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My New Kia Soul + First-Time Car Buying Tips!

By 138 Comments

I bought a new car! And I have some first-time car buying tips for you too. But first, a eugoogly for my previous car:

Dear Pontiac Sunfire,

I’ll never forget the 12 years we spent together. From high school in Michigan to college in Ohio, to a new start in North Carolina, you were there. Your crank windows and lack of remote-controlled anything was so convenient, and that time your power steering went out in the middle of a downtown intersection was thrilling. But most of all, I’ll always remember Paris the way I had to play my MP3s through the radio, scanning for a new empty station every time I entered a new zip code.

Thanks for everything, and also thanks for nothing,

Chanelle

I’ve had a new car in the back of my mind for years now, but I didn’t want to purchase a new car when my old car was paid off and running just fine. Unfortunately over the past 2-3 years or so, there had been more and more trips to the repair shop, and each time was more expensive than the time before.

The last straw was when I braked hard behind a jerk who cut me off and felt my brakes kind of…slip. I took it to the shop that afternoon and the first thing the mechanic asked me was, “Are you from up north?” Apparently there was nearly irreparable (well, it could have been repaired, but AT WHAT COST) rust and corrosion from the harsh winters and salty roads. So I drove it right over to a Kia dealership and traded it in.

2016 Kia Soul Base Shadow Black

I’m thinking about naming her Kia Vergara

I purchased a 2016 Kia Soul base model in Shadow Black (it’s black with subtle red metallic shimmer) and I am in love with it! A few months ago my mom and I took a blog trip in a rental car that happened to be a Kia Soul and I’ve wanted one ever since. I like its quirky look and that it’s a spacious hatchback. Plus, it’s equipped with Bluetooth and a great sound system, both of which were very important to me, a self-professed Spotify junkie. The interior is spacious with lots of head- and leg-room – it can even comfortably seat a 6’6″ passenger!

2016 Kia Soul Base Shadow Black

I’m lame

I’m very happy with my purchase. But I’m not just here to brag about it (only a little). I also wanted to share a few first-time car buying tips that can help you out if you’re in the market for a car, too!

  1. Do your research online. Narrow it down to a few car options that will suit your lifestyle and budget first, then test drive them. In my case, I definitely wanted a Kia Soul since Nissan stopped manufacturing my other contender, the Cube, a couple of years ago. I looked into the prices of the 2016 Kia Soul at all trim levels and used a payment calculator to determine the price I’d be willing to pay. Some great resources are /r/whatcarshouldibuy, /r/askcarsales, and Edmunds car comparison tool.
  2. Get insurance quotes for the cars you’re deciding between. Many insurance companies give you free quotes when you are considering a change to your policy. Make sure you can afford the new rate!
  3. If you’re trading in your old car, look up its value and consider selling it by owner – you might be able to get more for it that way. If you trade it in at the dealership, you’ll want to ensure you’re getting a fair price for it.
  4. Don’t let the salesperson get you to tell them what you want to pay monthly. They can use this against you to get you to take out a longer loan, so even though your payments might look low, you’re paying more over the life of the loan when you incorporate interest. Instead, determine your monthly budget and input it into a car payment calculator to determine your ideal purchase price. My mom told me this tip – thanks mom!
  5. Don’t be afraid to negotiate. When they present you with a number, you don’t have to accept it! With your ideal purchase price in mind, give them a number lower than that and let them meet you in the middle.
  6. Don’t seem desperate. Unfortunately, I was a little desperate when I went to buy this car, but I had still done my research since I had planned to buy a car in the next few months, and at the dealership I acted like I wasn’t in a rush. Don’t let them smell your desperation – desperate people are more easily taken advantage of.
  7. You don’t have to buy that extended warranty. When you go to sign your contract with finance, they will try to upsell you on a longer or more comprehensive warranty than comes with your car. You don’t have to buy it unless you want to.

By using all these tips, I was able to buy my 2016 Kia Soul for less than MSRP! I feel pretty cool right about now.

What are your best car buying tips? Do you remember your first new car?

