Prepare for Your Test Drive
There is more to test driving than meets the eye. A new vehicle needs to measure up to style, as well as practical, demands. Use this checklist to help determine whether the vehicle you want is really the vehicle for you.
Vehicle Checklist
Bring this checklist to your test drive and mark a "Y" or "N" next to each item.
Vehicle Name:
_____________________________________________
Exterior Inspection
_____ Attractive styling
_____ Suitable paint and assembly quality
_____ Large enough trunk size for hauling groceries or sports equipment
_____ Suitable wheels and tires
Interior Inspection
_____ Doors open and close easily
_____ Easy entry and exit of the vehicle
_____ Comfortable front and back seats
_____ Ample head room and leg room (front and back)
_____ Interior (both front and back seats) roomy
_____ Pedals, seat, steering wheel, and shifter adjust easily
_____ Safety belts adjust easily
_____ Instrument panel's controls are easily visible and reachable
_____ Gauges are easy to understand
_____ Temperature is simple to adjust
_____ Excellent visibility out of rear, front and side windows
_____ Adequate storage space
_____ Offers the type of convenience features you need (e.g. cup holders, cargo nets, etc.)
Performance
_____ Vehicle accelerates quickly and smoothly from rest position
_____ Brakes make both slow and hard stops
_____ Vehicle downshifts without hesitation and at the right time
_____ Vehicle shifts from gear to gear smoothly
_____ Vehicle climbs to higher speeds easily
_____ Vehicle has low amount of engine, interior and road and wind noise
_____ Vehicle has low amount of noise with the sunroof open
Handling
_____ Steering responds quickly and precisely to changes in direction
_____ Vehicle's change in direction feels controlled
Safety
_____ Vehicle is equipped with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
_____ Vehicle has traction control
_____ Minimal pulsing (a short burst of repeated beats) when braking hard (excessive pulsing lets you know that the vehicle's ABS system may not be as advanced as others)
_____ Vehicle is equipped with air bags
Negotiating the Deal
Negotiation at the vehicle dealership is an act of discussion and compromise. It begins with plenty of research. These suggestions will help you understand what to do before, during, and after your negotiations with the dealer.
Before You Visit the Dealership
- Consult third-party sources like Kelley Blue Book to get an estimate and become comfortable with your asking price
- Become familiar with current interest rates. This will help you estimate your monthly payments
- Know which payment option makes sense for you: cash, purchase financing or lease
- If you are purchasing a used vehicle, find a mechanic to assess it before you purchase it through our Genuine Parts & Service website
- Know your vehicle's resale value before you discuss trade-in negotiations
- If the vehicle you are trading in needs repairs, get estimates so you can figure out your vehicle's actual value
At the Dealership
Keep in mind that you really have three points to negotiate: purchase price, trade-in value, and financing terms.
- Keep each negotiation separate and proceed in the order listed above. It's better to get your agreed upon terms in writing before moving onto the next stage in the negotiation process
- Finalize the vehicle's purchase price. Steer clear of discussions about monthly payments or payment choices (cash, purchase financing or lease) until the price is determined. Because terms and interest rates are flexible, you may end up paying more for a vehicle to arrive at a desired monthly payment
- Save discussions about financing for the dealership's finance manager
- Wait until all negotiations are finalized (purchase price, trade-in, and financing) before deciding on extras like insurance and an extended service plan
After the Negotiation
- Have all your terms and figures put into writing
- Review the terms and figures carefully
Tour the service area and meet the people you will eventually see for maintenance or service/warranty work
Making Sense of Window Stickers
A window sticker is more than just information about a vehicle's price. A vehicle's window sticker contains plenty of useful information to help you in your vehicle search.
Vehicle Description
This section contains basic information about the vehicle, including its model year, color, number of doors, engine and transmission type and its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Make sure the window sticker's VIN match the vehicle's VIN (usually located in the inside of the driver's door or on the dashboard).
Standard Equipment
Standard equipment is a list of the features available on the vehicle at no extra cost to the buyer.
In this section, you might look for the following:
- Are airbags standard?
- Is power steering standard?
- What is the warranty length?
- How does the standard equipment compare to other models?
Fuel Economy
The window sticker should display information about how many miles a vehicle can travel per gallon of gasoline for both city and highway driving. These figures are based on tests performed in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This section offers comparative ratings for other vehicles within the vehicle's size class (e.g. large, luxury, compact). You will also find information about the vehicle's engine and transmission.
Look at the "actual mileage" paragraph to find a more realistic explanation of the vehicle's fuel capabilities since fuel economy figures can vary depending on driving conditions, driving habits and a vehicle's options.
Pricing
The pricing section involves several components:
- Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)&EEMM;The manufacturer's suggested base price; doesn't include options or destination charges
- Optional equipment&EEMM;Optional equipment provides an opportunity to enhance your new vehicle, but at additional expense. This section includes a breakdown of pricing for options and option packages. Optional equipment lists the "suggested" retail prices
- Destination charge&EEMM;This number includes the cost of shipping the vehicle to the dealership
Total price&EEMM;This is the sum of the above charges. Total price does not include ownership costs like registration, insurance, and taxes
