Did you know that you can speed up the car buying process? It’s true! Plus, you don’t have to spend hours at the dealership, or wait days to hear back about financing options. If you have ever shopped at a dealership later in the evening or on the weekend, you may have been told you have to wait for a decision about financing. This is one of the longest waits, especially when you just want an answer.
Fortunately, you do not have to play limbo with the car dealership and the process does not have to be long or drawn out. Many individuals do not know how to speed up the process and they are stuck viewing the purchase of a new car as a headache or hassle.
Here are 5 ways you can speed up the car-buying process.
Know How Much You Can Afford
Car finance from Latitude can help prepare you and allow you to speed up the car buying process. It’s easy! Simply speak with an account specialist and apply for a car loan before you head to the dealership.
If you secure a loan or, at a minimum, a pre-approval, you won’t have to play the back and forth game waiting for an answer from a financial institution. You will already have a paper in hand that says how much you can afford and how much the loan will be. All the dealership needs to do is contact the financing company and turn the wheels – the work is already done for them.
Bring the Right Paperwork
You can speed up the car buying process by making sure to have all of the right paperwork with you when you go to purchase the vehicle you want. Many dealerships will require that you have your driver’s license, pay stubs, and even a bill or two that is in your name to establish your residence.
If you leave any of these items at home, that could be one additional day you have to wait for an answer.
Vehicle’s Title
Make sure, if you plan to trade-in your vehicle, that you have the title in hand or if you do not own the vehicle, that you have all of the paperwork in hand. Most, if not all, dealerships will not accept a trade-in vehicle if you cannot show proof that you own it. In addition, do make sure that the title is filled out properly as a simple mistake can throw off the entire trade.
Know What You Want
If you want to speed up the buying process, know what you are looking for. A lot of people are slowed down because they have no clue as to the vehicle or features they want. If you head to the dealership prepared, you will be able to head directly for the vehicle you are after and move into the purchasing process.
Clean Your Old Car Beforehand
Imagine being handed the keys to your new vehicle only to have to say, “hold on.” Make sure that your trade-in vehicle is free from your personal belongings before you purchase your new car. This way, you don’t have to spend time out in the parking lot cleaning out your vehicle.
While this may not delay the actual buying process, it will delay the overall process, and can create a headache and hassle for you and the salesperson.
Be Prepared and the Process Will Go Smoothly
If you’re prepared, you can expect that the process will go as smoothly as possible. You should make sure that you bring proof of insurance with you as well. While you may not be able to add your new vehicle to your insurance immediately, you do need to show that you do at least have car insurance.
The above 5 ways can help you speed up the buying process and ensure that you do not waste more time than needed at the dealership.
