With the holiday season in full-swing, car-buying is at its pinnacle with all of the big end of year sales and release of next year’s models. My caring coworkers at Howdy Honda, one of the favorite car dealerships among Austinites, want to empower those consumers that are in their final stage of researching, and ready to get in a brand new car this holiday season, with 4 questions that every car-buyer should ask before committing to a new vehicle purchase:   

1. “What is my out-the-door price?” – There are fees included in every deal that aren’t incorporated in the negotiations of the car price. Some of these are sales tax, registration fees, documentation fees and dealer fees. Our advice is to ask what the extra fees are well in advance, so you have in mind what the extra costs will be when negotiating, and then ask again what the out-the-door price is before committing to the deal.
2. “Are there any added parts on the car I am looking at?” – Some of the vehicles on the lot have optional parts added like mud-flaps, running boards, tinted windows, etc. These add on to the price of the vehicle, so you should ask about these optional features in advance and negotiate accordingly. However, most of these costs are already reflected on the retail price and detailed on the vehicle’s information page/sticker.
3. “Is the car on the lot?” – If you’ve been researching and communicating with dealerships online, you should ask if the car is available on their lot. In some occasions, the specific vehicle is not on the lot but the dealer will go out of their way to do a “dealer trade” with another dealership. This shouldn’t slow down your pace because you will get the exact car you want and the sales person will communicate any changes to the deal that come up and you can negotiate accordingly as well.
4. “How many miles does the car have?” – Depending on the specific car, the vehicle might have 25 miles or 300 miles. This is due to factors such as test drives and dealer trades (the car had to be driven from another dealership). If the car has too many miles for your comfort, you can use this as a negotiation point.

The guys (and gal!) that work in sales here tell me that they really appreciate guests that come well prepared. It makes for a nice, clean, transparent and comfortable sales process which both parties value. Our new car lot has been a little sad for the past several months due to the disaster in Japan, but we’re getting stronger. You have good chances of finding that Honda your heart desires! If you found the Honda you want, send us an email or drop by (with your questions ready!).

Psssst: We also have the best used cars in Austin, including Certified Used Hondas, if none of the new ones fit your needs or budget.