If you’re considering buying a new car in Philadelphia, PA, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to get the best possible deal on it.

First of all, we talk to a lot of people about their cars—people who bought new cars, used cars, accepted cars as gifts from their parents, leased cars, etc. All but one of those people regret something about every car they’ve ever owned. A lot of them feel burdened by the payments. Most of them feel like the salesman they dealt with pulled a fast one on them somehow. Some don’t like the car and some hate the color. Before you go any farther in your search for a new car, please take a minute to consider this—Have you ever regretted anything about one of your cars? Is there a lesson from that you can keep in mind as you look for a new car?

We don’t mean to preach, but everyone we know (ourselves included, unfortunately) has made car mistakes. They’re a nice thing to avoid.

A word of warning that will probably never pertain to you: As you’re sitting in the cars you’re interested in, take a minute to open the glove compartment and look in the owners manual. See what the manufacturer’s policy on lemon law cars is. Lemon vehicles are rare, but fighting with the manufacturer if you have one is one of life’s more unpleasant events. So see what your manufacturer’s policy on this is, and keep it in mind. If you think the car you buy is a lemon, do not delay acting on your fears. Lemon law coverage only lasts for a very short time; as frustrating as it is, you don’t want to make it worse by finding out you’ve put off doing something for too long.

Before you buy your next car, please do some research. Go to the library and see what Consumer Reports says about the models you’re interested in, and what other car magazines have to say. Go to epinions.com and see what real people think about the car. This is the most helpful site we’ve found because there’s information about every car we’ve ever looked up, and because it’s genuinely helpful. (We don’t get anything for this recommendation.)

Another important step is to decide how much money you can, or want to spend on your next car. If you have to make payments, now is a better time to decide how much you want those payments to be than when you’ve got some slimey salesman pawing you. Do you know how much a car will cost you every month if you pay $20,000 for it, and pay 5% interest? How about a $15,000 car? A $30,000 car? Salesmen will tell you they can get your payment down by extending the term of your loan, but is that what you really want to do? I’m paying $294 a month for a car I bought 18 months ago, and frankly, that’s too much for me. I wish I had bought a cheaper car.

And a related tip: a common trick salesmen use is to ask how much you want your monthly payment to be. Don’t fall for this. They’ll hit any number you say, but hide how much you’re actually paying for the car. You want to get the price of the car down as low as you can, then work on the monthly payments later.

A lot of people don’t realize that you can negotiate the interest rate you pay for your car loan.

Quick tip: Unless the dealer is offering an amazingly low rate (under 2%), we strongly recommend you get your car loan through a bank, credit union, online lender or some place other than the dealer. Most people pay more for their loan through dealers than from any place else.

When the lender says they can get you a loan for, say, 8%, be quiet for a long moment. Act startled. Then ask if they can do any better. Lenders can always do better, so never accept their first offer.

The same thing is true with insurance companies. Thanks to the internet, people have more insurance options than ever before, at lower prices than ever before. Shop around online for insurance before you buy your next car, and make sure you know how much it’s going to cost to insure each of the cars you’re interested in. Two similar cars may cost much different amounts to insure.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Buying a new car in Philadelphia, PA—or anywhere else, for that matter—can be fun. We love the smell of a new car as much as anyone. But there are dozens of pitfalls to avoid. Be careful, try to enjoy this and good luck!