Why buy from Safari Automotive Sales and Service?

No haggle. No hassle. No hype. Safari Automotive Sales and Service is a no haggle used car dealer serving Allentown, Emmaus, Bethlehem, Easton, Philadelphia,and also some Tri-State areas.. We offer you our best price on all our used used cars right from the start. Safari Automotive Sales and Service doesn’t believe in high pressure sales. Your buying experience will include no hassle from our salespeople. All of our cars come with the remainder of the factory warranty where applicable. No hype to trick you into visiting our locations. You can expect to find the car you called about on the lot when you arrive. No bait and switch. We’re proud of what we offer and will give you straight answers from the start. Safari Automotive Sales and Service has dozens of used car models to choose from. Please call Safari Automotive Sales and Service for all questions on used car loan financing. We don’t take a “cut of the action” on your used car loan. We try to keep up with what is working best for our customers and send people there directly to help you save even more money.

12 STEPS TO BUYING A USED CAR

1 Decide on the right car for you. This may mean not getting what you want, but more what you require. Research the Consumers Reports Buying Guide or their online used car buying kit; also check out their free guide to used car buying. Remember that highly rated cars command premium prices. A lower rated car can be a gold mine if you can put up with a design flaw or two.

2 Consider a model with fewer options or a different brand and model name. For instance, Lincoln is a luxury version of Mercury vehicle models. The Lincoln model will have more features and luxury items included. Various models have a deluxe trim package, which may include leather seats and an enhanced stereo system, among other additional features. If you are trying to save money, stay away from these items that have a higher price tag. Read up on the make and model you are considering. Peruse consumer reviews, compare Kelley Blue Book values, research resale values and conduct vehicle history reports with VIN numbers. If there are any particular issues or recalls with the model you're looking at, you may avoid serious issues by doing your research ahead of time. Use an online calculator to figure out payments. Don't dwell on price just yet; consider how long you will keep the car, what an affordable payment is for your budget and how much you can put down. Consider a brand new car, particularly if it has sub-vented financing (a manufacturer's reduced financing rate). And strongly consider, if possible, buying outright. The absence of monthly payments can have a wonderful effect on your finances.

3 Determine what you can pay. When you attempt to buy a used car, you need to consider what (if any) down payment you can make, how afford for monthly payments, and how much insurance premiums are going to cost you on your used car purchase. If your insurance is likely to double, you need to budget this in so you're not extending yourself by agreeing to a monthly payment that is too high.

4 Establish financing options. Banks are typically willing to offer financing on a used car. However, some banks refuse to finance a used car that is six years old or older. If your bank will work with you on financing, this may be the wisest decision. Banks typically offer lower interest rates than dealerships. But, don't rule out the dealership just because your bank is willing to finance your used car purchase. By letting the dealership know the interest rate you have negotiated with the bank, you may get a lower offer from the dealership.

5 Look for a used car for sale at dealerships, independent car lots, in the classified ads and online.

6 Ask a lot of questions. Get as much history as possible of the vehicle. Try to get the previous owners name and call them. Run your own CarFax and Autocheck reports; dealers have been known to "lose" the last sheet. Make sure to obtain the vehicle identification number ("VIN") off of the car you are inclined to check out with CarFax, Autocheck, or any other third-party car history company; the VIN is usually found on the lower level end of the windshield, right above the dashboard on the driver's side.

7 Test Drive the car. Always. Try the car on different roads, and drive for at least 15 minutes. Remember you will be driving this car for a while. Drive it to listen for engine noise, test acceleration levels and check the brakes. Listen for rattles or squeaks. Notice if the suspension seems even and provides an easy, comfortable ride. Look at the tires. Take a look at the engine underneath the hood. If it looks like it hasn't been taken care of or lots of extraneous wiring exists, ask for detailed service records. See if it pulls to one side or the other. It's an alignment issue (or bad tires) if it pulls all the time; it's a brake problem if it pulls when stopping. *Check for brake shudder when stopping; (that's front rotors and probably pads). It should not wander; (tires or steering components). If you have time, sit in the car for an hour... seats often feel comfortable until you've sat in them a while.

8 Get a professional check. Get the car checked professionally. If the dealer won't let you have it checked by your own mechanic, run, don't walk from that store. Pay the mechanic to check it. He should put it up in the air and check for frame/under body damage.

9 Research pricing - Use an independent source to determine the wholesale and retail values of your target vehicle. The most frequently used sources for this are, DriverSide, Edmunds, Latest Cars and Kelly Blue Book Is the seller's price very similar, or is there an unexplained difference in price? Negotiate. Always have an idea of what you want to pay for the vehicle before you start. Go in lower, and try to compromise at the point that is good for you. Remember a "win win" situation is always required for a sale to occur. Never negotiate if you are not ready to say yes there and then. It will lose you power/credibility over the dealer, when you are ready to buy.

10 Know the financial vehicle history of the used car. To make sure a car is not stolen, police agencies have records of stolen vehicles reported to them. Consult with the police if you are not satisfied with the amount of detail you are getting from the vehicle history....it can save you time and worry down the line.

11 Mechanically inspect the car. Not every person has the technical capacity of a mechanic. That being said there is absolutely no reason the average consumer can not understand enough about cars and how they operate to be able to perform an initial inspection to determine the approximate condition of the car. It is highly recommended to have a used car inspected by a mechanic before purchasing but it would be costly and not practical to have every car you are interested in inspected. Most used cars are in poor condition and are overpriced since people tend to place emotional and sentimental value on cars which will artificially inflate the asking price. By learning how to inspect the basic mechanical components of a used car you can drastically reduce the amount of time and money you spend pursuing "lemon" vehicles.

12 Major vehicle components. As part of any used car inspection you must be able to accurately inspect the engine, transmission, drive-train, brakes & tires, electrical system, exhaust & emissions, glass & mirrors as well as being able to spot potential problems with the car.