Car Buying 101

Maximize Your Car Savings on Your Next Car Purchase

Knowing how and when to buy a car is crucial to getting the best deal. Too often, consumers jump quickly into purchasing and end up with a not-so-great, sometimes disastrous, deal. By preparing ahead of time, you will be at an advantage. Following are just a few tips:

1) Days/weeks/months matter.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are generally slow days for dealers, so business is slow. Also, dealer sales staff usually have monthly goals to meet, so aiming for the end of the month, even better the end of the year, can be fruitful.

2) Timing is everything.

You may think that going to the dealership in bad weather or late at night will get you a good deal, but that is often not the case. Sales staff is usually privy to this strategy and will often not hesitate to wait you out.

3) Take advantage of Lafayette Federal financing!

One major consideration in the process is getting the right financing. Lafayette Federal rates are very competitive with great terms.

• Rates as low as 2.375% APR*
• Borrow up to 84 months**
  
• Fast approval process
  

See how affordable your monthly payment could be:

Find Your Perfect Vehicle

Determine your needs by looking for models that match your needs. Factors to consider include reliability, safety and fuel efficiency. Check a car model's reliability on Consumer ReportsOpens in New Window or EdmundsOpens in New Window. To check a car's safety rating, visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's website. Compare the fuel efficiency of models that interest you at fueleconomy.govOpens in New Window, the U.S. Department of Energy.

When buying from a private party or a used car lot, get a clear title history and insist on a mechanic inspection. Find out who owned it previously and ask for maintenance and repair records.

Protect your investment with the following coverage options: