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People hate buying cars, because they think the seller will take advantage of them.

That is why many financial advisors offer car-buying help as a concierge service. Some advisors will call ahead to negotiate for you, some will go car shopping with you and some will go the whole last mile and arrange for a car delivery, so you never even have to set foot in a dealership.

Buying a car "is the second-largest expense our clients are likely to have after buying a house," said Rick Kagawa, a certified financial planner in Huntington Beach, California.

Here are three tips from financial advisors on purchasing a car:

1. Shop online first - with an open mind

If you walk into a dealership for a test drive, you are going to get the hard sell, so financial advisor Larry Ginsburg does what he can to keep his clients at home until he has a deal wrapped up for them.

Ginsburg, based in Oakland, California, finds out what they want in general terms - never asking about a color - and then researches what is available at nearby dealers. You also can use a service like TrueCar.com or car-buying portals like Costcoauto.com to get an "upfront" price on your own.

Another pro tip: Ask for the internet sales person at the dealership.

"They will give you a decent price upfront," adds Kagawa.

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