Car shopping? Use these handy apps

Buying your first car seems like one of those classic coming-of-age moments, right up there with your first lottery ticket, registering to vote, or officially telling your parents, “I’m soooo out of here.”

For nearly a century, car dealers have counted on teens getting hooked on the chrome, and becoming auto customers for life. New or pre-owned, imports or domestics, or even pricy collector models, at least they’re driving something.

Unfortunately, an August 2013 Time magazine article pointed out that overall car ownership is increasing again, but is low among the Millennials, considered the demographic in its late teens and early 20s.

Auto marketers are scratching their heads for a reason for this decline, since every other age group, including those ages 70-75, is buying more cars.

Maybe it’s the price range compared to average income. Maybe it’s general environmental concerns and a disdain of fossil fuels. Maybe they want more exercise vs. driving everywhere, bless their hearts.

But perhaps the buying process has just become overly complicated, which is in part why more and more mobile apps for auto shopping or research are being developed. Here are a few to get your motor running.

My Vinny.

Use your iPhone to scan the VIN of the pre-owned car you’re checking out to get info about its specifications, recommended price, plus the history of this particular model. The iOS app is free and designed to give you an approximate value and a starting place for negotiations. You can also adjust the suggested price by looking at the mileage and physical condition.

Bankrate.

You wouldn’t be the first one to be bewildered with all the numbers dealers throw at you, including terms of loans and percentage points. This auto loan calculator app will give you the bottom line— how much does it cost, what’s the interest rate and how long will it take to pay off. Whether you’re doing research at home or at the lot, you can quickly change the final result with different terms, down payments and more. It’s free.

DriveTime.

This service helps get buyers into the pre-owned car of their dreams by working with dealerships around the country to get people approved for financing. Participating dealers will offer one true price, which means no negotiation is needed. You can also search for dealerships and vehicles or schedule a visit to a dealership near you. People who buy a car this way also get a useful service package and a vehicle history report that certifies that the car has been properly inspected. This app, which requires registration and approval, is excellent for shoppers who may have weak credit, as you may want to consider poor credit loans at Drivetime.

SnafuScan.

It’s a war out there, declares this app that puts some extra weapons into the buyer’s hands. Not literally, of course, but it does give them access to info that only dealers typically see such as recall info on certain models, industry safety information and the auction price for used cars, which is often much lower than the price you’ll see on the lot or in the Blue Book. You also can make online offers on models, which saves plenty of time. A subscription costs $4.99 a month which includes regular updates.

Taken from: Guest Post (article, By Chris Roth), Google (images).