SeaDrift

Buying a car can be a stressful, yet exhilarating experience. You’ll be inundated with information from all sides — television, radio, newspaper, and Internet ads – not to mention advice from family and friends — before stepping foot on a car lot for a test drive.

But before you even get there, you’ll have a few things to decide. First and foremost, you’ll have to decide whether you’re buying a new car, or if a used car is a better fit for your budget. Among the most important things you’ll do when purchasing a used car is research. You’ll need, and want to know, everything about the history of the car — including how many owners it’s had, its mechanical history and whether or not it has been involved in an accident. Nissan sales professionals are able to provide these history reports on every vehicle on their lot.

Before visiting the dealership, make sure you know your credit history and credit score. That will determine your eligibility for financing, how much money you are able to borrow, and your interest rate. Many prospective car buyers line up their financing by visiting their financial institution before going to the dealership, that way they know how much car they can afford.

If you’re trading in a car and using that money to help finance your next car purchase, determine the amount of your trade-in by checking out the N .A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide, the Kelley Blue Book and the Consumer Reports Used Car Buying Guide.