Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a New Car

Choose Your Loan: The Bank or the Dealership
Remember to look into your financing options before you visit the new car dealership. You may find that you can get the best deal on a new car when going through your own bank, but that is not always the case.  You may qualify for zero percent or other special financing provided by your new car dealer and you can't get a better interest rate than zero percent, no matter which bank you go through.  Knowing your financing options in advance also puts you in a better position for bargaining by knowing exactly how much money you have to spend on a new car. This prevents you from being tempted to include additional options or features that you might not need and which could put you over budget.  Finally, with the financial side of the deal taken care of, you can focus on buying the exact car you want without being distracted by having to negotiate financing details at the same time as you are shopping.
 
Choosing Your Car: Keep Things in the Family
The best way to know whether the vehicle you are looking at is a good fit for your family is to bring them along to the new car dealer.  Having them crawl through the car, testing out the seats, features and cargo room is going to give you a much better picture as to whether it can offer you and yours the comfort and convenience that you need.  A coupe or a compact sedan might be a good choice as a new car if there are only two of you, but if you need to factor children into the equation then issues like room for strollers, storage bins and enough luggage room become much more important.

Choosing Your Deal: Year-End Models and Incentives
Purchasing a car at the end of its model year will almost always save you money compared to purchasing the next year's edition of the same car. You get all the benefits of a new car, including a factory warranty, but you won't have to offer up nearly as much cash for the privilege. Additionally, keep your eye on the rebates and incentives being offered on new cars. You might be surprised how much you can save if you wait for the right deal to come along.
 
Choosing Your Salesperson: Get the Salesperson's Business Card
Picking up the business cards of the salespeople you talk to can help you later on when you have narrowed down your choice of vehicles.  After shopping at a few different locations, being able to come back and speak with the same salesperson can help keep the deal process smooth, as they are already familiar with your personal situation and needs.  You also show that salesperson that you care enough to send the commission their way, which could help get you a more favorable deal.