6 Steps to Honda Buying
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6 Steps to BuyingSteps a Hondato 1 Buying a New Honda FREE eBook! Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell 6 Steps to Buying a Honda 2 Buying a new Honda is a great decision. After all, each vehicle offers dependable safety, great fuel economy, comfortable space, and lots of features. Whether you’re planning on using it for commuting to work or family road trips, it’ll serve you well for a long time and thousands of miles. So, how do you go about buying one of these trusted cars? To help you go from browsing online to signing on the dotted line and getting the keys, we’ll explore the six steps to buying a new Honda. 1. Make a Budget You’re a smart shopper. You’ve chosen to buy a car that’s got a lot to offer and has earned its impressive reputation. Now, let’s get you ready to embark on the process of finding and buying the right Honda for you. The first thing you should do is get your finances in order. Every step of the process will be easier if you start with an organized budget. There are many different Honda models that come in various trim levels. Knowing which vehicles fall within your budget will help you decide what you want to buy. It’ll also pay off when you’re discussing financing agreements. Going into a finance center with a set budget in place will help make the pre-qualification process easier. You’ll already know how much you can put on a down payment and what sort of monthly financing payments you’ll be able to afford. Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell 6 Steps to Buying a Honda 3 2. Build Your Credit On top of knowing what sort of down payment you could make and which trim levels are in your price range, doing some prep work before you start shopping can help you get a better rate on your new car. The financing agreements you qualify for are directly determined by your credit. To help you get the best options, take some steps to improve your credit score before you buy. First, check your credit score and credit history. There are free, reliable sources you can use, such as Experian, that’ll let you see your current score, your open lines of credit, and your full credit history. Once you know where you’re starting from, take some steps to improve your credit. Try to pay off any outstanding debts or lines of credit that you still have open. Closing these out is a great way to improve your score. Likewise, hold off on making any big purchases or signing up for any new credit cards until after you’ve purchased your new car. Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell 6 Steps to Buying a Honda 4 3. Consider Your Needs Before you start searching for a specific Honda, you should first ask the question, “Why do I need a new car?” You may need a car for: ● Commuting to work ● Going on weekend trips with family ● Transporting business supplies It seems like an obvious step, but by sufficiently answering this question, you’ll not only significantly narrow down your search, but you’ll also ensure that the car you find fulfills your most critical requirements. For example, if you want to use the vehicle for transporting business supplies, a spacious SUV or truck can be a suitable option. If you need the vehicle for family commuting, on the other hand, the number of people you’ll be carrying should guide you to the type of sedan or minivan to buy. If you’re commuting alone most days, a smaller vehicle might be the most ideal. Tip: If you want to own the vehicle for a long time, keep your future family size in mind when deciding on the type and size of automobile. Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell 6 Steps to Buying a Honda 5 4. Do Your Research After determining the type of car you want, you now have to research the available options. Keep in mind what features are important to you and which ones are must-haves. What’s Important in a Vehicle? People consider different features when buying cars. Ultimately, how you’ll use the vehicle should determine the features to look for. Some of the important and necessary features may include: ● Engine size: Typically, the larger the engine size, the greater the horsepower. Vehicles with larger engines are more powerful than those with more compact engines. ● MPG: You may also want to consider the miles that the vehicle can cover per gallon. If you’re going on long trips often, efficient gas mileage should be an essential item on your checklist. ● Size: If you typically carry six or more passengers, you’ll need a large vehicle. Even if a car says it can hold a certain number of passengers, it’s always a good idea to check out the interior space and its level of comfort. ● Trunk space: Depending on what you want to use the vehicle for, ample trunk or cargo space may be important. Before you head to a dealership, try making a list with two categories. The first column should be what you absolutely need your new car to have. The second column should be features that you’d like to have but aren’t required. It’s fine to give yourself some wiggle room, but you’ll want to make sure these features fit within your budget. Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell 6 Steps to Buying a Honda 6 5. Take a Test Drive (or Two) Now, here comes the fun part. Walking onto the lot or showroom and seeing all the cars for yourself is always exciting. Grab a seat in the Honda that you’re interested in and let one of the dealership’s sales associates give you a tour of its features and how they work. After you’ve gotten the rundown on how to adjust the seats and work the available technologies, you’re ready to take it for a spin. A test drive is your chance to see how the car measures up to your standards and matches your expectations. ● Drive the vehicle on different types of roads, preferably like the ones where you’ll be frequently driving. Test to see how the vehicle performs on residential streets, around corners, and on the highway. ● For the first few minutes of your test drive, make sure the radio and air conditioner are off. Listen closely for any unusual sounds, as well as general cabin noise on the type of roads you’ll be driving on the most. Although this is a commonly overlooked element, especially during a test drive, it’s crucial if you expect to have long commutes or small children with you. ● Test out the interior features, such as the entertainment system, Bluetooth® capabilities, and automatic windows. Do they work as expected? Test driving a car is the only sure way of knowing its performance on the road and how comfortable you’ll feel behind the wheel. If possible, make sure you test drive three to four cars on your list in succession. You’ll make a better comparison when the memories of the test drives are still fresh in your mind. Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell 6 Steps to Buying a Honda 7 6. Consider Your Financing Options Knowing which vehicle you’re going to buy is essential. However, you also need to figure out how you’re going to finance it. There are several routes you can take to own a new vehicle, and it’s important to understand your options and what you’re most comfortable with based on your budget and lifestyle. Leasing is always on the table, if you’d prefer a short-term option. If you’d rather buy, then you’ll likely need to secure an auto loan. Fortunately, your Honda dealership would have an in-house finance team to walk you through every step of this process. These professionals have years of experience working with car shoppers like yourself. As a result, you can rest assured that you’ll be getting the finance options that you deserve. All you’ll have to do is provide one of the staff members with some key information about your financial history. Then, once you’ve signed the necessary paperwork and made your down payment, the car is all yours! You’ll get the keys, drive home in a brand-new Honda, and start making monthly payments until it’s all paid off. Find Your New Honda Today! Six steps: that’s all it’s going to take for you to drive home in a brand-new Honda, so your new car is a lot closer than you might have initially thought. When you’re ready to get a jump-start on the car-buying process, follow the steps in this eBook. Your new vehicle is waiting for you. Call your local Honda dealer today to find it! Honda of Slidell 510 E HOWZE BEACH ROAD, SLIDELL, LA 70461 Honda hondaofslidell.com | 888.440.7353 of Slidell.