Never forget you are in charge of the process when it comes to buying a car. The retail car sales industry has its share of salespeople who want to rush you into paying too much money for a car you may or may not actually want. You are the consumer. You hold the purse strings. Never get emotional. Do not be afraid to walk out and never, ever forget you are the one in charge.
Before you do anything else, sit down with your significant other and decide exactly what kind of car you want. Walking into a dealership to browse is a recipe for disaster. Being trailed by a salesman is not conducive to clear thinking. You need to know what make, model and options you want before ever setting foot on the car dealer’s property.
Make anonymous calls to several different dealers for prices. Tell them what you are doing and that the best deal wins. Pay particular attention to any differences in details. It is a good idea to write everything down so there is no doubt about the exact price a particular dealer quoted.
Go online to augment the quotes you received with additional research. Establish an “ideal” and “I can live with it” price for the car you want with all the options and another for the car with minimum options. You now have a high and low end for the purchase.
Put cash or a pre-approved loan check for an amount less than the high figure in a sealed envelope. Call your insurance company to let them know you will be adding another car to the policy--they can go ahead and complete much of the paperwork ahead of time--and then head for the dealership of choice on a weekday morning with a friend or significant other with plans to stay until the deal is done. Leaving and coming back rarely works in your favor. It gives the salesman time to regroup.
Find the exact car you want, and show your salesman the envelope. Name a time. Tell him that if you can drive out by that time with all the paperwork done, taxes and every conceivable fee paid for less than the amount in the envelope, he has a deal. Don’t reveal the amount in the envelope. If he names a ridiculously high price, head for the door. If he stops you, tell him he has two chances left.
Read everything twice. Have your friend do the same. Cross out items you do not agree with or that do not apply. Initial them and have the salesman do the same. If you get grief at any point in the process, walk away. When he chases you down, tell him he has one chance left. After all, you do not have to buy from this dealership.
While this method may seem unnecessarily paranoid and abrasive, remember that car selling is an aggressive business. Some salesmen will lie and use manipulative tactics to close a deal. Do not be the customer who makes that expensive mistake. Grab and keep the upper hand at all times during negotiations.
