Questions and answers about car shopping

Q: How can I prepare to shop for a car?

A: Prepare early, Rod Griffin, senior director of public education and advocacy at Experian, advised — at least six months before you plan to buy. Check your free credit report and, ideally, your credit score. (Before paying for a score, ask your credit card company or lender. Many provide them free to their customers). Take any steps you can — such as paying bills on time — to improve your profile.

Then, shop for your loan and your car separately, said Sean Tucker, a senior editor at Kelley Blue Book. Get preapproved by your bank or credit union, and take that offer with you to the dealer, to see if they can beat it.

Q: Is there a new rule governing car purchases?

A: Yes, but it hasn’t taken effect yet. The Federal Trade Commission last year finalized its CARS rule, for Combating Auto Retail Scams, aimed at protecting car shoppers from hidden fees and bait-and-switch pricing tactics. The commission said the rule would make it easier to shop around based on a car’s actual price and would save buyers an estimated $3.4 billion a year.

The rule was to debut in late July, but the agency postponed it, pending the outcome of a legal challenge by industry groups. “We continue to believe the rule is unnecessary, redundant, confusing and will needlessly lengthen the car sales process for consumers,” the National Automobile Dealers Association, one of the rule’s opponents, said in a statement.

Q: What if I can’t afford to pay my car loan?

A: The Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting your lender right away. Some lenders may agree to work with you if you can continue making payments, even if they’re late.

If you don’t pay, the lender may repossess your car. You may owe any difference between what your lender gets from selling the car and what you still owe on it, as well as fees related to the repossession. Plus, having a lender take back the vehicle could make it harder and more expensive to get credit in the future. Know your rights, which vary by state. Contact your state attorney general’s office.