You want a new vehicle. What you don’t want to do is to spend your entire Saturday at the car dealership. This is understandable! The good news is that you don’t have to! By following a few tips, you can make your car shopping experience an efficient one.

#1 Check out their inventory online. Before you think about heading to the car dealer, it’s crucial you have a rough idea about the vehicle you want, what you can afford, and the features you need. Are you looking for an SUV that will take the whole family on a road trip? Do you need a car that has all your favorite tech features? You don’t have to have it narrowed down to one exact vehicle, but the model and even trim level is going to save you a lot of time once you get to the dealership. As well, this means you can have a general sense of the price tag before you get there.

#2 Don’t go without pre approved financing. Many experts say that one of the most important car buying tips is to have a pre-approved financing deal in place before you arrive on a car dealer’s lot. If you don’t have a pre-approved car loan from an independent bank, credit union, or other lender, you’ll be relying on the dealership to find you financing. Many consumers get their financing at the dealer, but that’s not always a good financial decision. Can they find you a great deal? Probably, but they’ll have no incentive to do so unless you bring a competing offer. You see, very few dealerships loan the money themself. Instead, they act as the middleman between financial lenders and car buyers. It goes without saying that you can save money by cutting them out.

#3 Go at the right time. The most convenient time for you is probably the most convenient time for everyone else, meaning you’ll be just one of many being shopping at the Buick dealership in Baton Rouge at that time. If you’re looking for the best deal, you want to shop a few days before the end of a month, quarter, or year. There’s a reason you see so many End of the Year Sales Events! Auto dealers are typically super busy on weekends. It can take a long time to buy a vehicle on Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday. There can be time bottlenecks with test drives and finance offices as everyone buys at the same time. If the dealership is slammed with customers, you probably won’t get much one-on-one time with the sales staff to go for a test drive and learn about the vehicle. You may have to wait a considerable amount of time to even get a test drive! If it is possible for you, weekdays and evenings are probably going to provide the best dealership experience. The showrooms are quieter then, and you’ll have a better chance for personal attention.

If you follow these three tips, you’ll have such a great car shopping experience you’ll wonder what all the fuss is about!