Should I by from a dealership......or private party?

Both options have their pros and cons... but one should be better for you depending on your personality. Let me pose a question.....When you are going to buy new electronics, let's say a flat screen TV or a new IPOD, do you search online and buy from the lowest priced seller you can find regardless of who it is, or do you find a fair deal from a reputable store like Costco, Walmart, Best Buy, etc? It is the same when buying a car. Sometimes you can find a vehicle for a little bit cheaper when buying from a private party (They have no commissions to pay, rent, flooring cost, etc). But most likely when someone is selling a car on there own it usually means they went to a dealership and weren't happy with the trade-in allowance they received, so they are selling it on there own to try and get more money. (Usually not much less than the dealer would have asked for it) A lot of times though, you can find some very nice vehicles that have been very well maintained, especially if they are "one owner" vehicles. The biggest thing to be aware of when buying from a private party is to make sure there is no lien on the vehicle(current loan). Make sure they have the title, or you meet them at the bank who holds the lien to pay for the vehicle. There are scam artist that will sell vehicles, take your money, and tell you they will send you the title right away. Before you know it they are gone with your money and you never see the title to your car.

In most cases I would recommend buying from a reputable dealership. Ask your friends, family, and neighbors which dealerships they have had good experiences with. When that IPOD freezes up after one week of usage, it sure feels good knowing you can take it back to Costco and get a new one without any hassle. You probably won't get a new car, but a reputable dealer will stand behind his product and usually help take care of problems for at least 30 days after purchase. Also a good dealership can save you money down the road with maintenance costs, parts, tires, etc. Dealerships can also offer rate specials if you are financing the vehicle that you wouldn't be able to get on your own, along with some great insurance products to protect you and your family and give you peace of mind.

Finally, if you choose the right dealership, they will make the experience so much better. Instead of driving all over the place to look at private party cars, you can drive various makes and models in different colors and equipment packages all in one stop. After all... buying a car should be fun. Most of the time it's only hard when we make it that way!