The process of purchasing a car can be exciting, but it can also take a lot of your time. Therefore, how long does it take to buy a carr?
The time it takes to buy a car is largely up to you. This could take a week or two if you’re a zealous consumer who conducts extensive research, is a skilled negotiator, and is committed to getting the best deal on the car that meets your needs.
The negotiation and paperwork, however, should take one to two days once you’ve found the car you want. This estimate further assumes that you have already been pre-approved for a loan, should you require one.
But, how long does it take to buy a new car, a used car, or a car from an online ship?
Let’s start those engines now!
Table of Contents
How Long Does It Take to Buy a Car?
Purchasing a car is a process that can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and in some cases, even more, depending on various factors.
You’ll want to start with good research before choosing the car. It should go more quickly if you already know what kind of car you want.
It’s crucial that you have your priorities straight when making a decision to buy a car, as well as how long it will take you to get in your new vehicle.
The process of buying a car will go more quickly the more in line your desires and budget are, and the more you are aware of what you want.
But don’t try to save time at the expense of making an informed decision. Take your time looking into your options if you are unsure of the type of car you want and would like to do so.
How Long Does It Take to Buy a New Car?
Although it’s not always the case, purchasing a new car can take less time than doing so for a used one.
The time required for shopping can range from a few days to a few weeks or even months. Several factors influence the time you’ll need for purchasing the car:
- Knowing Exactly What Car You Want
You’re halfway there if you know the exact make, color, and features you want.
Be specific or set a list of features you want and take the salesman’s advice in narrowing down your choices, and evaluate each model of the car carefully while taking them for a test drive.
You’ll be set up within hours if the car of your choice is immediately available.
- Financing Options
The financing options at your disposal affect the car-buying process. You can avoid meeting with a financial advisor at the dealership if your bank of choice has already approved you for a car loan.
If you decide to go for the dealers’ financing, the approval period may take from a few days up to a few weeks, depending on several factors.
- The Availability of the Model
How long does it take to buy a new car depends on a number of factors, with model availability ranking among the top ones.
The time frame may change significantly depending on whether the dealership has the vehicle of your choice in stock and can deliver it immediately, or if it must make contact with the manufacturing facility or other dealerships in order to get the model you want.
Also, if you want a custom-made car with special perks and features, this could significantly prolong the needed time to buy a car that can’t be accurately predicted, especially if you want the top of notch car accessories that don’t come with the standard model.
The amount of time you must wait for your new car depends on a number of other variables, including the season or the location of the factory. We bet it’s worth the wait, though, if the car meets all of your requirements.
Some of the top car rental companies can assist you in getting through the waiting period if you don’t have a vehicle or have already sold your old one.
How Long Does It Take to Buy a Used Car?
Although buying a used car can be a bit of a different experience (obvious statement, I know), you can probably anticipate spending anywhere from an hour to at least six hours on the transaction. Why?
- Inspecting or Ordering an inspection on the car you intend to purchase can extend the time it takes to buy a used car vs a new car because new cars require no (Thorough) inspection
- Used cars are typically less expensive, making them simpler to finance or pay for in full with cash. (Not for everyone, but these are averages we are talking about)
- Finding a used car can be difficult. It’s possible that you discover there are problems with the vehicle after visiting something you thought you found online. (New Cars don’t usually have mechanical or physical damage)
How Long Does It Take to Buy a Car from An Online Dealership?
It can take a few days to several weeks to buy a car from an online dealership. However, if the car is close to your home, you might not have to wait long and you won’t have to worry about scheduling time to visit a dealership.
There are several businesses to pick from if you prefer to conduct your research and buy a vehicle online.
Some of the most popular options for buying a car online include:
- Carvana
- CarMax
- DriveTime
- Vroom
- Cars.com
- Enterprise
These online car lots typically offer customers used cars. You might want to avoid these businesses if you’re looking for a new car or talk to a company representative to go over your options.
Anyone interested in buying a car online can browse vehicles and complete the transaction entirely from their computer, tablet, or smartphone. Furthermore, the majority of online car lots permit you to test drive the vehicle for a few days or even weeks before deciding if you want to keep it.
The prices are relatively high in comparison to other sellers, which is the main disadvantage of buying a car from an online dealership. To avoid overpaying, do your homework and compare quotes from different retailers before making an online car purchase.
How Long Does It Take to Get a New Car from the Factory?
You can choose to place a special order for a car directly from the manufacturer if your search for a car has been honed in on something that is simply not available on any lot. This procedure may take 8 to 12 weeks in the United States, and several months for a vehicle made abroad. If time is a concern, you should be aware that dealerships can search and trade with other dealerships in their brand and can find vehicles in locations where you can’t with websites like Autotrader or Cargurus.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Car Dealership Financing?
Financing at the dealership, or actually being approved for a car loan from a dealer, can take anywhere from a few minutes to several weeks (Depending on your creditworthiness)
In most cases, and I do mean “MOST”, you should avoid any offers to take the vehicle before actually having financing in place and completed, especially if you have a trade-in.
You are unintentionally leaving yourself vulnerable to what is frequently referred to as a Yo-Yo scam or the same result.
You basically drive the car home, then a few days or weeks later the dealership wants the car back, either because you weren’t approved at all or because you had to agree to a higher cost/price for the car.
If the dealership says they cannot secure financing immediately, you should clarify that you will not be driving that car off the lot until they do. This can happen unintentionally again, but it’s a mess either way.
How Long Does It Take to Get License Plates from the Dealer?
Nowadays, you can typically anticipate receiving your license plates within two weeks, or 7–10 business days, from the date you bought your vehicle.
