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.

买辆新车是件让人高兴的事情。但是如何能做到不必多花费成百上千美元买辆车或者买一辆你不喜欢开的车就是一个复杂的过程了。以下就是10个购车者经常会犯的错误，他们会让购车的兴奋转为购车的悔恨--下面我们就来看看如何避免这些错误。

你可以在新一期消费者报导杂志的第384页的《聪明购买者购买或者租赁汽车指南》中找到更多深入的信息，这本杂志可以在书店里买到。书中提供了5个步骤的计划，并且每个步骤都会指导你该如何做，告诉你如何简化购买过程，找到关键信息，在与经销商的谈判中取得控制权。

1. 爱上模型。

你需要花好几万美元买车，所以不能感情冲动。沉迷于某一型号的汽车会让你无视其他更适合你需求的车的存在或者让你忽视对汽车的评定等级，审查，可靠度，安全性和价格信息进行全面的的调查。无知天真的购买方法只会让你更容易上销售人员销售策略的当，花更多的钱。要决定什么型号的汽车最适合你，你就必须把个人感情放在一边，专注搜索相关的信息，比较不同型号的汽车，评估你真正的需求。在你买车后有足够的时间释放你的个人情感，好好欣赏你的车。

2. 忽视试驾。

试驾是买车过程中重要的一部分。有很多的汽车在宣传单上看上去很好，特别是那些宣传照片--但是试驾是看一部车是否满足你需求，满足你和你家人要求的最好途径。你也不想在你买车之后发现任何让你感到吃惊的事。这就是为什么那些只对汽车进行标记测验或者更糟糕的什么不做的购买者让我感到惊奇的原因。这就是一个错误，而且肯定会让那些购买者事后后悔。这是很重要的一个方面，你需要花足够的时间--至少30分钟-进行完整的试驾测试以及对你考虑的汽车进行全面的评估。

3. 以标价作为标准来商讨价格。

当你在商讨汽车价钱的时候别以商家的标价作为标准。汽车销售者可能会给你提供比标价低500美元的优惠价格，消费者也常常会因此而错误的把它做为汽车的最终成交价，除非这种型号的汽车需求量极大或者是脱销，否则在一般情况下，你可以同经销商进行更多的交涉，从他们实际进价的信息压低价钱。当你知道经销商的成本，你就可以了解它的利润空间，以此来决定一个合理的目标价格来作为你讨价的基线。你可以通过扣除任何幕后的销售激励，比如经销商回扣以及来自经销商发票价格的一些障碍。消费者报导杂志的最新汽车价格报告以汽车最低价钱底线为你提供了这方面的相关信息。

4. 商讨价钱的时候只关注月支付。

在进行交易的时候，销售人员喜欢关注月支付数目。实际上，"你每个月想要支付多少？"或许是销售人员在第一次见到你的时候就问的问题。不要上当，这是你被数字控制，多付车款的第一个重要步骤。使用月支付作为焦点，销售人员会把最新的汽车价钱，折价物，融资和租赁条款合在一起，给消费者某一方面很优惠的价格却在其他方面提高价钱补回来。实际上你应该一次谈合一件事。首先解决汽车的价钱，然后对折价物，融资和租赁条款依次进行谈判，这是很有必要的。租赁建议：在你没有达成成交价之前不要表现出你要租赁。

5. 购买"交易"而不是车。

近年来汽车制造商不断的提供各种吸引人的销售激励，从0%的融资，丰厚的现金回扣到员工折扣价。这些销售激励能为你省钱，但更重要的是你要记住只有附上汽车这些交易才是真正的有意义。因为你可以得到一个好的折扣并不意味着你要买车。毕竟，车对你而言要陪伴你好几年的时光，所以你要确保选择一辆适合你的车。对你所考虑的车型做全面的调查，查看我们的评估和其他有竞争性的车款（看我们的新车评估比较，仅对授权用户）.你会发现你不需要花更多的钱就可以买到更好的汽车。此外你还要查询车型的可靠性（看我们的可靠性评估，仅对授权用户）.尽管有很吸引人的折扣，但若汽车的可靠性欠佳，就算有很丰厚的折旧，从长远来说也是不值得考虑的。相关的建议：不要让特殊奖励阻碍了你讨价。回扣和特殊融资是汽车制造商的补贴，而不是汽车经销商。你必须就如没有那些销售激励一样对汽车的价钱进行谈判。没有理由你不能同时获得最好的价钱和销售激励。

