Ultimate Guide to Buying a Car – The New Normal
Ultimate Guide to Buying a Car – The New Normal
Posted on April 10, 2024
Your ultimate guide to buying a vehicle post Covid-19.
A car is a big purchase!
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you navigate this process in our new normal.
Many things have changed in our World recently due to Covid-19. The car buying industry is no different, dealerships have stepped up and made significant changes in order to minimize contact and flatten the curve. With much of the buying process happening on-line now, it is much quicker and easier to complete a vehicle purchase. Many dealerships will take walk-around videos and email them to you, minimize in-person contact by communicating via email/phone/text, bringing the vehicle to you for a test drive, taking on-line/phone payments, bringing necessary financing paperwork to you, and of course elevated sanitation procedures.
Your vehicle purchase should be a safe and smooth experience! Here’s the ultimate guide to buying a vehicle – post Covid-19 …
Plan – Make a ‘Must Haves’ List based on the following
Determine what your needs are – considering the following:
- any towing requirements (are you pulling a trailer/boat/other fun toys)
- fuel economy (do you have a long commute)
- climate (is 4 wheel drive important for winter)
- seating (how many kidlets are you ‘towing’)
- safety (of the many new safety options which are ‘must haves’)
- budget (what can you comfortably afford monthly including taxes, insurance, registration fees, and fuel)
Research. Get on-line and begin searching on Google and YouTube
- use some keywords from your ‘must haves’ list in your search
- check out manufacturer’s websites and popular third party review sites
- check out reviews for any dealerships you are considering working with
- search any dealerships you know good things about like Murray Chrysler Okotoks and dealerships in your area
Find the Car
Narrow down to one or two makes and models that fit your ‘must haves’ list. Some dealerships, like Murray Chrysler Okotoks will go above and beyond to locate any vehicle regardless of make/model/trim. Also, getting in touch via email with details of what you’re needs are is very beneficial for assistance in your search!
Test and Inspect
The recent World-wide pandemic of Covid-19 has changed many economic practices. One of these standard practices in dealerships for the last number of years, has been the test drive. With many people staying home and social distancing, heading out to a dealership seems to go against protocol. Luckily, the best dealerships like Murray Chrysler Okotoks have risen to the challenge and are now providing the Contactless Test Drive option! The vehicle is brought, sanitized, to you.
Take your test drive:
- try out all the options
- pack the kids in and out
- load your groceries
- back into parking spaces
- put the vehicle through its paces as you would in real life!
Buy
This is where you decide if you are purchasing the vehicle outright or applying for financing and making monthly payments. This entire process, since Covid-19, can now be done with super cool dealerships like Murray Chrysler Okotoks, via phone/email/text.
OR – if this just isn’t your perfect ride and you’d like to give something else a try … no problem, take another Contactless Test Drive!
Trade-In
If you have something to trade in … again with amazing dealerships like Murray Chrysler Okotoks, the majority of the process can be completed via email/phone/text. With an email including your VIN, kms, a few photos and any amount owing on your current vehicle, a pretty close trade value can be determined. To finalize numbers, your vehicle will need to be seen and driven in person. Most reputable dealerships like Murray Chrysler Okotoks have established strict Covid-19 protocols including sanitizing all touch points and keys, before and after contact.
Drive
Once everything is approved, you contact your insurance company and add your new vehicle to your plan. Once insurance is in place, many awesome dealerships like Murray Chrysler Okotoks, will get your registration looked after for you, bolt the plates on and even bring final paperwork to your location for signature along with delivering the vehicle to you. You can now drive your swanky new vehicle and enjoy!