The Dangers of Buying the Wrong Car: A Guide to Avoiding Common Mistakes

When it comes to buying a new car, there are many pitfalls that can lead to financial loss and frustration. One of the most common mistakes people make is buying the top-of-the-line model without doing their research. "I'm not going to buy the top-of-the-line model because it costs eight thousand dollars more than the medium one," says an experienced mechanic. "You can easily upgrade systems like putting an Android system on your car and add all kinds of options at a fraction of the cost of what the dealer is charging you for that high-end model."

Many people are swayed by the prestige of owning a new, top-of-the-line vehicle without considering the potential cost savings of purchasing a lower trim level or upgrading individual components. As the mechanic explains, "You're much better off pricing around and seeing what models have which options and then deciding how much you want to pay for the car and what features you really want to have." This approach can save buyers thousands of dollars and ensure they get the right car for their needs.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying a new car is not doing enough research. "Do a little research, email guys like me when you don't know what you should choose," advises the mechanic. "I'll tell you the truth about which cars are good and which ones aren't. You can easily look up repair histories of cars on the internet, as well as their resale value." By doing their homework, buyers can avoid models that have poor reliability or depreciation.

The mechanic also warns against buying extended warranties that offer too little protection for a high price. "Don't get suckered into buying one of those extended warranties where you're paying thousand or a couple thousand dollars for an extended warranty," he cautions. "Your best extended warranty is buying a good car in the first place, and not worrying about it because, over the years I've had customers who bought those extended warranties, 60-70 percent of the time something breaks on the car they say, oh well that's not covered by the warranty." Insurance companies often deny claims for repairs under these extended warranties, citing exclusions or lack of coverage.

In addition to avoiding extended warranties, the mechanic advises buyers to be cautious of popular cars with poor reliability. "Guess what, an insurance company is gonna sell you something that you're gonna get more value out of it and they are," he notes. "Personally in my business I stopped accepting those things, because I'd have to spend hours arguing with the insurance companies over why this should be covered or what they're gonna pay for what repair." The mechanic's experience has taught him that these warranties often leave buyers with little recourse when repairs are needed.

Finally, the mechanic warns against getting romantically involved with a particular car model. "Don't get romantically involved with a particular car," he advises. "If you get really involved that oh I got to get this car I got to get this car, your gonna pay too much because there's lots of nice cars out there, you can get a good one if you heed my warnings, and spend a little time and thought about what car you want to buy how much you want to pay for it." By avoiding emotional attachments to specific models, buyers can make more rational decisions and avoid overpaying for their new vehicle.

The Importance of Research

When it comes to buying a new car, research is key. The mechanic advises potential buyers to do some basic research before heading to the dealership. "Do a little research," he recommends. "Email guys like me when you don't know what you should choose." The mechanic will be happy to provide guidance and insights based on his years of experience.

One of the most important things to research is the car's reliability and depreciation. By looking up repair histories and resale values, buyers can get a sense of whether or not a particular model is a good investment. "You can easily look up repair histories of cars on the internet," notes the mechanic. "These days you can also check out websites like Carfax or AutoCheck to see if there's any major issues with the vehicle."

In addition to researching individual models, buyers should also consider the overall cost of ownership. This includes not just the purchase price, but also ongoing expenses like insurance, fuel, and maintenance. By getting a clear picture of these costs, buyers can make more informed decisions about which car to choose.

The Benefits of Buying Pre-Owned

While new cars may be appealing to some, there are many benefits to buying pre-owned vehicles. One of the most significant advantages is typically a lower purchase price. As the mechanic notes, "You're paying 60-70 percent less for a used car than you would for a brand-new one." This can be a significant savings for buyers who want to stay within their budget.

Another benefit of buying pre-owned vehicles is often lower depreciation costs. New cars tend to lose value quickly, especially in the first few years after purchase. In contrast, used cars have already taken the biggest hit in terms of depreciation, so they tend to hold their value better over time.

Finally, buying a pre-owned vehicle can also be a more environmentally friendly option. With fewer people driving new vehicles every year, there's less demand for new production and therefore less resource consumption. Additionally, many used cars are sold with lower emissions ratings than brand-new models, making them a greener choice for buyers who prioritize environmental sustainability.

Avoiding Extended Warranties

When it comes to buying a car, one of the most common mistakes is overpaying for an extended warranty. These warranties can offer protection against costly repairs, but they often come with significant drawbacks. As the mechanic notes, "Don't get suckered into buying one of those extended warranties where you're paying thousand or a couple thousand dollars for an extended warranty." The risk is that these warranties may not provide much coverage, and if something does go wrong, buyers may be left with a hefty bill.

