Buying a new car can be exciting. But it's also a complex process through which you can end up overpaying by hundreds or thousands of dollars or with a vehicle that you won't be happy with down the road. Below are 10 mistakes that car buyers often make that can quickly turn that initial excitement into buyer remorse--and how to avoid them.

    You can find more in-depth information and advice on each of the following subjects in Consumer Reports' new 384-page Smart Buyer's Guide to Buying or Leasing a Car, available in bookstores. It provides a five-step plan that guides you through every aspect of the car-buying experience, showing you how to simplify the process, find key information, and take control of the negotiations at the dealership.

    1. Falling in love with a model.

    When spending tens of thousands of dollars on a car, emotion shouldn't rule the day. Becoming infatuated with a single model can blind you to alternative vehicles that may be better for your needs or make you skimp on thoroughly researching a vehicle's ratings, reviews, reliability, or safety and pricing information. A wide-eyed approach can also leave you more susceptible to a salesperson's tactics to get you to pay more than you should. To determine which vehicle is best for you, you should set emotion aside and focus on doing your homework, comparing different models, and assessing your real wants and needs. There will be plenty of time for emotion after you've bought the vehicle.

    2. Skipping the test drive.

    The test drive is one of the most important parts of the car-buying process. A lot of vehicles look good on paper--especially in glossy brochure photos--but the test drive is your best chance to see how a vehicle measures up to expectations and how well it "fits" you and your family. You don't want any surprises after you've bought it. That's why it's surprising that many people give vehicles only a token test or, worse, none at all. That is a mistake and a sure recipe for buyer remorse. It's critical that you take ample time--at least 30 minutes--to conduct a complete test drive and perform a thorough walk-around of any vehicle you're considering.

    3. Negotiating down from the sticker price.

    Don't use the sticker price as your gauge when negotiating a deal. A salesperson may offer you a deal that's, say, $500 below the sticker price, and many consumers will conclude, often mistakenly, that they're getting a good deal. Unless the vehicle is in big demand and short supply, you can often get an even lower price by negotiating up from what the dealer paid for the vehicle. When you know the dealer's true cost, you'll know how much profit margin it has to work with and can determine a reasonable target price with which to begin your negotiations. You can calculate the dealer's cost by subtracting any behind-the-scenes sales incentives, such as dealer rebates and holdbacks, from the dealer invoice price. Consumer Reports New Car Price Reports does this for you with the CR Bottom Line Price.

    4. Focusing only on the monthly payment when negotiating.

    Salespeople like to focus on a monthly-payment figure while negotiating a deal. Indeed, "How much were you thinking of paying each month?" might be one of the first questions to greet you when you meet a salesperson. Don't take the bait. It's the first step down a slippery slope of being manipulated with numbers and overpaying for your vehicle. Using the monthly payment as the focus, the salesperson can lump the new-vehicle price, trade-in value, and financing or leasing terms together, giving him or her too much latitude to give you a "good price" in one area while making up for it in another. Instead, insist on negotiating one thing at a time. Settle on the vehicle's price first, then discuss a trade-in, financing, or leasing separately, as necessary. A leasing tip: Don't bring up your desire to lease until after you've agreed on the vehicle's price.

    5. Buying the "deal" instead of the vehicle.

    Automakers have been offering a variety of attractive sales incentives in recent years, from 0% financing and hefty cash rebates to employee-discount pricing programs. These can save you money, but it's important to remember that any deal is only as good as the car that's attached to it. Just because you can get a good discount doesn't mean you should buy the vehicle. After all, you'll be living with the vehicle for years, so make sure it's the right one for you. Thoroughly research any model you're considering and check our Ratings and reviews of competitive models （see our New-vehicle Ratings comparison, available to subscribers）. You may find you can get a much better vehicle for not much more money. Also check the reliability of the model （see our Reliability Ratings, available to subscribers）. Despite an attractive discount, a vehicle with subpar reliability--and the possibility of hefty depreciation--might not be much of a bargain in the long run. A related tip: Don't let a special incentive keep you from negotiating. Rebates and special financing are subsidized by the automaker, not the dealership. You should still negotiate the vehicle's price as if there were no incentive. There's no reason you shouldn't get the best price and the incentive, too.

