is included in the price of the new car. Many cars have a bumper to bumper warranty for 36000 miles or a three-year span. The buyer should take time to review the contract and must not feel pressured to sign the documents before reading all the terms and conditions. The following additional figures are usually included in the cost of the vehicle’s purchase price:

State sales tax: It is a mandatory tax which is usually a percentage of the total cost of the car.

Documentation fee: A dealership will charge you for filling the contract. Some dealers charge sums as high as $600-$700 as a documentation fee.

Registration fees: The dealer can take registration fees for registering the vehicle on your behalf. This is a convenient facility, but every dealer charges some fees for it accordingly. Make sure to ask about the registration fees beforehand.