Dye Autos Denver Area Truck and Automotive Blog
It’s time for you to get a new car or truck, and you’re weighing your financing options. It seems like such a simple decision. If you have enough money to pay cash for a new car, should you do it? While that can be a smart choice, it’s not always the right option. Here are the pros and cons of paying cash vs financing a car.
Before we get into the question of cash versus financing, a little background is in order for car shoppers who haven’t had much experience buying a new car.
If that sounds like you, here’s the deal: When it comes to buying a car or truck, you generally have two ways to go. You can either finance the car, which means you pay it off over time, or you can pay cash, which means you buy the vehicle outright as if you’re picking up a new pair of sneakers at the store and handing the clerk your debit card.
The advantage to financing is that you’ll usually end up with a better car than if you’re paying with cash. How? Here’s why.
Let’s say your car budget is $8,000. You can buy a used car if you pay in full. However, if you use that $8,000 as a down payment on a new car, you can expand your automotive horizons greatly. If you have good credit, you can easily afford many new models.
The drawback is that you’ll need to make monthly payments in order to pay off the loan that allowed you to buy the newer, more expensive vehicle. Included in those payments is interest, which is a fee you pay the bank for allowing you to borrow the money in the first place.
Cash isn’t necessarily better.
Buying a car with cash is generally preferable to financing, but there are many situations in which that’s not the case.
Most people don’t have cash to spend on a car. If you’re like many Americans, there’s never enough cash on hand to layout on a car or truck. If you have good credit, interest rates are still low and that cash might be better saved for a rainy day.
If you have bad credit, paying cash could ruin your chances to re-establish your credit. Use some of your cash for a down payment and finance the balance to show lenders you’re serious about repairing your credit.
Here are the pros and cons of paying cash vs financing a car.
Paying Cash
Pros
- Save money because you won’t be paying finance costs.
- Peace of mind in knowing you own your vehicle.
- Convenience of no monthly payments.
Cons
- Losing out on the other opportunities to leverage your cash. You may be able to earn returns on your money if you were to invest it instead of making car payments.
- You’re missing an opportunity to build a more positive credit score.
- If this is all the cash you have on hand, you’ll not have a “nest egg” around for emergencies.
Financing a Car (Getting a Car Loan)
Pros
- Rates are still low for those with good credit.
- Rates are also still lower for those with bad credit (but higher than for those with good credit).
- Build and/or re-establish your creditworthiness.
- Have cash available to invest elsewhere and increase income.
- Peace of mind knowing you’ve got cash available should something unexpected happen.
Cons
- Pay more for the car because of financing costs.
- Time investment recommended for researching lenders and dealerships who can help with financing.
- Paying the monthly payments.
Dye Autos has been helping customers like you with car loans for many years. We’ve got over 70 years experience in auto loan financing and we’re here to help. Call us at (303) 286-1665 or simply use our easy contact form >>here<<.
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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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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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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.
Are you thinking about trading in your car or truck? We’re here to help you every step of the way. Call us at (303) 286-1665 or contact us >>>here<<<.
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Surprisingly, some of the biggest discounts on a new truck come at the beginning of the year. If you’re looking for the best time of the year to buy a car or truck, be prepared to act quickly! You won’t find a better time than when the calendar changes into a New Year.
Buying a new truck can be an arduous process. People naturally get caught up in the more exciting parts of buying a new truck, such as:
- Color
- Technology
- Sound System
- Wheels
- Seats
- Mirrors
- Sidesteps
- Power outlets
- Off-road accessories
- Towing equipment
These are all super important features to consider but many people don’t stop to consider the details that could possibly save them THOUSANDS of dollars when it’s time to purchase.
4 New Truck Buying Tips to Start 2018 Off Right
Now that the New Year is upon us, you might be thinking about buying a new truck. Take the time to consider all your options to get the best deal possible.
1. You can save money if you buy on New Year’s Eve.
According to TrueCar, big discounts happen on the last day of the year. Their data show discounts as much as 8.5%.
This is because it’s the last day a dealer has the opportunity to make both their quarterly AND yearly goals. Salespeople potentially have year-end bonuses on the line so they want to get the cars out the door before the midnight.
Everybody wants to save money on their new truck and your best chance to do it is on New Year’s Eve.
2. New Year’s Eve Hangover
Dealers trying to close out their year will often allow discounts that “hang over” into the New Year.
When dealers are busy on New Year’s Eve, there sometimes isn’t enough time to get every deal completed. The new truck deal you’re craving could still be available on January 1st, but only if you act quickly.
3. Forlorn salespeople are eager to sell.
It’s tough for car salespeople sitting in empty showrooms when almost everybody else is sitting at home watching football, recovering from late night parties, or not daring to venture out into the cold.
The only consolation for a car salesperson in this situation is to sell a car or two.
When salespeople are eager to sell, that makes a great opportunity for a savvy buyer.
4. Dealers need to clear their Inventory for new models.
Every dealer has inventory at the end of the year that they want to get rid of.
Used car prices tend to go through a predictable cycle in which they peak during the summer months followed by a downward slope hitting rock bottom around January 10th.
Prices tend to shoot back up quickly through February.
If your 2018 plans say it’s time for a new truck…
Remember these tips when you’re ready to buy. At DYE Autos we’re here to help you anyway we can so please reach out to us anytime!
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