    6. Waiting until you're in the dealership to think about financing.

    You might be a whiz at negotiating a good deal, but if you don't choose your financing just as carefully, you could lose everything you saved on the vehicle's purchase price, and more. A car shopper who hasn't researched financing terms is especially vulnerable to being manipulated by the dealership. Not only do you only have the dealership's terms from which to choose, which are often higher than elsewhere, but dealers also often mark up the interest rate of a loan over what you actually qualify for--a tactic called "interest-rate bumping." It can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars more over the term of the loan. That's why it's critical to comparison shop for financing terms at different financial institutions and get prequalified for an auto loan before you go to the dealership to buy the vehicle. Check interest rates at banks, credit unions, or online financial sites to see which offers you the best rate. If the dealer can offer you terms that are better than what you got elsewhere, you can always choose that deal instead.

    7. Underestimating the value of modern safety features.

    Today's vehicles offer an array of advanced safety features. But many buyers don't know which are most important or what to look for when comparing vehicles. Antilock brake systems （ABS）, electronic stability control （ESC）, and head-protecting side air bags, for instance, are effective and well worth the money. Studies have shown that ESC can significantly reduce accidents and fatalities. The feature is especially important for SUVs, because it can help prevent rollovers. Side-crash tests show that head-protecting side air bags are critical in preventing fatalities in side impacts. Unfortunately, you can't always depend on a dealership's salespeople to give you accurate information or reliable guidance about these features. That's why you should thoroughly research the benefit of all available safety features and look for vehicles that have the ones that will best protect you and your family.

    8. Buying unnecessary extras.

    Dealerships often try to sell you extras that boost their profit margin but are a waste of you money. They can include rustproofing, fabric protection, paint protectant, or VIN etching, in which the vehicle identification number is etched onto the windows to deter thieves. Don't accept those unnecessary services and fees. If you see those items on the bill of sale and you haven't agreed to them, simply cross them out and refuse to pay for them. Vehicle bodies are already coated to protect against rust. And recent CR reliability surveys show that rust is not a major problem with modern cars. You can treat upholstery and apply paint protectant yourself with good off-the-shelf products that cost only a few dollars. If you decide you want VIN etching, you can buy a kit to do it yourself for less than $25, instead of the $200 that some dealerships charge. Also think twice about an extended warranty. It can cost hundreds of dollars. But if you buy a model with good reliability or if you expect to have the vehicle only for five years or less, it often isn't worth the cost.

    9. Not researching the value of your current car.

    You could get a great deal on your new car but lose all of the savings--and more--on your trade-in. That's why it's critical that you research the value of your current car before buying your new one. Find out what both the used-car retail and wholesale prices are, so that you'll know what you should be able to get if you trade it in or if you sell it yourself. Typically, you'll get more money by selling it, as long as you're willing to put in the additional effort. By knowing your vehicle's true value and by sticking to your price during the negotiations, you can get your car's full value, whether you trade it in or sell it yourself.

    10. Not having a used car checked by an independent mechanic.

    When buying a used car, condition is everything. Even the most reliable vehicle can turn into a lemon if it's poorly maintained. Before you buy a used vehicle, have it scrutinized by a repair shop that routinely does diagnostic work. A thorough diagnosis should cost around $100, but confirm the price in advance. A good mechanic should be able to tell if the car has been in a major accident or has a hidden but costly problem. Ask for a written report detailing the car's condition, noting any problems found and what it would cost to repair them. You can then use the report in your negotiations with the seller to adjust the price accordingly.

