Buying a car today without being taken by car dealer scams is easier than it ever was in the past. The amount of information that is available without charge is amazing and can protect you from most car dealer scams. You may have to spend some time on the internet, but that is time well spent when you consider that it can save you thousands of dollars when purchasing a new car. Not that every car dealer is unethical and deceptive, but a new car buyer that purchases a car without doing some research is open to car scams and will usually pay hundreds or thousands more than the informed consumer.
Car Dealer Scams You Should Know:
Financing Car Dealer Scam:
This car dealer scam usually works best when a car buyer has less than great credit. Not bad credit, but credit that has some blemishes and does not qualify for the best interest rate on their car loan. Once the car buyer selects the car that they want to purchase, the car dealer will work out some inflated payments based on their credit score. These payments will often be anywhere from 20 to 40% higher than the interest rate for which they qualify.
When the buyer asks about the rate they are told that it is because of their credit score. The buyer knows that their credit is not great and they accept the higher payments and buy the car. Some people will go back and forth with the salesman and possibly negotiate a lower payment, but still accept a higher payment and interest rate that is required. The result of this car dealer scam has you paying hundreds or often times thousands of dollars more over the life of the loan.
The best way to protect yourself from the financing car dealer scam is to inquire about a car loan from your local bank, credit union or there are several online lending sources that are in the business of providing car loans. When you are approved by these outside sources they will give you your interest rate, terms and conditions. Now when you consider dealership finacing you can compare rates. If the dealer can provide you a better interest rate, then you can finance with them, if not go with you outside lender.
Warranty Car Dealer Scam:
This car dealer scam follows closely with the above dealership financing scam. Because the car buyer has less than perfect credit, the finance manager will tell the buyer that in order to qualify for the car loan, they need to have an extended warranty on the car that lasts as long as the term of their loan. The finance manager will explain that the lender wants the warranty because of their lower credit score, and that it actually is good for the buyer because they won’t have to worry about any major repair expenses.
To protect yourself from this car dealer scam you should know that there is no rule, stipulation or qualifier that requires you to purchase an extended warranty in order to qualify for a car loan. You may purchase an extended warranty if you like, but it is not a requirement. Should you want to purchase an extended warranty on your new car, you should go online and get quotes for a warranty from several sources that specialize in car warranties. You can use these quotes to be sure that the car dealer is not over charging you by hundreds or even thousands for the same warranty. Just like the dealership financing car dealer scam, you can negotiate with the finance manager for an extended warranty until they match the quotes you received from other online sources.
These are by no means all of the potential car dealer scams that can claim you as a victim and cause you to pay more than is need. There many more car scams that car dealers use to pump up their profits, but these two above have the potential to cause you to spend thousands more. Spend some time online and do some research before you go down to the car dealership and you can potentially save thousands.