Many times, you can actually get your license plates the same day thanks to businesses that have established protocols with state DMVs.
These wait times used to vary because you had to take into account when a dealer might submit their work to the DMV or how long it took for mail to travel between the DMV satellite office and their main office in the capital, but with all of the E-Filing systems available today, it’s getting less and less of a hassle to get that metal tag on your car as soon as possible.
Read about How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Car Wash?
Can I Buy a Used Car Quickly?
Some people will buy a used car from a person who has it advertised online or listed for sale in a driveway or parking lot.
If you’ve located a used car being sold by an individual, you’ll need to arrange a time for you and your partner to go look at the car. Take some time to learn the car’s value after you test it out. Some individuals take the car to a mechanic to be examined.
It usually takes more time to purchase a used car from a private seller than it does to buy one from a dealership, and the process can last for several days. But buying a car from a private seller can save you money and spare you the hassle of haggling at a dealership.
Does Trading in a Car Take a Long Time?
Expect the process to take longer than if you simply walked into a dealership prepared to buy a car if you intend to trade in your old vehicle to buy something different.
Any dealership that is open to taking your trade-in will want to give the car a close examination before quoting you a price, you’ll discover. Once this occurs, it’s safe to assume the dealership will give you a lower price for the car than you had in mind.
Be prepared to spend some time haggling over prices when trading in a car in order to find a deal you are happy with. The cost of the vehicle you intend to buy will be decreased by this price. However, the process of trading in a car can occasionally take longer than the process of buying a car because of all the steps involved.
Top Tips for Cash Car Buyers
- You are not unique. No matter how you intend to pay for a car, a dealership that values your patronage won’t treat you any differently. The truth is that a buyer with financing would benefit the dealership more financially.
- Do not Hide Your Cash – The conventional wisdom used to be that you should only consider the cost of the vehicle and not consider other payment options. However, this could prevent you from taking advantage of incentives that could result in thousands of dollars in savings. If the offers are too good to pass up, let the dealership know that even though you had intended to use your own financing, you might consider doing so if the rates are lower.
- Financing doesn’t necessarily mean financing. If the dealer or the manufacturer will give you thousands of dollars to finance the car, do so and pay it off quickly with your cash. (Free Money People)
Ways to Make Buying a Car Faster
If you want to purchase a car quickly, there are a few things you can do to save time:
- Pick a price and stick to it; don’t go above that. You can tell right away if a dealership is open to working with you.
- Before entering the dealership, research financing.
- While doing your initial car research, make a decision about the accessories you want to have in your car.
- To save a significant amount of time compared to window shopping, consider purchasing online.
People can bring a friend or advocate with them for support if they find dealerships intimidating but think they must go there to get a good deal.
Keep in mind that it may require some time as you look for a car. However, it’s important to pursue your goals rather than making compromises because you’re worn out or overburdened.
It might be worthwhile to leave the dealership or person selling the car if you discover that you are willing to make concessions, then give it another go in a day or two.
Required Times to Buy a Car
Knowing how much time it will take to research, find, and decide on a car can help make the shopping process as stress-free as possible.
That’s why we’ll explain the approximate duration of every step of the process:
Research: 1 Day-1 Week
As this step must be done properly, don’t be surprised if it takes longer than all of the other steps combined.
To make your process of buying a car a success, make sure to thoroughly research what is important to you in a car, list and rank your criteria, and start searching for the model that would be perfect for you.
Although this can take up from a few days to a couple of weeks, the clearer the criteria, the less time you’ll need to find a match.
At this stage, you should also set your budget and gain an insight into what’s the best you can buy for the money.
Additionally, you should choose between a private seller and a dealership and whether you’re buying a new or used car. Make a wise decision because buying a car from a private seller will likely result in a lower price but you won’t receive some benefits offered at the dealership.
Shopping: 1–3 Days
When choosing a car, make sure to research different offers, price ranges, and options available with different sellers.
In the process of buying a car from a dealership, you should look around a few lots and negotiate the price if possible to see where you can have the best deal, which can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
If you’re trading in a car, be sure to allow extra time. To avoid having to sell your car somewhere else, the dealer must assess the vehicle and make you an offer that you deem reasonable.
You should expect a delay of a few hours to a few days if you discover something that needs to be fixed and the dealer or private seller offers to take care of it.
Paperwork: 30 Minutes-1 Hour
You can begin signing documents after the choosing stage is complete and the desired vehicle aced the test drive with flying colors.
Normally, this takes less than an hour, but it might take longer depending on how you intend to pay for a car. If you’re applying for a car loan, the approval process can take up to a few days.
You should be aware that some lenders offer preapproval for a car loan, which can expedite the process.
Insurance: 30 Minutes-1 Hour
You’ll also need car insurance for your new vehicle when the time comes to purchase one. Make sure to do your homework and choose a dependable auto insurance provider and a plan that will give you the most comfort.
Depending on your situation and the state you’re in, you may have different insurance grace periods from the moment you buy another car or trade-in your car.
Nevertheless, notify your auto insurance provider of the modification as soon as you can.
Wait for Your Car to Be Ready: 1 Hour-1 Day
They will likely want to clean it after the car purchase process is complete, which shouldn’t take long before you leave in your new vehicle. Also, the salesperson will give you detailed instructions on the technology and perks of the model in no longer than half an hour.
Registration plates can require a longer wait, so if you have to get a new license plate, count that as a few more days in the process of buying a car from a dealership.
The waiting period may be considerably longer if you’re buying a brand-new car off the assembly line or want a custom vehicle.
