Buying a new car is incredibly exciting. Everything from the smell of a new car to the polished interior and shiny exterior makes it a fantastic experience. While some people might choose to buy from private sellers, we still firmly believe that the best experience comes from being surrounded by a huge range of cars at a dealership.

Buying a car isn’t like doing the weekly shop, though. You probably only do it every few years, so you might not be as adept at shopping for a car as you are for groceries.

We thought we’d share some of our top tips for the next time you visit a car dealership so you can get the most for your money and, more importantly, get a car you’re happy with.

Finding the right dealership to visit

Finding the right dealership is the first step to a great car-buying experience. Here are a few things to check before deciding to visit a dealership.

Research the ones in your local area

Do your research on dealerships in your local area. Asking family and friends for their recommendations or asking local groups online where they’d found car-buying success can really help you pick the right one based on the positive experiences of others.

See how long they have been in business

Every business has to start somewhere, but a dealership being in business for a long time is an indicator that local people trust them. For over 90 years, car buyers in the West Midlands have trusted the Brindley Group to sell them reliable cars.

Check out online reviews

Websites like Trustpilot and Google will provide genuine reviews from real people so you can assess whether the dealerships are worthy of your custom.

See which manufacturers they stock

Dealerships will have an affiliation with certain manufacturers, so you might want to take a look at the range before making the journey there.

Have a list of must-haves

When car buying, it can be easy to be dazzled by the shiny new cars, leaving you in a bit of a daze. If you can, have a list of must-haves with you before you step foot through the dealership door.

This might include the number of doors, the boot size, whether you’d like a hybrid or fully electric car, and even things as mundane as the colour might sway you to make a decision to buy from a particular manufacturer, so do some research beforehand.

Have a budget in mind

Before you're ready to visit the dealership, assess your finances and do some research into how far that budget will realistically take you.

When you have decided on a budget, it will mean that you aren’t sucked into buying a more expensive car than you’d like just because you like the look of it in the dealership. It also allows the experts at the dealership to provide you with options, offering different cars with higher or lower trim levels to meet your budget.

Consider car finance options

With the cost of a car being considerable, you might want to consider spreading the cost across a few years.

With car financing options available, you can do just that. There are different options when it comes to financing a car, which includes Hire Purchase, Personal Contract Purchase, amongst others.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

With many moving parts at a car dealership, it’s natural to have a lot of questions. Having done your research to find a reputable car dealership like Brindley, you can be assured that your questions will be answered honestly and sufficiently.

Whether it’s a question about the car models, financing, or something else, the salespeople are there to help you buy a car you’re happy with.

Always do a test drive

The look of a car and the feel of a car are two very different things. Before signing the dotted line to take the car away, ensure you’ve had an adequate test drive. Check that you’re happy with things like the driving position, the steering, the acceleration and brakes. The test drive will also give you a chance to test out things like the climate control while you’re driving.

When you visit a dealership, you’ll now be equipped with all the information needed to make an informed car-buying decision.

If you’d like to visit a dealership with over 90 years of happy customers, pay us a visit at one of our dealerships.