It doesn’t matter if you’re young or not; getting your first car will always be exciting. However, the process can also be filled with uncertainties and headaches. You might end up spending a lot more than you should. Or you might end up with a car you’re unhappy about.  Luckily, here in Pinellas County, Florida you’ve got OfferMORE to help with these tips and tricks just for you, whether you’re a first time buyer or not. We’ll help you hunt for the best deals, how to negotiate with dealerships or private sellers, get great financing, and help you decide which car to get and when to get it.

Ways to Get the Best Deals on Your First Car

With the pandemic’s long-term effects still taking root in the auto market, the selling prices of vehicles are rising – both for new and used vehicles. But, with patience and enough research, you can execute some smart strategies to help you navigate this volatile market – even if you’re a novice.

• Patience is key. One expert piece of advice that you need to keep in mind is to be patient. If you’re looking to buy a car this year, don’t dive head-first into it. Auto market experts are projecting that car prices will improve in the next 6 or 12 months.
• Used cars can be a great option. For first-time car owners, it doesn’t have to be brand-new. Near-new market cars have seen drops in prices in the last few months. And maybe consider SUVs and wagons. These are cheaper since many buyers steer away from them because they can be “gas guzzlers.”
• It’s better to choose domestic brands. In July 2022, the average price of used domestic brands dropped by 12 percent. You may want to check out the less inflated names like Saturn, Pontiac, Mitsubishi, and Isuzu.
• Get credit union financing. Paying cash for your car is the most advisable course of action to avoid the high-interest rates of loans. However, that’s not a reality for most people. And if that’s the case, securing credit union financing is the next best thing. First, figure out your budget and how much you can pay monthly. That should be the basis of the kind of financing you’ll get.

How to Know If You’re Getting a Good Deal?

Now that you’ve decided what car to get, the next step is to get a quote from the dealer. And here’s one part of the process where you must be careful. A dealer might quote you a good number, but the other related transactions are not.

• Look at the purchase price. There are places online where you can check if the dealer price quoted to you is reasonable. These tools will return the average prices people in your area have paid for their cars.
• Check available incentives and rebate offers. Most dealers now offer incentives and rebates, which can help you save thousands of dollars. You can inquire about customer cash rebates, lease specials, and low-interest financing deals from your dealer. Make sure all eligible incentives are applied to the purchase price.
• Fees. In an ideal scenario, a dealer will only charge you state and local tax, documentation, and vehicle registration fees. Make sure that they are not charging you bogus fees.

When to Buy a Car?

With record-high car prices, it’s wise to consider ways to save money when buying your first car. It will be good to understand which time of the year the best time is to make your purchase.

• Mondays. Some experts advise visiting your dealership on the first day of the week. Why? Because most people are at work during this day and there won’t be many people at the dealer. Thus, you don’t have to be in a hurry, and the sales representative there can focus on your needs.  Also, salesman working on weekly quotas are often striving to start the week of strong with a sale or two.
• End of the month or year. Auto experts say that the end of any period is a good time to visit the dealership. Sales representatives are usually at the end of some bonus opportunities, and they will be more accommodating and will ensure that you will go home with that car.
• During holidays. Holidays usually mean sales and special discounts. So, if you are buying a car, check if your dealership has upcoming deals for those dates.