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Wheeling, Dealing, and Feelings

Buying a car can be a complicated and expensive process. Sucessfully navigating the car shopping experience takes more than just cash and time; it takes self-control and mastery over your emotions.

If you've been saving for a car and thinking about what you'd like for a long time, you're primary emotion when you begin car shopping may be excitement at the prospect of finally getting the desired object. It is in the interest of those who sell cars to encourage this excitement and to push it to even higher levels, so that you're judgment may take a backseat to your enthusiasm. Try to keep your feet on the ground, or the dealer will soon have his or her hand in your pocket.

Once you start looking around at all the makes, models and options available, confusion and disorientation may quickly set in.
Confusion, like excitement, is another buyer feeling that works to the advantage of the seller, putting you off balance and making you unsure of what you should be paying and what you are getting for your money. Using sites like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book for research can help you feel more confident and in control; just don't over-research, or the information overload could leave you more unsure than ever.

If you've started out with fantastic ideas of your dream car - and especially if you've sacrificed to save up as much as possible for a down payment - you could end up feeling disappointment at the things you can't afford to have in your price range. Your sense of disappointment with what you can afford can be skillfully manipulated by car dealers to push you to buy a car you really CAN'T afford. It's important for car shoppers to separate wants from needs and remember that no car is perfect; the bigger the hole it leaves in your bank account, the less perfect it will feel as time goes by.

Perhaps the most common emotion that car buyers feel is anxiety over the possibility that they will be manipulated or fooled into paying more than they should, whether it's a higher base price than necessary or hidden dealer fees. Car dealers commonly try to manage a buyer's anxiety by, on the one hand, encouraging you to be wary of OTHER dealers, while on the other hand, proffering a hand of (fake) friendship and assuring you that they are different from all those smooth operators. Don't let your fear grow so out of proportion that it paralyzes you when it comes time to negotiate, but also remember that your worries are not groundless: dealers DO want to get the best of the deal. Just don't let them get the best of you.

In addition to all the common feelings that are part of any large purchase, buying a car is tied into a person's self-image and self-esteem in a way that few other purchases are. The sense that a car can help define who you are or want to be is by far the most powerful element that car manufacturers and salesman have working in their favor. Remember that a car is first and foremost a means of transportation, not a personal statement. Buy a reliable affordable vehicle, and save the statements for your bumper stickers!

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