Buying a New Sports Car – Twelve Tips To Avoid
Financial Sticker Shock
Nothing (well, almost nothing) can compare to the thrill of
driving a road-hugging high performance sports car. Instant
steering response. Power at the exact nanosecond you ask for it.
Then, if you have one of the cuter models, you’ll attract
attention on the road, filling up, and in the shopping mall
parking lot.
Yes, you can pretend you’re driving the Autobahn with the wind
blowing your hair. But beware of state troopers just waiting for
an “arrest me red” entry on their ticket issuing track record.
Before You Fall In Love . . .
Before you step into that showroom and fall in love, consider the
following practicalities:
1) How much do you want to spend? $20,000? $30,000? Or more?
2) What’s the tradeoff between performance (power) and gas
mileage? Higher performance usually equals less gas mileage.
Does the vehicle use premium gas? Right now, the difference
between premium and regular is 20 cents per gallon. At 20 miles
per gallon and 15,000 miles per year, the cost differential is
$150.
3) What about reliability? Some upscale models cost considerably
more to maintain and have a higher incidence of repair costs.
Would you appreciate paying $125 just to diagnose the problem
when the check engine light comes on? Or paying $70 for an oil
change?
4) In a climate where snow and ice are winter realities, do you
want to drive it year round? Or store it over the winter?
A rear wheel drive sports car is impractical for winter driving.
A front, all-wheel, or 4-wheel drive sport car can be driven in
snow and ice, if you use all-season tires. If the little devil
comes with performance tires, you will want to buy all-season
tires (and possibly rims) for winter driving. Add another $1500
to the price of the car for the right tires and rims.
Do Your Homework . . .
5) Once you’ve decided price, performance, gas mileage,
reliability, and practicality for all-season driving, get on the
Internet. Here you can compare models and pricing and read
reviews. Google “buying a new car” or “new car prices” and
several sites will pop up.
Another source is Consumer Report (the new car issue) where your
criteria will be easy to find. Red dots are good. Black dots are
not. Most American car dealers consider this issue of Consumer
Report a nightmare because it favors foreign car models,
especially Asian cars. However, as explained in the newest
version of this report, American car manufacturers are catching
up.
6) Find out what you should pay before stepping into a showroom.
Dealers will offer below invoice prices even on some sports cars
because of rebates, dealer incentives, and dealer returns when
they make a sale.
7) Remember the incidentals. Yes, you have to pay to transport
the vehicle from the manufacturer. Yes, you have to pay for
options. And remember the sales (and sometimes luxury) tax.
The Driving Experience . . .
8) Unless you have driven the exact model and year you want to
purchase, step into the showroom and test drive the car. Driving
the previous year’s model is unacceptable. If the dealer lures
you into his web and asks you to test drive an earlier model, RUN
out of the show room. You’re wasting your time.
9) Pick at least 2 different road types for test driving. The
winding, hilly road is one road type. Road hugging capabilities
are tested here. If the car is standard, smooth-shifting is
another test. A car that cuts back after you release the clutch
is NOT smooth shifting.
The highway is another road type. Make sure power is sufficient
to handle entrance ramps and merging with traffic. If you get an
instant response at highway speeds, the car is a possible winner.
Closing the Deal . . .
10) If you like the car, get the dealer’s best quote. Then, find
at least one other dealer to give you another quote ON THE SAME
CAR. If you don’t like the car in the test drive, you probably
won’t like the car – ever. Move on to the next model.
11) When you decide on a car, call your insurance company and
find out what the vehicle will cost per year. And don’t choke on
your coffee when you hear the amount – you can shop around.
12) Estimate how much the real estate taxes will be on the car,
especially if it’s a high-priced model. This could be another
financial shocker!
As you can see, sports car buying is a process. Do you need to do
all this stuff? Nope, you don’t. But consider the financial
sticker shock when you’re paying an extraordinary amount for
maintenance, repairs, gas, insurance, and taxes! Just for that
Autobahnesque experience!
Valerie Mills,a copywriter/designer specializing in direct mail
and web advertising, has written sales letters, web sites, and
brochures for the finance, self-help, and technology areas. She
also audits sites for usability, sales appeal, structural
integrity, and readability. In addition, using her experience as
an educator and corporate trainer, Valerie has written several
articles and a parents' guide to coach kids of all ages about
money and personal finance. Refer to web site
http://teachyourkidsaboutmoney.com
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