Comments

  8. congrats on your new toy and i pray you more blessings to come. the list up there too are great ways to be on the safe side. you and the new toy look great together…hahahaha

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  14. That is one hot car! I haven’t bought a new car yet but I will keep these tips in mind. My son may be getting his first car soon.

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  21. These are some really important points to consider before buying a car! I don’t actually drive or plan to, but I wish my sister considered these before she bought hers!

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  26. Kia cars are the gorgeous ones and I love how this black color stands out to be the best. These car buying tips are going to be very much useful as well for the ones who are buying for the first-time!

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  29. For many people, a car is the biggest purchase they will make during the course of their lifetimes. It is important to do research and make an informed decision about what is best for you and your family.

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  32. The new car looks gorgeous! I don’t have a driving license yet, so I don’t know the feeling of buying a new car and all the things you have to pay attention to when you do. I do have a bike though, and I know how happy I was when I bought it, but also sad to leave old “Billy” behind, my previous one.

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  34. Congrats on the new car! Mine is nearing 18 years old. I’m about to move to Europe in just a few weeks, so I’m hoping it holds out just a bit longer. Those are some great tips too!

    Nina
    aworldofdresses.com

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  36. Doing your research is very important! I remember when I went on a car search. I wanted a pick up truck and knew cars/engines very well. I took a guy friend with me and the salesman kept talking to him until he finally reminded him that I was the buyer. He tried telling me some bogus stuff about the engine until I corrected him- the dumbfounded look was priceless!

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  44. I am so glad, in some ways, that I have never had to buy a car because it is an absolute minefield, I would be constantly ringing my dad for advice x

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  45. Buying a new car can definitely be intimidating. I do remember my first car that I bought all by myself without my parents or a man going with me. 🙂 It was a big deal and worked out great, but I would have loved these tips back then.

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  46. All good tips. The last one about the warranty is so spot on because when your factory warranty wears out, they’ll be in touch to try and get you to extend it. You can decide on that one then. 🙂 Congrats on your new car!

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  53. So thankful for your tips. My husband and I have been talking about both getting our licences (we don’t have them can you believe that?! I never have!) and I have no idea anything about car buying. the kia soul looks great too bad it wouldn’t fit our whole family!

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  54. Congrats on your new car. I also had a Sunfire it died on me in college (multiple times) I bought my first brand new car 2 years ago and did it all online. I even started a bidding war and got a great deal. I think the next time I buy a new car it will be the same way. They brought it to me and all I had to do was sign the paperwork none of that waiting all day at the dealership.

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  58. What an adorable car!!! Congratulations!!! I still think about my first car… also a tiny- no power ANYTHING– circa 1997 corolla. We went through so much together- so it’s always bittersweet.
    Love the ride and these are some great tips.

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  65. The first new car I got was a 1977 Honda Civic. We called it the pregnant rollerskate ar the frigging frostmobile. Best tip is to do your research.

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  71. I love my Kia soul and hope you are just as happy with yours. Our lease is up in a few months and I can’t wait to go shopping for a new one. It is important to stick to your guns and don’t back down. They will negotiate.

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  73. Love it! It is a cute car and I think it fits you perfect. I purchased my first new car in 1980. Oh my! It was a Chevy Chevette and very basic. No air conditioning. We have purchased many cars since then and have used many different negotiation techniques. I love your tips!

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  75. These are great tips. I decided that I’m going to purchase a new car just after the holidays, and hand my car down to our teenage daughter. I’m hoping to find some good deals between Christmas and New Years.

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  78. Wow, congrats on your new car! I will be new car shopping in the next year so I will definitely use your tips!

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  81. Congrats on the new car! I have never actually negotiated a car before. Nor have I ever had a new from the dealership car – only new to me. LOL
    So happy for you. You look amazing, BTW.
    🙂
    Traci

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  82. Congratulations on buying a new car, it looks fantastic. I would love to own a new car but with our budget we have always went with preowned. I definitely agree with researching, that’s very important to know your options and to stay ahead of the game.

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  83. My best advice is be prepared to leave. If you do your research and know how much you should be paying and they still try to pull one over on you, especially since you are woman, than leave. If they really want your biz, they will negotiate.

