Do Your Research
The key to finding what you want is determining both your needs and your finances.
How much room do you need? Will you take it out of the city much? How much can you afford for a downpayment? What's a reasonable monthly payment for your budget? How much does each model cost to insure? Answer these questions and you'll narrow your search quickly.
Visit the Dealership, Virtually
There's no need to drive down to the Skoda dealer in Sydney just yet. Start your search at the dealership website, where you'll be able to look closely at available inventory and browse colour choices, trims, and other features.
The dealership is almost always going to be your best choice. Not only will they have all the options for new vehicles, but their choices of used Skodas will be much better. You can be sure every used vehicle was serviced by a trained mechanic who knows Skoda (and you'll usually get a warranty, too).
Evaluate Your Trade
As you move into thinking about how to finance your purchase, consider how much you'll get for your trade-in vehicle (if you have one). It never hurts to check RedBook, the Kelly Blue Book Price Advisor, or even the free Drive.com valuation site.
However, a good local dealership will have a free trade-in valuation tool on their website, and you should take advantage of this for a couple of reasons. First, this tool will let you see what your current ride is worth right where you live, which might be a little different from the national average.
Second, if this is the dealership where your new dream car is currently living, the biggest question is how much this dealership, in particular, will give you. Again, that might be different from the theoretical value online.
Improve Your Credit Score If You Can
No matter who you go with for financing, the better your credit, the better the deal you'll get. If you can wait a bit to get your new ride—long enough to pay off a debt or correct any errors you see in your report—it can make a huge difference.
You can access your credit score free from Credit Savvy, Credit Simple, or WisrCredit, among other options. Your score will be based on how much debt you have, whether you pay your debts on time, and the number of credit applications you've made. If the score looks wrong to you, check with Equifax or Experian to get your full credit report.
Ask the Dealership About Financing
Often dealerships can offer you even better deals than private lenders and banks, so be sure to ask about their offers. Even if you later choose to go with an outside lender, it never hurts to open up your options. At the very least, you may be able to negotiate more effectively with several offers on the table.
The new Skoda of your dreams is out there. It's just waiting for you to find and finance it!