So you’ve decided that you need a car. Maybe you’re in the market for your first vehicle, or maybe your trusty daily driver isn’t so trusty anymore and it’s time for an upgrade to something more reliable. Either way, you’re officially on the hunt for a new-to-you ride and wondering where to begin your search. Many people start by thinking about the kind of car they want, the make and model, the year, the color, the mileage, the options and upgrades. It’s always a smart move to figure out what you want before you start to shop. But what many car hunters don’t take into consideration at the beginning of their search is where they should go to shop for that perfect vehicle.

Today, we’ll cover two qualities of a dealership that most car buyers wish they would have considered before choosing it as the place to buy their car.

Do they respect your time?

Unless it’s your first time buying a car, then chances are you’ve had the experience of visiting a dealership and spending an hour or two walking the lot, test driving and finally picking out that perfect match for you. Only after you make your careful decision, you’re escorted to the lobby where you sit and wait for three, four or sometimes even five hours before they finally hand over the keys. Before you know it, your whole day is gone.

If you have the luxury of car shopping on your day off, then you’ve only sacrificed your hard-earned free time in addition to the investment in your vehicle. But if you have children that you need to get back to, or if you’re working later that day, this can be a major hassle.

Once you’ve been pre-approved for a loan and selected the right vehicle for you, a good dealership should never waste your time by delaying the paperwork to finalize the sale before sending you off in your new ride. Once you’ve agreed on the purchase, it should be on them to wrap it up and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Do they have the right inventory connections?

It should go without saying that you shouldn’t waste your time on a car lot that doesn’t have a variety of realistic options for you to choose from. However, in this day and age, maintaining an inventory of quality, previously owned vehicles is getting harder and harder to do. New dealerships pop up all the time with flashy ads promising great deals. But with the current supply chain shortages affecting the U.S. car market, you might show up on their lot in the hopes of getting a deal only to find that all the good vehicles are picked clean.

In the current climate, it takes years of relationship-building, constant vigilance and hard work to find enough quality, previously owned vehicles to keep a car lot stocked. A good dealer should have the experience necessary to be able to offer you a wide variety of dependable, low mileage and attractive options.

Checking the boxes

At Cincinnati Auto Credit, we pride ourselves on the speed of our transactions. Once you fill out your credit application, we’ll give you a variety of options that are all customized to fit your needs. And, once you’ve found the right one, we prioritize completing your sale to respect your time and get you back on the road as soon as possible.

Being able to provide our customers with that variety of quality options comes from over 30 years in the business. We’ve built a network of connections to auctions and private sales that allow us to source the best pre-owned vehicles. And we work tirelessly every day to acquire these vehicles for our lots at the best possible prices, so we can pass along the savings to our customers.

If you’d like to find out more about how Cincinnati Auto Credit can help you in your search for a new-to-you vehicle, we invite you to contact us today and give us a chance!