Dye Autos Denver Area Truck and Automotive Blog
They say timing is everything. When you’re thinking about the best time to buy a used car, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars if you pick the right time. And if you don’t? It could cost you BIG if you don’t get the timing right.
Timing and discounts are nothing new, which means those who pay attention to the calendar come out on top. The discounts even fluctuate based on what day of the week or time of the month you buy.
Here at Dye Autos, we have over 100 years combined experience in selling cars. We’ve seen it all and we’re happy to share our knowledge with you.
Before we reveal the #1 insider’s tip for the best time to buy a used car, let’s talk more about timing.
- Always buy a used car before your current vehicle leaves you stranded.
- Always be prepared when you go to the dealership to buy a used car.
- If that timing coincides with the best times on the calendar to buy, you can get a great deal.
Mondays
Some people think that shopping on busy weekends means the dealer will give a discount. The data, however, shows that isn’t 100% true. Visiting a car dealer in the middle of the day or on some weekends won’t necessarily help shoppers get a great price.
One good strategy is to shop on a Monday. TrueCar’s buying data shows that buyers saved an average of 8.1% on Mondays, compared to Saturdays (7.77 percent) or Sundays (7.49 percent).
On Mondays (or other weekdays, to a lesser extent), the salesperson and customers will have more time to negotiate the best deal. A side benefit is that most lenders will be open for business on a weekday, so you can arrange and finalize your auto loan before you leave the dealership.
The #1 Insider’s Secret: “End of The…”
There’s something about deadlines that motivates us dealers to give smokin’ deals on cars. The best times to buy a used car are at the end of the….
1. End of the day
Make your offer later in the day. If a salesperson hasn’t racked up a sale all day, he or she may be more amenable as the minutes tick toward closing time.
2. End of the weekend
Car dealers have weekend goals as well as monthly goals. Various cars on the lot need to move to make room, so management puts up bonuses on specific vehicles to sell them fast.
If the car or truck you want is on that list, especially if the salesperson hasn’t sold it by Sunday afternoon, you can grab a sweet deal by going in at the end of the weekend.
3. End of the month
You can get a great deal at the end of the month. Dealerships are always motivated to sell cars, but at the end of the month their motivation increases exponentially. If you want to take advantage of the dealer’s urgency to meet their monthly goals, start your negotiation a few days before.
4. End of the year
Every dealer has annual quotas and there are bonuses for salespeople who meet certain annual figures. Take advantage of this. If you can wait, buy your new car in the last two weeks of December, when dealers are dying to beat their quotas. Annual sales bonuses are sometimes incentive enough for dealers to knock off up thousands from the price.
If you can’t wait until the end of the year…
Some buyers can’t wait until the end of the year to buy a used car. Don’t worry. There are opportune buying times year-round. Just remember the #1 Insider’s Secret “End of the…”
Need help buying a car or truck? We’re here to help! Call us at (303) 286-1665 or simply use our handy contact form >>here<<
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Coloradans are truck people. When we say we love our trucks, we’re not exaggerating. Our relationship with our truck is often like other relationships we have: we depend on our truck, and it depends on us. When you love your truck on Valentine’s Day, it’s a nice way to acknowledge all the things our truck does for us throughout the year.
Your truck doesn’t ask for much so this Valentine’s Day, show your truck a little more love by being grateful it’s always there for you.
When something (or someone) is dependable, we can often take it for granted. Valentine’s Day is a great reminder to pay attention to your truck’s well-being:
- Does it need maintenance?
- How about your spare…is it in good shape?
- Could your truck use a thorough detail?
It’s always good to take to reflect on all the good your truck does for you. It’s a valuable asset that makes your life a lot better.
Here are some reminders of why you love your truck.
7 Reasons to Love Your Truck on Valentine’s Day
1. Your truck protects you
Your car is a set of body armor on wheels. Could you imagine flying through the air at 70 MPH without the protective shell of your auto interior? You would be as dead as a bug on your windshield.
2. Your truck helps you earn a living
Let’s face it, your truck makes you look good. But it also helps you earn a living. Even if you’re not in construction or one of the trades, your truck brings YOU to work.
3. Your truck feels like home
Most of us spend a lot of time in our truck and frankly, it feels like home. It’s nice to plop down in the driver’s seat after a hard day at work, close the door, turn on some tunes and merrily drive home. There’s something so satisfying about it, right?
4. Your truck is always there when you need it (most of the time)
It’s comforting to know that, wherever you go, when you’re ready to leave, your truck is there waiting for you.
