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How to Avoid These Rookie Car Buying Mistakes

Tropical Financial Credit Union
By Tropical Financial Credit Union - April 14, 2024

Next to buying a home and having kids, purchasing a car may just be the next biggest investment. Don’t leave the dealership unhappy, check out these car buying mistakes you’ll want to avoid:  

Car Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Shopping Before You Know Where your Credit Stands

girl shopping for new car

It’s nice to dream about driving an Audi or BMW, but before you start swooning make sure you’ll be able to qualify to even get one! Before you start to act like a kid in a candy shop, check your score and work with an AutoAdvisor to see what kind of car you can get and which car dealership in Miami will work best with your situation.

Not Being Practical

car dealership in miami

Living in South Florida brings some weird weather, having a car prepared to take the weather is important. For example, if you live in Downtown Brickell something small and good on gas may be more appropriate for the city living. If you live in the Everglades, having a car with more traction on the tires may be a better fit, due to rain and mud. When buying a new car in Florida, it’s important to think about these things to keep you satisfied day in and day out.

Not Shopping Around for Rates

calculating rate on new car

Did you even know that you can shop around for rates? In fact, did you know that you can get preapproved for an auto loan and not even sit down with the hagglers at the dealership? When shopping around to compare auto loan rates keep a credit union in mind as a first option as they tend to offer lower rates and more competitive terms.

Thinking in Payments Rather Than the Whole Price

car made from dollar bills

When you sit down with a car dealership in Florida, they tend to speak in monthly car payments rather than the price as a whole. Of course, they’re going to show you the lowest price, which means they’re going to be showing you the longest term. This isn’t always a good thing because this means you’ll end up paying more for the car over time due to interest and because you’re paying less if you want to trade in, you may end up being upside down.  

Buying a new car should be an exciting experience, which is why you shouldn’t fall victim to these amateur car buying mistakes. Call the AutoAdvisor experts, get preapproved and shop for your new car with confidence.

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