Buying a car is stressful, especially if you've never done it before. There are so many things to take into account – some of which you may not even be aware of until you sit down and start talking to a dealer.

If you aren't careful, rushing into the buying process can be less than enjoyable. Fortunately, all it takes is a little preparation and foreknowledge to avoid some of the more common first-time buying blunders and ensure that you drive away with a great car for the right price.

Take the following steps the next time you're buying a car to ensure that you get the best possible deal.

Know what you want
Once you get to the dealership and find yourself surrounded by great-looking cars filled to the brim with bells and whistles, you may get caught up in the experience and find out later that you paid for a bunch of unnecessary extras. Succumbing to the lure of bonus add-ons like on-board GPS systems, rear-view cameras and sunroofs isn't uncommon, but you can prevent this from happening to you by having a clear understanding of exactly what you need in a car before you shop. Deciding ahead of time which features you need – and which you don't – will allow you to price various models yourself before shopping, so you can have a better idea of what you can expect to pay for the features that you actually need.

Do your research
The amount of the car buying process that actually takes place at the dealership is quite small. Ideally, you should do most of the work ahead of time. Useful sites like Edmunds or Kelley Blue Book offer motorists the chance to compare makes and models side by side, and even see what people are spending for comparable cars on average. This is also important to ensure you get a fair deal on your trade-in of your old car, if you have one.

Understand your financing options
Financing is one of the most intimidating aspects of buying a car, especially for first-timers. The good news is there's no one "right" way to approach it.

If possible, you may wish to consider trying to get pre-approved for a loan at a bank. This can help you negotiate when it's time to sign for your new car, as it guarantees you a certain amount of spending power up front, though it typically requires a decent credit score to secure this kind of financing.

Even if your credit score is not exactly a point of pride for you, there are many other options you can pursue. Dealer financing is popular, since these options tend to provide more options and flexibility. If you're considering dealer financing, be sure you read the fine print and don't leave anything up to chance. For example, be sure to ask what happens if you make a late payment – you may be surprised to find that many dealers can offer flexible payment plans for the times you come up short. Remember, dealers would rather you keep your car and keep paying down your loans – even late – than to repossess it and lose out on the rest of your payments.

If you're ready to purchase a high-quality used car, head to NJ State Auto Auction. You'll find hundreds of Carfax-certified cars on the lot, and a helpful in-house financing team that is on hand to assist you with securing a loan.