New Car Checklist in Birmingham, Alabama

Buying a new car can be stressful since it is a large investment with a few moving parts involved. That’s why it’s important to have a checklist to help break down everything you need to do going into a car purchase. You should contact our sales team at Voyles CDJR with any questions about our car buying process, applying for financing, scheduling a test drive, or any other questions you may have.

1. Decide How Much Car You Can Afford

Settling your budget is an important first step in the car buying process. We recommend breaking down your budget into what you’re willing to pay for a monthly car payment, rather than the total amount of the car. Try using our payment calculator online to get a sense of what your monthly payments could look like with longer terms or different down payments.

2. Get Your Credit Ready to Buy a Car

Before getting a financing plan or an auto loan, you should have a good sense of what your credit score is. Some good credit habits to help boost your credit score are making monthly payments, keeping a good revolving credit usage, having credit lines open, and regularly paying for a long time.

3. Shop for the Vehicle Make and Model You Want

Now that you have a good idea of your budget, shop around for the car you want. You can filter and search our inventory by make, model, year, and even price, so you can find a car that fits exactly your needs. Once you’ve had a look at what vehicles you might like, it’s a good idea to schedule a test drive for your best choice, to make sure it’s a good fit.

4. Get Pre-Approved for an Auto Loan

After finding the exact vehicle you’re looking for, you can get pre-approved for financing. You now have the exact price that you’ll need to be financed, so you have all the information you need to apply. That way, when you come to the dealership, you’ll be ready to pay for your new vehicle right away.

5. Ask About Dealer Financing

You should contact our financial services team for more information about how you can get your new vehicle financed through our dealership. We offer great rates on financing for new vehicles, so ask about what financing plans would be best for you. This is also a great time to ask about the value of your trade-in vehicle if you have one.

6. Negotiate the Price

Before finalizing your purchase, you should ask your salesperson what you can do about the price of the vehicle. Our prices are always fair to market value, but it never hurts to see if anything can be negotiated.

7. Close the Deal

With that, all that’s needed is to sign on the dotted line and seal the deal. Browse our inventory today and you could find yourself going down this checklist before you know it!