No matter what make of car you are considering, you should do your research and planning before you head to the showroom.

One of the easiest ways to get started is to talk to your friends and family about their cars. See what they like and don’t like, what they wish they’d known before buying the car, and how the car has aged. You can also read reviews in car magazines and Consumer Reports. This will help you narrow down what cars you may want to consider. This will, in turn, narrow down the dealerships you’ll want to visit. Once you have a list, do an internet search on each one and read any reviews or complaints you find. You can also search BBB.org for reviews and complaints.

You should also talk to your friends and family about their experiences buying their cars. What was their experience like? Did they feel a lot of pressure? Did they have to fight back against upsells? Was there a particular salesperson they liked? 

There are a lot of things you can do to prepare before you set foot in a dealership:

• Consider if you want to get financing through the dealer or from your bank or credit union. If you want a loan independent of the dealer, try to find out in advance what amount you can get approved.
• Have a set limit on what you want to spend. The salesperson may try to get you to spend more, but you know what you can afford and what you can’t.
• Plan enough time to test drive the cars you are considering.
• If you have a car to trade in, research its trade-in value so you have a point of reference for what the dealer may offer you.

To find help for all parts of your life, check out BBB’s Consumer HQ.

Read BBB's tips on buying a car online.