How I did it: My wife and I did some research on Consumer Reports about what were the best-rated cars, and settled on three models: the Toyota Camry, the Nissan Altima, the Honda Accord.  Then we did some research on what to do when buying new cars: general advice, how to negotiate, tips for test drives, and general things to watch out for.  Next, I shopped around for quotes and we did some test drives.  The Camry was a little small for me, so we knocked that one out straight away.  Then we made some pros and cons, and settled on the Altima.

After that, I shopped around a little more, did some more negotiating, signed the paperwork, and finally got just the right car for us, with not much hassle at all!

Lessons & tips: Do your research.  It seems obvious, but this is a big investment, so you need to make sure you know what you're talking about.
Make a checklist for your test drives and make sure you check everything on your list on each drive.
Talk to people about where they bought their cars: people are always willing to steer you in a good direction.
Shop around.  I was able to save over $3000 because I didn't settle on one dealership.
If you're afraid to negotiate, that's fine, but be sure you at least try it.  It's better to feel momentarily stupid after an unsuccessful negotiation than feel permanently stupid thinking that you might have been able to save yourself some money.

Resources: Consumer Reports - there's a monthly fee but they've got the goods.
The Internet - lots of advice on how to negotiate and car buying tips.
Friends & family - for recommendations and moral support.

Jul 01, 03:26PM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer