Here, at Greentree Toyota, we have been selling cars for over 45 years, and we’ve definitely learned a thing or two about the business!

The best first step you can take before deciding what vehicle you’re hoping to purchase is to figure out your budget. A good rule of thumb is that a payment will be around $200-$300 per month for every $10,000 financed. While this depends on rates and is therefore not completely accurate, it can give you a good idea of what price range to consider.

Once you’ve pinpointed your budget, it’s time to choose a dealership! Choosing a dealership is just as crucial a decision in your car buying process as choosing the vehicle! It’s smart to do your research. Nowadays, many dealerships rely on their online reviews to get customers to know what they’re like as a business. Dealerrater.com is a great resource to discover if the dealership you are considering is reputable. Other resources such as the dealership's website and social media pages may also help narrow down your decision.

Now that you have figured out your budget and what dealership you plan to work with, a good next step is to call your insurance company. They can give you an estimated quote for insurance before you commit to buying a vehicle. Occasionally, depending on the situation you find yourself in, the cost of insurance might not be what you were hoping for, so it’s best to get that estimate beforehand, just in case.

Next, you will want to have a good idea of what your credit score is ahead of time. If you don’t believe that your credit score is strong, you may want to consider bringing in a co-signer with you, should you need one.

If you are purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, ask your dealer to provide you with a copy of the CARFAX report, which will disclose if there were ever any accidents or any damage to the vehicle. Typically, the report will already be available on the dealer’s website, under the listing for the vehicle. 

A good final step is to call ahead! When you call the dealership, you can make sure that the vehicle you’re interested in is still in their inventory and not under deposit. If you know this is the car for you, then you can schedule an appointment and even leave a deposit over the phone! This will ensure that nobody else can purchase the vehicle if you are traveling a long distance to reach the dealership.

To get started with us, fill out our free credit application online at GreentreeToyota.com/Finance. Once your application is complete, the Greentree Toyota finance team will work to put together a loan package tailored specifically to your needs. We accept tax IDs, passports, green cards, good credit, and bad credit! Come visit us at 87 Federal Road in Danbury, CT.