SPECIAL – Americans are buying cars again – in a big way. The Automotive News Data Center reports car sales are up 3.3 percent so far this year compared to last year, with nearly 4.1 million cars sold in the first quarter of 2016. Lower gas prices certainly are playing a role but so are lower interest rates and higher wages in much of the country.

“We expect to see car sales increase as the weather continues to heat up and consumers have extra money in their pockets from tax refund checks,” said Chuck Mai, spokesman for AAA Oklahoma. “By the end of the year, the National Automobile Dealers Association predicts a record-setting 17.7 million vehicles will have been sold.”
 
Oklahoma motorists can reduce their new car buying stress by doing their homework, adopting a plan and using AAA’s top ten auto buying tips:

• Shop around – Pick three or four models and price them out before you meet with a salesman. If you pick one specific make/model, you’re more likely to settle for the offering price.

• Shop online – You will know the value of the vehicle you like before you get to the lot.

• Dress to un-impress – Don't flaunt your wealth to a dealer. They're less likely to negotiate.

• Don’t rush – Avoid emotional sales, buying more than you can afford, or being upsold.

• Timing is everything – Most dealerships offer their best deals at the end of the month, end of the year, and when they want to unload last year’s vehicles to make room for new models.

• Don’t mention your trade-in too soon – Wait until after the purchase price of the vehicle being bought has been negotiated. This way, the dealer is locked-in to the negotiated price. Otherwise, they can manipulate the trade value and ultimately the cash price.

• Don’t start talking about monthly payments – Focus instead on negotiating the purchase price. Once you start talking about monthly payments, everything gets confusing, because suddenly you don't know if that's the payment for 24 months, or 36 months, or how much of that would include interest charges if you're financing the purchase through the dealer.

• Consider not trading in a car – Think about selling it via an online website. You may get a better price for it online than what a dealer will give you in trade-in value.

• Get pre-approved for a car loan – This way, if the dealer knows up front you're pre- approved to get your financing elsewhere, they’re not going to try and hit you with a high interest rate.

• Cross-shop between two or three dealerships – And feel free to tell a dealership that you've been to other dealers. From the dealer standpoint, customer service is what separates one dealership from the others who sell the same brand. If you are treated well during the purchase process, that's a good indicator you'll be treated right when you come back to have your car serviced or repaired.

According to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, at least one vehicle crash occurs every five seconds in the United States. Road-worthiness ratings, auto reviews, crash test ratings and CarFax vehicle reports are often useful as you begin the auto-buying process. Access this information and more at AAA.com (members receive discounts on CarFax reports). Buying a new car is a major investment. Consider using a car buying program such as the AAA Auto Buying Service that can leverage the buying power of millions of AAA members to pre-arrange AAA member pricing with participating dealers (AAA.com).

 
AAA is North America’s largest motoring, leisure travel and safety advocacy organization with more than 56 million members. A not-for-profit, fully tax-paying organization, AAA Oklahoma provides its 390,000 Oklahoma members with emergency roadside assistance and auto travel services. Plus, the auto club offers members and the general public a wide range of personal insurance, worldwide travel and financial services at branch offices across Oklahoma and online at AAA.com.