New York Auto Buy Guide
The entire New York automotive industry is having a banner year. Sales are up. In fact, automakers expect to sell a record 16.2 million vehicles. All this auto buying in New York and selling is bringing high profits to the companies that build them and to most of the New York Car dealers who sell them.
For New York consumers, this may be both good and bad. There is a profusion of new products on the market, catering to diverse needs. If you're looking for something special, you're more likely than ever to find it.
On the downside, the competition for merchandise means that discounting is more difficult to find. Some brands are offering less confusing pricing structures, but rebates are becoming rarer.
One area that's really exploding is the New York auto buying segment, particularly sport-utilities. While vehicles like the GMC Yukon, above, are becoming more car-like than before, the clamor to own one is causing prices to skyrocket in New York. You'll pay thousands more for a truck with features similar to a midsize luxury car, and get a bit less in terms of comfort and safety. As is usually the case, you pay a price to be trendy.
Until you have the price negotiated, don't sign anything blank, no matter what they say, and keep mum if you have your own financing source or want to lease the car. Dressing for success will also enhance bargaining power, says Brickman, who leads a New York car buying workshops for women in her New York, Brooklyn, area. "Come in looking like a professional, she advises.
The whole process will take several hours. When the road of negotiation twists, turns or grows rocky, remind yourself that they need you--not the other way around. If you don t like the bottom line, get up and go. There are plenty of New York dealerships in your area that would be happy to have your business.
The boyfriend and I climbed into a rental Ford Explorer last June for a test run. We covered more than 1,000 miles in four days, cutting through New York dealers and into New Jersey. The Explorer felt a lot heavier than our own little Volkswagen Jetta, but it handled like buttah, turned corners nimbly and made us feel we were in good hands when an intimidating flash thunderstorm flooded the road.
Gas went a long way. And when the paved road ended en route to some of the New York classifieds, we fearlessly threw it into four-wheel drive and bit it. Ultimately, however, to justify the $34,630 price tag, we felt we needed a bigger family, lots of off-road driving to do or plenty of supplies to haul.