Test Drive: Advice for Buying a New Car

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February 26, 2003 (Newstream) -- Thinking of buying a new car? Many of you are. While the economy may be dragging, sales of cars and trucks are brisk. Experts say there's no time like the present to buy a new automobile. Due to record low financing offers and incentives a new car or truck is more affordable than ever. Yet it's still a major investment, so here are some important tips to take advantage of a good situation.

"Don't be emotional," said Jean Jennings of Automobile Magazine. "Don't fall in love with the car and buy it on the spot. Test drive everything you're interested in hopefully back to back or preferably back to back on the same day. And test drive it the way you would drive your car."

That means if you commute, insist on driving it along, at least part of your route. If the vehicle is for your family, "test drive" getting the kids and groceries in and out easily.

The average price of an automobile is nearly 26 thousand dollars, an important investment. So there's more to consider than price alone. If you want that investment hold on its value - good vehicle maintenance and service after your purchase is a must.

"A good dealership service department is going to take care of you and take care of your investment," said Molly Feely of General Motors. "Protecting that investment by doing preventive maintenance... So when you turn around and sell the product you're going to have a lot of confidence in that investment."

That's right, some day a gleaming new car will be a used car you hope will have high trade in value. So choosing the right dealer can be just as important as choosing the right car.