    買輛新車是件讓人高興的事情。但是如何能做到不必多花費成百上千美元買輛車或者買一輛你不喜歡開的車就是一個復雜的過程了。以下就是10個購車者經常會犯的錯誤，他們會讓購車的興奮轉為購車的悔恨--下面我們就來看看如何避免這些錯誤。

    你可以在新一期消費者報導雜志的第384頁的《聰明購買者購買或者租賃汽車指南》中找到更多深入的信息，這本雜志可以在書店里買到。書中提供了5個步驟的計劃，并且每個步驟都會指導你該如何做，告訴你如何簡化購買過程，找到關鍵信息，在與經銷商的談判中取得控制權。

    1. 愛上模型。

    你需要花好幾萬美元買車，所以不能感情沖動。沉迷于某一型號的汽車會讓你無視其他更適合你需求的車的存在或者讓你忽視對汽車的評定等級，審查，可靠度，安全性和價格信息進行全面的的調查。無知天真的購買方法只會讓你更容易上銷售人員銷售策略的當，花更多的錢。要決定什么型號的汽車最適合你，你就必須把個人感情放在一邊，專注搜索相關的信息，比較不同型號的汽車，評估你真正的需求。在你買車后有足夠的時間釋放你的個人情感，好好欣賞你的車。

    2. 忽視試駕。

    試駕是買車過程中重要的一部分。有很多的汽車在宣傳單上看上去很好，特別是那些宣傳照片--但是試駕是看一部車是否滿足你需求，滿足你和你家人要求的最好途徑。你也不想在你買車之后發現任何讓你感到吃驚的事。這就是為什么那些只對汽車進行標記測驗或者更糟糕的什么不做的購買者讓我感到驚奇的原因。這就是一個錯誤，而且肯定會讓那些購買者事后后悔。這是很重要的一個方面，你需要花足夠的時間--至少30分鐘-進行完整的試駕測試以及對你考慮的汽車進行全面的評估。

    3. 以標價作為標準來商討價格。

    當你在商討汽車價錢的時候別以商家的標價作為標準。汽車銷售者可能會給你提供比標價低500美元的優惠價格，消費者也常常會因此而錯誤的把它做為汽車的最終成交價，除非這種型號的汽車需求量極大或者是脫銷，否則在一般情況下，你可以同經銷商進行更多的交涉，從他們實際進價的信息壓低價錢。當你知道經銷商的成本，你就可以了解它的利潤空間，以此來決定一個合理的目標價格來作為你討價的基線。你可以通過扣除任何幕后的銷售激勵，比如經銷商回扣以及來自經銷商發票價格的一些障礙。消費者報導雜志的最新汽車價格報告以汽車最低價錢底線為你提供了這方面的相關信息。

    4. 商討價錢的時候只關注月支付。

    在進行交易的時候，銷售人員喜歡關注月支付數目。實際上，"你每個月想要支付多少？"或許是銷售人員在第一次見到你的時候就問的問題。不要上當，這是你被數字控制，多付車款的第一個重要步驟。使用月支付作為焦點，銷售人員會把最新的汽車價錢，折價物，融資和租賃條款合在一起，給消費者某一方面很優惠的價格卻在其他方面提高價錢補回來。實際上你應該一次談合一件事。首先解決汽車的價錢，然后對折價物，融資和租賃條款依次進行談判，這是很有必要的。租賃建議：在你沒有達成成交價之前不要表現出你要租賃。

    5. 購買"交易"而不是車。

    近年來汽車制造商不斷的提供各種吸引人的銷售激勵，從0%的融資，豐厚的現金回扣到員工折扣價。這些銷售激勵能為你省錢，但更重要的是你要記住只有附上汽車這些交易才是真正的有意義。因為你可以得到一個好的折扣并不意味著你要買車。畢竟，車對你而言要陪伴你好幾年的時光，所以你要確保選擇一輛適合你的車。對你所考慮的車型做全面的調查，查看我們的評估和其他有競爭性的車款（看我們的新車評估比較，僅對授權用戶）.你會發現你不需要花更多的錢就可以買到更好的汽車。此外你還要查詢車型的可靠性（看我們的可靠性評估，僅對授權用戶）.盡管有很吸引人的折扣，但若汽車的可靠性欠佳，就算有很豐厚的折舊，從長遠來說也是不值得考慮的。相關的建議：不要讓特殊獎勵阻礙了你討價。回扣和特殊融資是汽車制造商的補貼，而不是汽車經銷商。你必須就如沒有那些銷售激勵一樣對汽車的價錢進行談判。沒有理由你不能同時獲得最好的價錢和銷售激勵。

