Congratulations! You have decided to take the plunge and purchase an automobile in the Raleigh area. There is nothing like buying a new car (even if it is only new to you). With a bit of preventative maintenance it can be a purchase that will be treasured for years. Just what is the best way to go about acquiring your new car? This is what this article is all about. We would like to provide you with some tips to consider before you actually sign the documents.The first thing you need to consider is, do you need a car? After a house, an automobile is often the most important thing someone will purchase in their whole life. You need to balance the need and love of buying a car with the reality of paying for it.Can you afford a car? Don’t think that by filling out documentation and driving away you are free as a bird. There are various facts that you will need to take into consideration before you can say that you can afford a car. Consider: insurance, maintenance and repairs, gas or fuel, parking, and licensing and registration.Where to purchase the automobile? You should have many choices in this particular category. There are new car dealerships, used car dealerships, rental companies, car superstores, or private owners. Make sure that you inspect the car. This is an extremely vital component in the whole car buying process. You want to make sure you know what you are getting… both the very good and the very bad. Just because the car has a nice new paint job does not mean that there are not problems lurking just under the hood.Set up a time to meet with the person who is selling the automobile. Get as much preliminary info as you can in order to be well prepared when you arrive to finish the deal. Just why are they selling? How many miles are on the automobile? Do they have all the car’s maintenance records? What does the engine look like? Pull out the dipstick and make sure that there are no solid particles. Make sure that the belts and hoses do not have cracks. Be sure to inspect the driveway. Are there any signs of spillage or leaks? It is a lot harder to conceal car problems if you examine the ground that it is sitting on. Don’t purchase the car at this time. You have yet to examine the automobile’s history.Be sure to get the car inspected by a mechanic. They can uncover things that you may not have thought of. It should take roughly an hour and can save you a whole lot of grief. Be sure to tell the mechanic what you know about the car so far as this can help her/him in examining certain aspects or issues. Be sure to ask them to rate the condition of the car as excellent, good, fair, or poor.Come up with the value of the car. Keep in mind that the seller is most likely going to request more money than the auto is worth. Keep in mind that the Kelley Blue Book is a wonderful place to find a value that you can utilize as a starting point for your negotiations.Come up with a price for the auto. Show the person selling the automobile the research you have established as why you think the automobile is worth the amount you are offering. You might like to bring a friend to assist you in coming up with a reasonable price. Purchase the automobile.Be sure to get the sale in writing. Double check to be sure that this piece of paper includes all that is being sold, and the actual terms of the sale. Do not purchase the automobile or put any money down without having the title of the automobile signed over to you. This is the document that shows you actually own the auto.That’s it…some very simple steps to purchasing a new vehicle. With a bit of research by you there is no reason that you cannot come out of the whole process a delighted new car owner. Happy driving!