6. 等待，直到经销商需要你考虑融资。

或许你是擅长促成一桩不错的买卖的高手，但是如果你对融资的选择不够认真的话，可能就会失去你在购买车的过程中所省下来的钱，或者更多。汽车购买者如果没有对融资条款进行调查就很容易受到经销商的控制。你选择的融资条款不仅会比别处高，而且经销商还会在你实际需要付的贷款上提高利率--这个战略就叫做"利率追撞".它会让你在贷款条款上多付几千美元甚至更多。这就是为什么你需要在不同的财政机构对融资条款进行比较的重要性，并且在去经销商店购买车前就提前取得汽车贷款也是很重要的。查询银行，信用合作社或者是网上财政机构的利率，看看哪个机构能为你提供最好的利率。如果销售者能为你提供比其他地方更好的条件，你也可以就近选择。

7. 低估现代安全体系的真实价值。

现在的汽车都提供了大量先进的安全设备。但是许多买家不知道哪些是最重要的，或者在汽车对比的时候需要注意什么。比如说防抱死系统和进入控制系统（ABS）,电子稳定控制系统（ESC）, 和保护头部的安全汽囊，是很有效而且值得的。许多调查已经显示电子稳定控制系统可以有效的减少事故和灾难的发生。这项功能对于多用途跑车特别重要，因为他可以防止滚动翻转。侧碰试验显示保护头部的安全汽囊在防止侧面碰撞的灾祸里面特别的重要。不幸的是，你不能总是指望代理商的销售人员为你提供这方面精确的信息或者是可靠的指导。这就是为什么你必须对所有相关的安全设备进行全面的调查，寻找那些可以保护你和你家人最适合的安全设备。

8. 购买没必要的附加零件。

那些商品特许经销商通常会向你推销附加商品来增加他们的利润，但这些附加商品实际上只是浪费你的钱。这些附加商品包括抗锈，织物，漆面保护剂， 和汽车蚀刻，汽车蚀刻是将汽车的识别码蚀刻在车窗上来防止窃贼。不要接受那些没有必要的服务和费用。如果你在销售帐单上看到这些项目，你不需要理会，只要将他们删除拒绝支付。车身本身就有抗锈涂层，最新的消费者杂志可靠度调查显示生锈不是现代汽车的主要问题。你可以使用室内装潢品或者利用货价成品自己漆保护层，这只需要花费你几美元的费用。如果你想要汽车蚀刻，你可以自己买个工具箱来安装，这样的花费不到25美元，这样就可以省200美元的经销商费用。此外你还需要认真考虑延长保证期。它会花费你上百美元的费用。但是如果你买的车型有很好的可靠性，或者如果你打算车的使用期在五年以内的话就没有必要花这个钱。

9. 没有对你现在的车的价钱进行调查。

或许你在购买新车的时候得到很多的回报，但是在折价的时候却花费了你所有的积蓄--或者更多。这就是为什么你在购买新车之前需要对你现有的车进行估价。调查二手车零售店和批发价各是多少，这样你就可以知道折价和二手出售你各可以得到多少钱了。特别是二手销售，只要你多花精力可以获取更多的钱。无论是折旧还是自己出售，通过知道你的车的真实价钱，并且在商谈的时候坚持你的价钱，你的车就可以取得应得的回报。

10. 没有让独立的技工检查二手车。

当你买二手车的时候，车的现有条件是最重要的。尽管是最可靠的汽车如果缺乏保养也是没有用的。在你买二手车之前，你要对二手车在专门的修理车厂进行诊断检查。一个全面的诊断大概花100美元左右，需要提前确定价格。一个好的技工应该告诉你这辆车是否有过重大事故或者是存在潜在但很花钱的问题。要求一份有关于车的详细书面报告，注明任何发现到的问题并标上修理需要花费的金额。你可以在和销售者谈价钱的时候利用这份报告来达到你理想的价钱。