Clark Howard Buying A New Car Access

: Always line up your financing through a credit union or bank before you ever step onto a dealer's lot. This prevents the dealer from using "monthly payment talk" to hide the true cost of the loan.

When talking to a salesperson, avoid revealing information that could weaken your leverage:

: If your car is over 150,000 miles and annual repairs exceed $3,000, it's generally time to trade it in for more predictable costs. Are you considering a specific make or model , or Report: The Average Price of a New Vehicle - Clark Howard