Ready to buy that first new car? Afraid you won’t get the best possible deal? Buying a new car is, after all, a process that involves negotiating with an expert who spends all day, every day, negotiating.

There are things you can do to ensure that you get a good deal. Study these tips and follow our links to learn how to choose the right car and negotiate for the best price.

1. Line up your financing first. When you know how much you can afford and how much you are planning on spending, arrange for a loan before you fall in love with that fancy sports car. Setting your spending limit before you shop will help you avoid buying a car you can’t afford. Use our loan calculator to find out what your car payments for a particular loan will be. If you’re confused by auto loan and lease terminology, look at bankrate.com’s definitions of auto loan and lease terms.
2. Do your homework. Find out everything you can about the car you are looking at. Check Edmund’s Automobile Buyers Guide, AutoSite, Kelley Blue Book, and CarPrice.com for pricing information, and shopping and negotiation tips.
3. Carefully choose your options. If the better stereo is worth the extra money to you, go for it. Remember, though, that it will not raise the resale value of the car. Two things that will lower the resale value of the car if you don’t have them are air conditioning and an automatic transmission.
4. Take a long solo test drive. Before you invest the amount of money that a new car costs, you want to be sure you are buying the right car for you. Drive it on the freeway, on side streets, and in regular traffic. Leave the salesperson at the dealership. You want to get to know the vehicle, not listen to more sales pitch.
5. Speak up. Ask questions and make counter offers. Be creative. There are a lot of things that can be negotiated: price, features, financing, terms, trade-in value, and warranties. Use them all.
6. Remember the old adage about other fish in the sea. When you find a car you love, get the best deal you can from that dealership. Get it in writing. Then go to another dealership and see if there isn’t a better deal out there. The first car will almost always wait for you. Even if it doesn’t, it’s always better to miss a good deal than to get a bad deal.
7. Check out Carfax, a free service to credit union members. Carfax can help you research cars to find out which one is best for you, get a discounted price from a local dealership, and find the best insurance rates and terms for your new car. It also offers helpful hints for upkeep on your new vehicle and the names of reputable repair shops near you.
8. Use the auto information center at your credit union. Credit unions offer information on everything from car insurance to wholesale purchase prices to how to lease a car. The credit union motto of service, not profit, means that your credit union will help you find the best deal, whether that means financing your new car through the credit union or not. Don’t belong to a credit union? Use our credit union finder.
9. If you’re not having fun, go home. When you get tired or overly stressed about shopping, you’re more likely to make a decision you will regret later. Take a break and come back another day, when that new car smell will be enticing again.