Buying a new car in West Virginia is rarely cut and dry. In some cases, car buyers can fall victim to common scams, which are intended to increase the price of the vehicle using nefarious means. This illustrates the importance of being an aware and informed buyer, which entails knowing the types of scams you may be subject to. Business Insider offers the following tips to help you do just that.
One common scam involves advertising vehicles at reasonable prices to get buyers to the dealership. Once there, the salesperson may inform you that the advertised car is no longer available and show you vehicles that are far more expensive. You can thwart this scam by simply calling ahead before you visit. If the salesperson is evasive, simply take your business elsewhere.
Salespeople may also lie to increase the final sale amount. For instance, you may be told that a certain sale price is good for one day only, or someone else is interested in the vehicle you want. These are pressure tactics to you make a purchase quickly and doing so may come back to haunt you. Never give in to pressure to buy a car you’re not comfortable with, as this indicates shady practices.
Even after you’ve struck a deal you should still be cautious. Some dealerships will actually change the lease agreement to increase payments, under the assumption the buyer won’t take the time to actually read through the document. In this case, make sure you read through the lease thoroughly before signing anything. It also helps to have an understanding of dealership leasing and terminology in case you run into any confusing concepts.
