Buy a new car for the price of coffee

Buying a new car gives you the peace of mind of being a car’s first owner, and the flexibility to choose the exact car you want.

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Setting your budget | Choosing the right car
Test driving a car | Haggling with dealers

Before you think about which car to buy, you’ll need to work out how much you have to spend.
• Work out how much your current car is worth, and whether you’ll sell it privately or part-exchange it with a dealer
• Decide on whether you need to take out finance
• Calculate your likely fuel, insurance and road tax costs

How Auto Trader can help:
• Setting your budget
• Understanding car loans and finance
• Checking your credit rating

With more choice than ever, choosing your perfect car can be a confusing process. Make things easier by spending some time working out what you need from your car. Think about:
• What the car will be used for
• How many passengers will be regularly carried
• How much will it cost to fuel, tax, insure, service and repair

How Auto Trader can help: Choosing the right car

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to test drive the actual new car you’re buying, but you should be able to drive a similar version.
• Ask the dealer to arrange a drive in a car that’s as close as possible to the one you’re looking to buy; sometimes you may need to drive several cars to sample the bodystyle, engine and gearbox separately
• A test drive needn’t be five minutes ’round the block – ask to borrow a car for an evening or a weekend so you can get familiar with it, without the pressure of a salesperson in the passenger seat
• Make sure you can get comfortable behind the wheel, are satisfied with the way the car drives and you have sufficient visibility
• If you regularly carry passengers or luggage, load up the car to see how it copes

How Auto Trader can help: Test driving a car

Negotiating the best deal on a new car can save you thousands, or secure you some desirable equipment, so it’s worth pursuing.
• Know what your part-exchange is worth and haggle up the price, but remember dealers will pay ‘trade’ prices, which will be less than you’ll get by selling privately
• It can be easier to haggle at the end of the month when sales staff are close to their sales target, or before the March and September numberplate changes
• Ask for extra equipment, such as alloy wheels or air conditioning – even mats and mudflaps and a tank of fuel can be worth £150
• If you’re taking out finance, dealers may be more willing to offer discounts as they can offset the commission they’ll get from the finance lender against a discount or extra equipment
• Check if a new model is about to come out – dealers will be keen to shift older stock
• Stay calm – emotions can cloud the haggle meaning you could miss out on the best deal

How Auto Trader can help: Haggling with sellers

More in-depth buying advice:

How to choose the right car:
Buying a used car | Buying a new car | Setting your budget
Comparing new and used cars | Choosing the right car
Buying an imported car | Buying a classic car

How to buy a car:
Contacting the seller | Inspecting a used car | Test driving a car
Haggling with sellers | Doing the paperwork

How to pay for your car:
Understanding car loans and finance | Checking your credit rating
Returning a car