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  84. You know what I really love about these tips is that you can apply them to any situation in which you are purchasing any big ticket item and they would apply and help you get the best rate for the item you are trying to purchase! The don’t be desperate one is REALLY worth remembering!

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  85. This reminds me of my first car, that was a long time ago. I’m glad you finally decided to replace yours, that kia looks really good! I think Kia Vergara would make a great name! Anyway, thanks for the tips, I’ll be sure to show these to my daughters so that they know what to do when they finally decide to get their first car.

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  90. I was lucky enough to inherit my first car from a family member but I do find that it saves money to sell your old car privately so you can negoiate more on price than trading in x

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  91. Congratulations on buying your Kia. When you go to a car dealership you are basically attacked, but it is good to know how to handle the salesmen.

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  92. These are all really good tips. We have had various models of a Kia for over 15 years. We have loved each and every one of them. We traded them in because we put high mileage on them, not because of any issues. I wanted a Soul – I think they are great.

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  97. We just traded in my husband’s car for a newer model too. I have considered buying a soul simply because it sits a bit higher off the ground. I have trouble getting in and out of my husband’s car.

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  103. I actually bought last year’s model of the Soul this year. It is such a great car and I am so happy I made the choice to get one.

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  104. Thanks for the tips! We’re looking to buy a new car within the month, before moving across the country and we can use all the tips we can get. Although it’s not the first time we’ve bought a car, it’s been many years since we have so we’re kind of starting all over.

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  105. These are all great tips. I really like this car too! I have purchased a few vehicles in my years and it’s important to find a dealership you trust too.

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  106. Get the Extended warranty. It really helped my sister with her new car. She gets free oil changes for 8 years and maintenance and a longer warranty than 2 years.

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  107. Wonderful tips! I have never bought a car but I have sold one! Great styling! I’m not a car person and while living in LA I only had a bicycle to get places 😀

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    • I agree, they are wonderful tips. I always shop around at more than one dealer. Some will give you a better deal than others.

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  109. Congrats and thanks for the advice! I’ve never bought a car since I live in a big city but I know I would be really overwhelmed by such a big purchase! I’ll definitely keep your advice in mind for the future.

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  110. It’s so much fun to get a new car. Going out and finding the vehicle that suits your personality perfectly. And, yes, you HAVE to negotiate. Dealers want to get as much from you as they can.

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  112. These are some awesome tip that you gave. I did make the mistake of telling the sales person of what I want pay a month for my new car, but it worked out fine. Its in my budget and I can pay extra to help get it down.

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  115. Your new car looks gorgeous, I love a black car. I purchased my first car just over a year ago now so especially for a first timer this brought back a lot of memories of pushy dealers.

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  116. We are actually in the same position as you right now, a fully paid up car that really needs to be replaced. We are just dreading the thought of car payments again. Your tips are great and will come in very handy. Enjoy the lovely new addition to your family!

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  118. Kia is a great car, I don’t own one but that’s my first choice whenever I need a rental. And I love those photos of you lying on the hood of the car — it adds so much personality to your automotive review.

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  121. I love your new car! Kia makes amazing vehicles. I always bring my Son with me to look at cars. He loves to do the research.

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  122. That is so cool – NEW CAR is just an exciting start for many possibilities. Love your car buying tips – and yes, getting insurance quotes ahead of time is super important to avoid nasty surprises

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  123. Congratulations on your new car. We had a 2011 Kia Soul and we really love it. I was surprised by how much room they have.

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  125. My daughter and son in law bought a Kia Soul as their first car. I was surprised how nice it has been for them!

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  126. Oh it’s sooooo pretty! I remember my first car that i bought myself right after I got my first job out of college. I ORDERED it from the dealership so it was exactly how I wanted it. For weeks and weeks I stared at the photo of my car in the brochure until finally it was ready and I was able to pick it up. I’ll never forget it! It was black too.

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  127. We had to purchase 2 vehicles this past year and could have really used these tips. I love that they have Bluetooth. I love being able to connect hands-free and play my Spotify playlist.

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