- Maintaining a good CIBIL score and carrying the right documents while buying a car is essential to save time and money.
- It is always beneficial to avoid long-term loans, take out a loan with the shortest term and make the maximum down payment.
- When buying any car, one should choose the right price based on budget and needs, without making emotional decisions.
Buying a new car is an important and joyful stage in everyone’s life. While completing the fun of buying a car, we often think that we are doing a very smart deal, but in reality, due to some of our own mistakes, the car deal goes wrong or our pocket gets hit hard. There are many things that need to be taken care of while buying a car. Today, we will see what mistakes we should avoid while buying a car,
1. Ignoring credit score ( CIBIL)
- Mistake: Going straight to the showroom without good credit or never taking out a loan.
- The right way: Many people think that you should always deal with cash. But credit scores are like muscles—they weaken if they are not used. When someone gets a great deal on a car or a low interest rate, it is more because of their good CIBIL/credit score than their negotiation skills. So always keep your credit score good.
2. Visiting the showroom with insufficient documents
- Mistake: Going to buy a car without any preparation.
- The right way: Before going to the showroom, keep your driving license, insurance card with you. If you are going to exchange an old car, keep its passbook/RC book and tax papers nearby. If your credit is low, keep proof of income like payslips and proof of residence like electricity bill etc., so that you save time.
Maruti Suzuki records record performance in July 2026; 2.4 lakh vehicles sold, huge increase in domestic demand
3. Arrive 15 minutes before the showroom closes.
- Mistake: Going to the showroom after it closes and requesting a test drive of 3-4 cars.
- The right way: Just like it’s wrong to take a large group to a hotel when it’s closed, this is also true. Salesmen, finance managers, and other employees have families too. Going on time doesn’t give you any special discounts, and rushing can ruin the deal.
4. Blindly trusting the advice of mechanics and relatives
- Mistake: Considering only the mechanic’s advice as final when buying a car.
- The right way: Everyone has their own favorite brands and biases. A mechanic who repairs Japanese cars will always recommend Japanese cars, while a mechanic who repairs German cars will praise German cars. So listen to the mechanic, but make the final decision yourself after considering all the factors. Also, relatives who use a 15-year-old car may be right, but that may be their personal opinion. Keep your needs and budget in mind.
5. Leaving the person you want to buy the car for at home
- Mistake: The husband or one person in the family goes and chooses a car for someone else.
- The right way: No matter how close you are, someone else’s preferences may be different. Take the person who wants to drive or use the car with you to the showroom.
6. Online information overload
- Mistake: Getting confused by constantly comparing cars on the internet for weeks and weeks.
- The right way: Find the right information. People often study the wrong things. For example, check how many ‘recalls’ a car has had. This means that models of cars that were sent for sale are recalled after defects are discovered. Models with fewer recalls are likely to be more durable and reliable in the future.
Perfect family car within 6 to 10 lakhs! See which car is the safest and most profitable within your budget
7. Dealing over the phone or online instead of going to the showroom
- Mistake: Sitting at home and insisting on a final price over the phone or email.
- The right way: A salesman always prefers a customer sitting in front of him with money/cheque in hand. If you want the best deal, visit the showroom yourself and discuss it in person.
8. Taking a long-term loan (7 to 8 years)
- Mistake: Taking a huge loan for 7-8 years to keep EMIs low
- The right way: This is the biggest mistake. You will get tired of that car before it completes 7 years. When you go to sell it, the remaining loan amount will be more than the value of the car. Make as much down payment as you can and take a loan for 3 to 4 years.
9. Lying to or hiding things from salespeople
- Mistake: Providing false information about CIBIL score or exchange value of old car.
- The right way: Many people first reduce the price of the car and then at the end say, “I want to exchange my old car.” But this makes the salesman angry and he reduces the price of your old car even more. Be transparent from the beginning, this will only benefit you.
10. Falling in love with a car
- Mistake: Getting emotional upon seeing a car and insisting on buying it.
- The right way: A car is just an object of iron, rubber and glass, the value of which will decrease with time. If the salesman notices that you have fallen in love with the car, then your bargaining power ends. Always make decisions based on budget and needs, not emotions! When buying a car, give importance to practical considerations over emotions. With proper planning and proper information, you can save thousands and lakhs of rupees.