There’s nothing like getting stranded to make you appreciate your truck. Be proactive with regular maintenance and you’ll lessen the chances of getting stuck without it.
5. Your truck gives you a sense of pride
Pride still matters.
Pride has nothing to do with ego or vanity, far from it. Pride is setting a personal standard, excellence in all things, and holding to that standard. Your truck is an extension of you.
Want to show even more love for your truck? Keep it looking good. Nothing says, “I take pride in what I do,” like a clean truck.
6. Your truck saves you trouble
Without your truck, you’d be destined to:
- Ride the bus
- Walk
- Ride a bike
- Bum a ride
- Take an Uber
7. Your truck provides freedom
Feeling a little overwhelmed? Need to escape? Your trusty truck is there, just waiting for you to get in, roll down the windows, and take a drive. Freedom is a wonderful thing.
What does your truck say about you? Are you ready to buy a truck you can love? Call us at (303) 286-1665 or simply fill out our contact form >>here<<. Dye Autos is here to help!
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Buying a used car can seem like a maze of difficult decisions. At Dye Auto, we believe that getting the car of your dreams should be easy. That’s why we began this blog – to share our expertise with you, so that you feel as comfortable as possible with your decisions.
There are a lot of questions that customers ask and over the years, we’ve answered hundreds of them. We believe that information is power and getting the answers you need ensures that fact.
Where we shine is in answering the questions that many customers don’t know they need to ask.
We recently wrote about the “Answers to Your 6 Biggest Used Car Financing Questions.”
- Do I need a down payment?
- Can I get approved if I have bad credit?
- Why does a car’s age and mileage affect my financing options?
- How much should my payment be?
- How much are can I afford?
- Should I get pre-qualified?
(For more in depth answers to these questions, simply click over to our post via the link).
As time goes on, we’ll cover every question you might not know to ask when buying a used car.
We’re excited to help customers buy cars. We’ve been in the Denver / Wheat Ridge area for many years and we have a combined 100 years experience in selling cars to great customers (like you).
We’re not like the other guys.
- We have a streamlined process that gets you in and out in 90 minutes.
- We’re relaxed and easy to do business with.
- We’re just like you – we dress casual and we aren’t pretentious.
- We have access to financing for anyone.
Here are 6 more questions to ask when buying a used car
You ask – we answer!
1. Are there any potential penalties or fees on my car loan?
Make sure you know about any early payoff fees or extra charges that occur during the term of your car loan. This is something you’d find in the “small print” so ask the finance manager to explain it all.
2. What’s the best thing to do with my trade-in?
Your trade-in is part of the deal making process and you should use it to your maximum benefit.
The current market is what sets the price for your trade-in. It’s not what you think it might be worth.
It’s possible to get more selling your car privately, but it’s definitely more of a hassle. The best approach is to do your homework. Know what your car is worth and come to the table ready to make a deal.
For more information on what to do with your trade-in, click here for our post: Do’s and Don’ts of Trading in Your Car.
3. Is my deposit refundable?
In some cases, you’ll leave a deposit on a car you want to buy. This tells the dealer that you’re serious and it saves the vehicle from being sold before you can make all the arrangements.
Before you give anyone a deposit on a vehicle, be sure you know whether can you get it back if you change your mind. Get a receipt and make sure it says “refundable” before you hand any money over.
4. Should I buy a service contract?
Used car buyers are often offered an Extended Service Contract when there is no other warranty available for the car being sold. This is usually on older cars, well out of their manufacturer’s warranty.
If you plan on keeping the car for a long time, a service contract is worth considering. Make sure you get the answers to these 4 questions before you say yes.
- Who stands behind the warranty?
- What is covered exactly?
- What is the deductible for each claim?
- Will you have peace of mind if you don’t buy it?
5. May I see a copy of the car’s history report?
Vehicle history reports have become an integral part of any used-car purchase. They are one of the best ways to learn about a given vehicle’s past and help make your search for a used car much easier.
At Dye Autos, we provide a free vehicle history report from CarFax on each of our vehicles.
6. Why should I buy from you?
This is a GREAT question to ask your salesperson and it’s important to listen carefully to the answer. You want to feel comfortable with your salesperson and this is a nice icebreaker.
Every good car salesperson should know exactly why their customers buy from them.
Got more questions?
Call us at (303) 286-1665. Dye Autos is here to help!
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Financing a used car or truck is something nearly everyone does at least once in their life. At Dye Autos, we’ve been providing financing for customers in Denver and the surrounding areas for many years. It’s still difficult for many customers to navigate the waters of auto loans and we work hard to make the process easier.
