Buying a New Car Checklist

Buying a new car is an exciting journey. However, having helpful tips will make this process go by even faster. To help drivers from St. Charles, St. Louis, O'Fallon, Saint Peters, and beyond, our experts at St. Charles Nissan crafted this new car checklist. Read on to find out how to easily navigate the car-buying process. 

Before You Leave Home

Before you leave home, check the following things:

1.      Be prepared. Make a list of the features you must have as opposed to the ones that would be nice to have. The more detailed you are, the better off you'll be.

2.      Call around. Call dealerships in the area and speak with their sales staff. Make an appointment to come in.

3.      Keep photocopies of your important records, such as your driver's license and insurance card.

When You Get to the Lot

When you arrive at the lot, keep the following things in mind.

4.      You're in charge. Remember, you're the customer and you control the tenor of negotiations.

5.      Hold off on trade-in talk. Don't give up your keys until after you take a test drive and are ready to negotiate.

6.      Check out the inventory. Discuss what you want in your next car with a sales representative. With various sedans, SUVS, trucks, and more, there are countless options for you to choose from. Make sure you peruse the dealer's inventory and see what kind of models they offer.

What to Look For in the Car

When you're at the car you're considering, check the following.

7.      Drive the one you want. Don't be afraid to insist on a test drive of the exact vehicle you're planning to take home.

8.      Ask for a test drive. The salesperson will be happy to take you on a test drive to experience the car you're interested in.

9.      Check the engine. Look at how easy the battery is to access, the oil and transmission dipstick, and the wiper fluid.

10.  Where's the spare? Know where the spare tire is.

11.  What's the cargo space? Check the trunk or back. Fold down the seats to gauge your available space.

12.  Sit in every seat. Gauge the comfort for both you and your passengers.

13.  Get in and out. Make sure you know how easy the car is to enter and exit.

14.  Adjust your driving position. Make sure you can comfortably situate yourself in the cabin.

During the Drive

During the test drive, the following factors are important.

15.  Take a long drive. If you're just going around the block, you haven't tested the car. Get on the highway, in city traffic, on hills, and anywhere else you might drive. Aim to drive around the kind of streets you're usually be traveling on, whether that's long stretches of highway or narrow city streets.

16.  Map a course. Sit down with the sales representative and map out where you're going to go to avoid surprises.

17.  Turn off the radio. You're listening to the car, not the stereo.

18.  Feel the drive. How smooth is the ride? Does it bump and jar a lot?

19.  Visibility. How big are your blind spots? What's your visibility range?

20.  Acceleration. Check to see how well the car accelerates and brakes both in stop-and-go traffic and on the highway.

21.  Check shifting. Pay attention to how smoothly it shifts and changes gears.

22.  Check steering. How stiff and responsive is the steering? Do you feel in control?

23.  Stability. How does it corner? Does it feel stable?

24.  Parallel parking. Is it easy to park?

25.  Braking. Check the brakes. If you can do it safely, try a hard brake.

Work with a Reliable Dealer like St. Charles Nissan

If you're in St. Louis, St. Charles, Saint Peters, or O'Fallon, stop into St. Charles Nissan. We'll get you into the car of your dreams, so you can leave our lot both confident and satisfied. We look forward to working with you!

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