Other Reasons to Buy from a Dealership
What are other reasons people choose to buy their car, truck, or SUV from a dealership?
Inspections/Certifications
Many
dealerships offer "certified" pre-owned vehicles. This basically means that the
dealership has inspected that particular vehicle and deemed it to be in
excellent working condition, often meeting a higher standard of mechanical,
appearance and detailing standards than non-certified vehicles. Some of these
cars may even have the original manufacturer's warranty still available, or a
warranty from the dealership itself.
Even if the
vehicle is not "certified" you can guarantee the dealership has fully inspected
the vehicle to make sure it is in proper mechanical condition. There should be
no hidden problems that will pop up soon after purchase that will cause a buyer
to incur unexpected repair expenses. Dealerships should also be able to provide
a buyer with a vehicle history report (CARFAX® for example).
Wider Variety
Dealerships
typically have on-hand dozens of cars to choose from. It's a great idea to shop
ahead of time on a dealership's website to have an idea of what their inventory
looks like. It's an even greater idea to have some sort of plan as to what type
of vehicle you are looking for and a budget range you can afford. Once you get
these concepts narrowed down you can be confident you're not wasting too much
time looking at cars in-person and test driving the ones you are seriously
considering.
Buying a
vehicle from a private party often means they have only the one vehicle for
sale instead of an entire lot of cars to choose from. You are probably wasting
your time dealing with private owners unless you are fairly sure ahead of time
that the car you're going to be seeing is "the one." And test driving with a
private owner can be a risk since you're getting into a car with a complete
stranger.
Financing Options and Paperwork
Dealerships
offer buyers a variety of financing options. Many dealerships can offer
in-house financing, or they oftentimes have relationships with local banks
where they can work out a fairly good interest rate for you with the bank you
already have.
Not only can
a dealership offer you a variety of options, they can also take care of all
your paperwork and get you instant credit approval. In addition to financing
help, all the other paperwork that goes along with purchasing a vehicle is
taken care of by the dealership so you won't have to hassle with the DMV by
yourself.
For people
who value mechanical peace-of-mind, personal time spent, ease of the deal, and
the importance of a long-standing relationship, spending a little more money on
a car from a dealership is definitely worth it. And you may get lucky and find
a dealership that has great customer service, great vehicles and low prices.