A little knowledge goes a long way.
It’s a good idea to prepare yourself from the outset so you’ll know exactly what to expect before you make this financial commitment.
The fundamentals of financing a used car or truck are:
- Type of vehicle you want
- Determine down payment amount
- Creditworthiness
- Monthly payment and terms
- Get Pre-Approved
We wrote in more detail about these fundamentals in our post here: “Answers to Your 6 Biggest Used Car Financing Questions.”
When you’ve got your fundamentals figured out, your next step is to make the actual transaction – go to the dealership and drive home in your dream car.
When you’re at the dealership financing a used car, salespeople and managers do their best to answer every question and they’re required by law to give you important disclosures. But why not bring with you a list of the 6 key questions you should ask?
All of it boils down to this: How much am I paying for the car? Get the answers to this six-pack of questions before you say yes to the financing.
6 key questions to ask when financing a used car or truck
What is the …
-
Precise (down to the penny) price I’m paying for the vehicle?
-
Total amount (be exact) being financed?
-
Amount I’m paying for the credit (finance charge)?
-
Annual percentage rate (APR) I’m paying?
-
Exact amount of each payment?
-
Total number of payments?
The Golden Rule of Financing a Used Car
Be prepared.
Uncertainty is not your friend, especially when you’re financing a used car or truck. The decisions you make will have a lasting effect on your life for many years to come…so choose wisely.
At Dye Autos, we pride ourselves on being transparent and responsive to your needs. We walk our customers through every step of their car or truck purchase and we’re happy to help you.
Call us today with any question you have, even if you’re not in the market to buy right now: (303) 286-1665.
“If it’s a truck you wanna buy, you’d better call Dye!”
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You’ve done it. You’ve decided to buy a new car to replace your old car. There are a lot of important decisions you need to make now and one of them is whether or not trading in your car is beneficial.
How does it work when trading in your car?
When the amount you owe on the car is less than the trade-in value, the process is pretty straightforward.
Say you still owe $5,000 on your car and a dealer offers you $6,000 for it as a trade-in. The dealer pays off the $5,000 loan for you and then you transfer ownership of the car to the dealer. You can use the $1,000 difference as a down payment.
When the amount you owe on the car is more than the trade-in value, the dealer still pays off your loan. This leaves a balance due to the dealer which you can either pay in cash, or sometimes, roll that amount into the new loan you’re getting on the new car. Various factors like creditworthiness, terms and payment amounts govern which options will be available to you.
Do’s and Don’ts of Trading in Your Car
Do’s:
- Use online tools to appraise your car’s value. Edmunds.com and kbb.com are two great resources to appraise your trade-in’s value.
- Be honest with yourself about your car’s trade-in condition. The more forthright you are when using online appraisal tools, the better off you’ll be when it comes time to trade it in. Very often, people come into the dealership with an overly-optimistic idea of what their car is worth, only to find that reality is less optimistic.
- Give your trade-in curb appeal.
- Clean the exterior and interior well.
- Remove small dents.
- Fix window glass defects.
- Bring all vehicle paperwork with you. You will need:
- Certificate of title (if you don’t have it, the DMV can tell you how to get it replaced). Note: if you have an outstanding loan on the vehicle, this will not apply since the bank has your certificate of title.
- Current registration.
- All your car keys and the owner’s manual.
- If you still have a loan on the car, you’ll need to have your account number or a payment stub.
- Maintenance records. These help support your claims about whatever prior damage your car has had and the repairs it has undergone.
Don’ts:
- Don’t fly blind. After you’ve learned what your car is worth via the online appraisal tools, obtain 2-3 dealership quotes or estimates. Information is power so get all the facts before you take the plunge.
- Don’t be unrealistic about your trade-in’s value. We all have attachments to our cars because most of us spend a good portion of our lives in them. However, don’t expect any added “sentimental” value once it’s time to trade in your car. Treat it as a transaction, nothing more.
- Don’t over-fix your trade-in. It’s beneficial to spruce up your car before trading it in, but be sure to set a budget for small fix-ups. Perform simple maintenance and cheap cosmetic fixes (like fixing scratches), but don’t spend so much money that you end up losing money on the trade.
- Don’t forget to pack all your car’s accessories. Trading in your car means you are trading in everything that goes along with it. Make sure the original owner’s manual and any extra keys are in the vehicle when you arrive at the dealership. Dealers like used cars that still have all the accessories and may even give you a better deal on your trade when everything is there.