One of the biggest reasons to avoid extended warranties is that they often have exclusions. These can include things like pre-existing conditions, wear and tear, or maintenance-related issues. If buyers don't understand what's covered and what's not, they may end up paying for repairs out of pocket when they could have avoided them altogether.

The mechanic also notes that insurance companies often deny claims for repairs under these extended warranties. "I'd have to spend hours arguing with the insurance companies over why this should be covered or what they're gonna pay for what repair," he says. The experience is frustrating and costly, leaving buyers feeling like they've been ripped off.

Romanticizing Your New Car

When it comes to buying a new car, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of choosing a model you really want. But as the mechanic notes, "Don't get romantically involved with a particular car." The result can be overpaying for your vehicle and missing out on better deals elsewhere.

One way to avoid this is to make a list of your priorities before heading to the dealership. What features are must-haves? Are there any options that you really want, but aren't essential? By focusing on these key priorities, buyers can stay focused on their goals and avoid getting swayed by sales pitches or marketing hype.

Additionally, taking some time to research different models and compare prices can help buyers make more informed decisions. The mechanic recommends spending a little time browsing online reviews, reading car forums, and talking to other owners about their experiences with specific models. By gathering as much information as possible, buyers can get a clear picture of which cars are the best value for their money.

Conclusion

Buying a new car is a significant investment, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming or expensive. By doing your research, avoiding extended warranties, and staying focused on your priorities, buyers can avoid common mistakes and find a car that meets their needs without breaking the bank. As the mechanic notes, "There are lots of nice cars out there, you can get a good one if you heed my warnings and spend a little time and thought about what car you want to buy how much you want to pay for it."

