Buying or Leasing a Car; AAA Auto... | Buy

AAA takes consumers step-by-step through the car-buying process with expert advice on selecting a vehicle, negotiating a price, understanding financing and insurance options, and closing the deal. Chapters covering the pros and cons of new and used cars and when to buy vs. lease help prospective buyers make informed decisions. Checklists, sample forms, and charts prepare them for the dealership experience. There's even a short primer on how to answer the salesman's probing questions. AAA's Buying or Leasing a Car empowers car shoppers, giving them the confidence they need to enter the automotive marketplace and drive away with the right vehicle at the best price.

Jim MacPherson writes more than 100 automotive columns annually for the Hartford Courant and broadcasts a weekly radio program on car buying and maintenance. Jim also has managed financial services, car buying, and driver and traffic safety programs for AAA, Automobile Club of Hartford. He has created and conducted car buying seminars for thousands of consumers

Introduction	p. 11
Research and Homework	p. 15
Assess Your Needs	p. 16
Develop a List of Vehicles to Consider	p. 19
Visit Some Dealers	p. 23
Drive the Cars	p. 25
Strategies for Success	p. 27
Ways to Save	p. 28
Keeping Costs Under Control	p. 32
Compare Insurance Costs	p. 34
You'll Have to Fill 'er Up	p. 35
Rules to Remember	p. 35
Vehicle Safety	p. 47
A Good Fit	p. 48
To Be Safe You Must Be Able to See	p. 49
Air Bag Safety	p. 50
Safety Demands Good Handling	p. 51
Crash Performance	p. 53
The Three Major Crash Tests	p. 55
Center of Gravity	p. 58
Carrying Loads	p. 58
Children in the Car	p. 60
Be as Safe as Possible	p. 60
Leasing	p. 65
What a Lease Is	p. 66
Advantages	p. 66
Leasing Has Advantages for Manufacturers	p. 67
Why We Don't All Lease	p. 68
Where to Go for a Lease	p. 70
The Anatomy of a Lease	p. 71
Now Things Get Complicated	p. 73
The 'Money' Factor	p. 73
Take It or Leave It	p. 73
Other Fees	p. 74
When the Lease Ends	p. 75
Open or Closed	p. 76
The Trouble with a Valuable Trade-In	p. 77
Reduced Incentives	p. 77
The Verdict	p. 77
Leasing Checklist	p. 78
Checklist for Leasing a New Car	p. 79
Buying a Used Car	p. 85
The Disadvantages	p. 87
Selecting a Model	p. 89
Research the Car	p. 90
Where to Buy	p. 91
Finding the Good, Rejecting the Bad	p. 93
Do-It-Yourself Evaluations	p. 94
The Test Drive	p. 100
Certification Programs	p. 103
The Case of the Missing Title	p. 104
Used-Vehicle Checklist	p. 106
Sample Dealer Sticker	p. 116
Selecting a Vehicle for a Beginning Driver	p. 117
What Not to Buy	p. 122
More Safety Suggestions	p. 123
Draw Up a Contract	p. 124
Vehicle Use and Operation Agreement	p. 126
Using the Internet	p. 129
Visit a Manufacturer's Website	p. 130
Visit a Dealer's Website	p. 132
Visit Third-Party Sites	p. 132
You Can Solicit Offers	p. 133
What You Can't Do	p. 134
What Dealers Think	p. 135
Sites You Should Know About	p. 136
Financing the Purchase	p. 141
How Expensive a Car Should You Buy?	p. 142
Paying Cash	p. 146
Before You Apply for a Loan	p. 147
Taking a Loan	p. 151
Rebates	p. 153
Subsidized Loans	p. 154
Other Sources for Money	p. 155
Financing a Used Car	p. 156
Refinancing	p. 159
Get a Loan Before You Find a Vehicle	p. 159
Read Before You Sign	p. 159
AAA Financial Services	p. 160
Selecting a Dealer	p. 161
How to Find a Good Dealer	p. 162
The Dealer's Report Card	p. 166
Techniques of the Dealer	p. 169
What You and the Dealer Owe Each Other	p. 171
The Sales Process	p. 172
'Can I Help You?'	p. 172
What to Expect on the Way to the Car	p. 173
'Are You Planning on Buying a Car Today?'	p. 174
'What Would I Have to do to Get You to Buy Today?'	p. 175
'Will There be a Trade-In?'	p. 175
'Will There be Someone Else Involved in the Purchase Decision?'	p. 175
'How Much Do You Want to Pay?'	p. 176
'How Much a Month Do You Want to Spend?'	p. 177
Controlling the Purchasing Process	p. 177
Options	p. 179
Safety Options	p. 180
Comfort and Convenience Items	p. 183
Appearance Packages	p. 186
Engines and Transmissions	p. 187
Suspensions, Wheels and Tires	p. 187
The Pricing Game	p. 189
Determining the 'Right' Price	p. 191
The Pricing Waltz	p. 192
Try This Approach	p. 193
A Different Experience	p. 197
One-Price Dealers--Version One	p. 198
One-Price Dealers--Version Two	p. 198
How to Handle the Trade-In	p. 199
Rebates and Incentives	p. 200
Holdbacks	p. 200
Invoice vs. Dealer Cost	p. 201
Association Surcharges	p. 202
When to Buy	p. 202
Get It in Writing	p. 204
Buying Services and Other Options	p. 207
Auto Brokers	p. 208
The Bird Dog	p. 211
Group Referral Programs	p. 211
Other Options	p. 213
Staying on the Right Track	p. 215
Are You Vulnerable?	p. 216
Before You Sign on the Dotted Line	p. 217
Misleading Advertising	p. 217
Contract Confusion	p. 220
Failure to Disclose	p. 223
Liquidated Damages	p. 223
Warranty Questions	p. 224
Also Consider the Swap	p. 225
Title Problems	p. 225
Prolonged Negotiations	p. 226
Conveyance Fees	p. 226
Trade-In Evaluations	p. 227
Price Hikes After You Take Delivery	p. 228
Problem Loans	p. 229
Problems with Service	p. 229
Service Schedules	p. 233
When a Problem Turns Really Ugly	p. 234
Handling the Financing and Insurance	p. 235
Financing	p. 237
Dealer Packages	p. 238
Insurance Products	p. 239
Extended Service Contracts	p. 239
Taking Delivery	p. 243
In Conclusion	p. 247
Index	p. 249
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.