Buying a car can be an exciting albeit stressful time. With such an expensive and important purchase, it's important to be completely confident with your budget and car choice. However, it's easy to get overwhelmed with your decision when you have to deal with all of the paperwork that goes into buying a car.
The best way to feel confident about your car buying decision is to research and prepare yourself as much as possible. There are a few documents that you should bring with you to the dealership to speed up the paperwork process.
You should also orient yourself with the type of car paperwork you will need to sign at the dealership, so you have a smooth car-buying experience without any unexpected hiccups. If you're ready to buy a new car from the dealership, we'll go over all the documents you need to bring, as well as the paperwork you will need to complete before you can drive off with your car.
There are a few documents that you should bring with you when you go to the dealership to purchase a car. Some of the necessary documents will vary depending on if you are using dealership financing, outside financing, or purchasing the car outright.
If you are purchasing your car outright, you'll need to provide your license, proof of insurance, and form of payment. If you plan on using financing options from the dealership, then you'll need a few more documents to prove that you're good for future payments. These required documents will likely include proof of income (pay stubs, bank statements, etc.) and proof of residence (utility bills from last month).
Not all dealerships will accept outside financing, so it's important to check with the dealership before you go too deep into the process. However, dealerships usually offer competitive financing packages, so it's a good idea to consider what the dealership offers.
At the dealership, you will need to go through a lot of car paperwork in order to purchase a vehicle. There are some common forms that all car sales will require, as well as less common paperwork that you might need to sign. However, no matter what the form is, you should always read through it carefully and fully understand its terms before signing it. If you don't understand a part of the paperwork, you should ask the dealership staff for clarification. You should also take particular care to check that the details of the car and the sale are correct.
Your new car paperwork will entail the bill of sale, your financing plan (if applicable), the car title, and perhaps other forms. These documents will prove your ownership and will be important to keep for your personal records.
If you decide to go through with the dealership's financing options, then you'll need to sign these forms, often referred to as a retail installment contract. The paperwork will include your payment plans and interest rates over the agreed-upon length of time.
What is a car's title? This piece of paper proves legal ownership of a particular vehicle. You are required by law to register for a title certificate within thirty days of your initial purchase. If you don't apply within this time frame, you'll risk incurring penalty fees.
When you buy a car outright from a dealership, you'll complete the title application at the time of sale, and the dealership should send your title application to the local government department. You'll then be sent the title certificate at a later date.
However, if you decide to use financing to afford your car, the title will show the lender's name on the certificate until you complete the necessary payments. After you complete your payments, you'll be sent a new certificate with your name on the title certificate.
This document is going to be a basic sales contract that details the car-buying transaction. Once you've signed these forms, the dealership will provide you with a copy of the documents for your personal records. You'll need this contract in order to apply for license plates and registration, so it's important that you keep this record of the sale.
Always read through this contract carefully before signing it. If you have any verbal agreements with the dealership, it will need to be put into the written contract for it to hold any legal significance.
You might encounter other types of forms when dealing with new car paperwork, such as a service agreement. With this type of additional contract, you'll need to clarify any add-on packages that you've agreed upon. You'll still need to keep a copy of this contract for your records.
This written statement will disclose the amount of mileage and other basic information about the car on a vehicle whenever it is sold/bought.
Dealing with car paperwork while you're trying to purchase a car can be challenging and stressful. However, it's important not to gloss over all of the important details of the contracts as it could cause you headaches and unnecessary stress later. Having all of your documents ready, as well as being prepared for the documents you'll need to take home with you, will help make the whole process smooth and easy. Working with a reputable dealership that emphasizes customer service will also make this complicated process easier. Brickell Honda strives to provide customers with the best car shopping experience with a streamlined buying process.
