Buying a Car for Dummies

Customer Rating:
Summary: For the Car Illiterate in You...
Comment: If you have no idea what a radiator is, nevermind where it is, or you don't know the first thing about leasing or financing a car, this book is for you.

I will admit that I know nothing about cars. I can't tell you the first thing about MPG's. So I knew that as I began my car searching, I needed a little help so that I wouldn't get completely owned by dealers. Enter "Buying a Car for dummies" (aka me). It introduced the lingo to me. What particulars I needed to look for when looking for my car. It weighed the pros and cons for me of getting a new car versus buying a used car. It basically empowered me to know what I was looking for, how I would look for it, and gave me the tools to best make my decision and at a price that I was satisfied with.

The book was published in 1998. Minus factual data (Enterprise isn't the only rental car dealership that sells used cars) and take into account how internet wired our population is 95% of this book still holds true today. I bought it for 26cents and it has been my best buy on Amazon to date.

Next buy: "Auto Repair for Dummies"

Stamp of Approval

Customer Rating:
Summary: OK but too old
Comment: This book may be OK but too old. Many information are outdated. I will not read any dummies book older than two or three years.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for buying a new car
Comment: This is an excellent book to read prior to buying a car. This book helped me to research the car I wanted to buy before going to the dealership by giving me helpful internet sites to find the invoice price on my car and other facts. It also instructed me on negotiating strategies to use when I sat down with the car salesman. True to the books description the salesman used the same tricks the book predicted he would. Highballing the initial price, stalling, stating he was going to lose money on the sale, bringing his boss in, etc. Reading this book allowed me not to be to eager and to be willing to leave if the salesman being cooperative on the price. This resulted in my purchasing a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid for $11 over the invoice price. I also bought my car insurance using one of the websites suggested by the book.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Outdated material
Comment: I purchased this book in August of 2005. [...] Should have returned it, but most of the info. is still worth while knowing. The copyright of the book I received is 1998. So when it comes to any internet purchasing or research info., the book is lacking. It still contains a lot of important tips to know before buying a car. I'm sure the most recent edition is great.

Customer Rating:
Summary: This text offers excellent information
Comment: This text offers information about buying a car from start to finish, from thinking about what you want, to insurance, to checking your car, to financing, to negotiating with dealers, and refers you to other great online and text sources for more information.

Excellent and well worth it, even for the most knowledgeable car buyers. Everyone will learn at least ten great things from this book.