    6. 等待，直到經銷商需要你考慮融資。

    或許你是擅長促成一樁不錯的買賣的高手，但是如果你對融資的選擇不夠認真的話，可能就會失去你在購買車的過程中所省下來的錢，或者更多。汽車購買者如果沒有對融資條款進行調查就很容易受到經銷商的控制。你選擇的融資條款不僅會比別處高，而且經銷商還會在你實際需要付的貸款上提高利率--這個戰略就叫做"利率追撞".它會讓你在貸款條款上多付幾千美元甚至更多。這就是為什么你需要在不同的財政機構對融資條款進行比較的重要性，并且在去經銷商店購買車前就提前取得汽車貸款也是很重要的。查詢銀行，信用合作社或者是網上財政機構的利率，看看哪個機構能為你提供最好的利率。如果銷售者能為你提供比其他地方更好的條件，你也可以就近選擇。

    7. 低估現代安全體系的真實價值。

    現在的汽車都提供了大量先進的安全設備。但是許多買家不知道哪些是最重要的，或者在汽車對比的時候需要注意什么。比如說防抱死系統和進入控制系統（ABS）,電子穩定控制系統（ESC）, 和保護頭部的安全汽囊，是很有效而且值得的。許多調查已經顯示電子穩定控制系統可以有效的減少事故和災難的發生。這項功能對于多用途跑車特別重要，因為他可以防止滾動翻轉。側碰試驗顯示保護頭部的安全汽囊在防止側面碰撞的災禍里面特別的重要。不幸的是，你不能總是指望代理商的銷售人員為你提供這方面精確的信息或者是可靠的指導。這就是為什么你必須對所有相關的安全設備進行全面的調查，尋找那些可以保護你和你家人最適合的安全設備。

    8. 購買沒必要的附加零件。

    那些商品特許經銷商通常會向你推銷附加商品來增加他們的利潤，但這些附加商品實際上只是浪費你的錢。這些附加商品包括抗銹，織物，漆面保護劑， 和汽車蝕刻，汽車蝕刻是將汽車的識別碼蝕刻在車窗上來防止竊賊。不要接受那些沒有必要的服務和費用。如果你在銷售帳單上看到這些項目，你不需要理會，只要將他們刪除拒絕支付。車身本身就有抗銹涂層，最新的消費者雜志可靠度調查顯示生銹不是現代汽車的主要問題。你可以使用室內裝潢品或者利用貨價成品自己漆保護層，這只需要花費你幾美元的費用。如果你想要汽車蝕刻，你可以自己買個工具箱來安裝，這樣的花費不到25美元，這樣就可以省200美元的經銷商費用。此外你還需要認真考慮延長保證期。它會花費你上百美元的費用。但是如果你買的車型有很好的可靠性，或者如果你打算車的使用期在五年以內的話就沒有必要花這個錢。

    9. 沒有對你現在的車的價錢進行調查。

    或許你在購買新車的時候得到很多的回報，但是在折價的時候卻花費了你所有的積蓄--或者更多。這就是為什么你在購買新車之前需要對你現有的車進行估價。調查二手車零售店和批發價各是多少，這樣你就可以知道折價和二手出售你各可以得到多少錢了。特別是二手銷售，只要你多花精力可以獲取更多的錢。無論是折舊還是自己出售，通過知道你的車的真實價錢，并且在商談的時候堅持你的價錢，你的車就可以取得應得的回報。

    10. 沒有讓獨立的技工檢查二手車。

    當你買二手車的時候，車的現有條件是最重要的。盡管是最可靠的汽車如果缺乏保養也是沒有用的。在你買二手車之前，你要對二手車在專門的修理車廠進行診斷檢查。一個全面的診斷大概花100美元左右，需要提前確定價格。一個好的技工應該告訴你這輛車是否有過重大事故或者是存在潛在但很花錢的問題。要求一份有關于車的詳細書面報告，注明任何發現到的問題并標上修理需要花費的金額。你可以在和銷售者談價錢的時候利用這份報告來達到你理想的價錢。