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your engines, today I'm gonna talkabout the biggest mistakes that peoplemake when they buy a car, now I've beenworking on cars for 51 years and overthose years I've see my customers make allkinds of mistakes from buying a car solisten to me and don't make the samemistake, when paying for your car don'tfinance it if at all possible, pay cashbecause most financing either at thedealer or a used-car lot,it's a complete ripoff, if you have toborrow money, borrow it from somewherebesides the dealer or a used-car lotwhere you're buying it from, credit unionwhatever try to get the money somewhereelse, because you might not realize itbut if you go to a car dealer and buy anew car,they don't own the car, that car isfinanced and they are financing itthrough some bank, at the end of everymonth just like you, they have to pay thenote on every car that's on their lotthey don't own them the bank does, so let'sjustsay that borrowing money from someonewho's borrowed money to buy something,isn't such a smart idea, they gotta makea profit so you know you're gonna pay ahigher interest rate, and don't be fooledby those 0% financing or low financingrate that they're gonna claim to giveyou, because even if they give you a 0%interest or a really low interest ratethey just raise the price of the car, youknow thelist price of cars are joke anyways andnobody pays them except fools, and sothey'll say, well you got to pay the listprice to get this low interest rate, soyou're not saving anything you'reactually paying more in a long run, justlike when I was young they say, oh lookyou buy a new car you get a brand newcolor TV set, you weren't getting a TVset free, they just amortize the price ofthat TV into your monthly payment yourstill paying for the thing, their not givingyouanything and my next bit of advice isthis, be like me I've never bought a newcar in my life, if you're buying another carhey buy a good used cars, just think whenyoubuy a brand-new car say it's $35,000you're gonna lose at least athousand the minute youdrive it off the lot, over the yearsI've had a few customers not all thatmany, that were crazy enough tobuy a new car and then they decidedafter about a year, oh they didn'treally like that car, so they traded itin and in most cases they got a littlebit over half of what they paid for thecar, buy good used car there's plenty ofthem out there, but if not and you're buyinga newcar make sure it's the car that you wantto buy, go to a bunch of dealers and roadtest all the different models, see whatyou really like and take this intoconsideration, if you live in an area itdoesn't snow much has good roads, you'repretty much throwing your money away ifyou're buying an all-wheel drive orfour-wheel drive vehicle, so my advice isdon't if you don't really need it, itcosts more to build, all-wheel drivevehicles cost a lot more, they weigh morethey have more friction, they get worsegas mileage, then because of all-wheeldesign they're often much more expensiveto repair when work has to be done on acar cuz all that stuff is in the way andhas to be moved out to fix variousthings even like a starter, and decide whattype of engine you want, if you just likecruising around a four-cylinder engineis perfectly fine these days, you'regonna get better gas mileage, they hold upquite well but in that respect be a littlebit leery about these modern reallysmall four-cylinder engines that areturbocharged to give them more power,because turbocharging puts a biggerstrain inside the engine it builds upmore pressure inside the cylinder, thecars are gonna wear out faster if youdrive them hard, the turbos are gonna wearout eventually and they cost a smallfortune to replace, and if you drivefaster you're going to kind of negatethe good gas mileage because the fasteryou spin the engine the worse the gasmileage, this is where gas mileageratings is often a load of baloney on aturbocharged car, because they'rerunning them on a dyno when their testingthem, but they're just driving themnormal, many people with a turbo they'realways slamming on a gas, then the turbokicks in and it spins really fast, youget a lot of pick up but you're gonna gethorrible gas mileage then, so don't thinkyou're gonna get a little better4-cylinder turbocharged engine and drive itreally hard and get very good gasmileage, and when it comes to power, sayyou're the type of person that towsquite a bit, you might considerforgetting gasoline engine and get adiesel engine then, because dieselengines are made for towing they got alot of torque for towing, they'll getbetter gas mileage towing than agasoline engine will, I've had customersin the past not doing enough research,they'll buy a big truck figuring, oh it'sa big truck I can tow stuff, and sure a bigv8 engine it can tow stuff, but theyget horrendous gas mileage especially ifthey had a giant trailer or a big giantcamper that they tow behind it, I've hadmore than one customer end up gettingrid of their gasoline engine and buyinga diesel engine truck for towing stuff,sodon't make that mistake if you're gonna doa lot of towing, look into diesel vehiclesinstead, and when it comes to variousoptions, decide what you really want andyou might decide that hey, I'm not gonnabuy the top-of-the-line model because itcosts eight thousand dollars more thenthe medium one does, as I've shown on myown videos, you can easily upgradesystems like putting an Android systemlike this that I did in my old 2007Toyota Matrixand put on all kinds of additions at afraction of the cost of what the deal isgoing to charge you, because they're topmodels they had everything in them andthen they give you this outrageous pricetag for it you're much better pricingaround, seeing what models have which, andthen decide how much you want to pay forthe car and what options you really want tohave, whether you buy it that way or haveit put on later, but of course thebiggest mistake I've seen my customersmake over the last 51 years, is buyingthe wrong car in the first place, do alittle research,email guys like me when you don't knowwhat you should choose I'll tell you thetruth about which cars are good andwhich cars aren't,you can easily look up repair historiesof cars on the Internet these days andalso the resale value, even if you'rebuying a new car, do a resale value ofthat model and if you see it's horribletheir horrible fora reason and the reason is they're notsuch great cars you shouldn't buy one inthe first place, and when a company comesup with a new design like say, oh theyhave this new engine and this newtransmission, heydon't buy it, wait until the model has beenouta few years to see what happens, I'veseen more designs that failed miserablybecause they weren't built and designedcorrectly, and they broke down inregular driving once the models weresold, and if you are buying a new car myadvice, don't get suckered into buyingone of those extended warranties whereyour paying thousand or a couple thousanddollars for an extended warranty, yourbest extended warrantyit's buying a good car like a Toyota inthe first place, and not worrying aboutit because, over the years I've hadcustomers who bought those extendedwarranties, 60-70 percent of thetime something breaks on the car theysay, oh well that's not covered by thewarranty, because the warranty company isguess what an insurance company, they'rethe ones who decide who they paid whothey don't pay, hey it's to theiradvantage not to pay you,especially if it's a big repair becausereally,do you think an insurance company isgonna sell you something that you'regonna get more value out of it and theyare, personally in my business I stoppedaccepting those things, because I'd haveto spend hours arguing with theinsurance companies over why this shouldbe covered or what they're gonna pay forwhat repair, their mechanics they don'tunderstand cars they just understand, heythis guy paid us twelve hundred dollarsfor a policy and now he says this carneeds thirty five hundred dollars worthof work, well we want to lose money on thedeal, there are so many exclusions onthat stuff and a lot of it is, chicken orthe egg, who can prove why your enginewent out, they could say, oh you didn'tchange the oil enough, you overheated theengine whatever, when I work on a cara lot of times I don't know why the carbroke the way it did, I have to fix it,but I can't be sure as to why it brokein the first place, believe me from myexperience, those extended warrantiesthey just give you a false sense ofsecurity, because they're not gonna payfor a lot of the stuff that goes wrongyou just think, oh I'm secure I haveinsurance from this, ha wait until somethingbreaks and see what they're actuallygonna pay for, and the last mistake notto make is don't getromantically involved with a particularcar, if you get really involved that, oh Igot to get this car I got to get thiscar, your gonna pay too much because thereal popular cars guess what, they markthem up as high as they possibly cansticking every addition they can, a carthat might be based $35,000 will besixty thousand dollars by the time youget out the door, yeah there's lots ofnice cars out there, you can get a goodone if you heed my warnings, and spend alittle time and thought about what caryou want to buy, how much you want to payfor it, so if you never want to missanother one of my new car repair videos,remember to ring that Bell!\n"