Negotiating With Auto Sales People

The hardest part about buying a new car is interacting with salespeople. As you have read throughout this book, you should feel comfortable with the salesperson, you should be able to ask questions that will help you make the best decision, and you should not feel pressured to buy anything at any time.

Salespeople come in many varieties. Some are pushy, others are not. Some have all the answers to your questions, while others do not. Some salespeople will want to accompany you all over the lot, while others will allow you to find cars on your own.

You should be prepared to meet different personalities when visiting dealerships. While most salespeople are honest, there are some that will try to get you to overspend. If you are experiencing this, you have options. You can:

Leave the lot and find another one that has cars that will suit your financial needs.

Politely remind the salesperson what you are looking for.

Make a list of cars you would like to see before visiting the dealership. This way you can show them the list to let them know that is all you are interested in.

Call the dealership in advance and tell the salesperson which cars you would like to see.

Look at cars that are slightly over your price range and try to negotiate a lower price.

Always keep in mind that you are in control of the situation no matter which sales tactics the salesperson may try to use. Sometimes being direct, but still being friendly is the best way to find what you are looking for.

The best time to visit a dealership is early during the week and in the morning before the lot gets busy. If you are the only person in the dealership, you will more likely get the price you want for your car.

You should be comfortable with the salesperson when looking for a new car. You will be relying on them to tell you honestly about the car’s strengths and weaknesses. This is a relationship that has to be built very quickly and one that can be trusted from beginning to end. If, for some reason you are not comfortable with the salesperson, you can always walk away and find another dealership. There are many dealerships that you will be able to choose from when buying your new car.

Getting to know how your salesperson conducts business will help you decide if you want to buy at car from them.

Ask the salesperson specific questions about the car. If the salesperson answers your questions vaguely, or does not seem to know the answers, then you should find another dealership to visit.

If the salesperson is more concerned with the sale than answering your questions, you should consider leaving the dealership.

If you have to ask multiple salespeople for assistance, you should consider leaving the dealership.

If you ask for a specific model of car and the salesperson keeps trying to get you to test drive a more expensive car, you should leave.

If you just don’t feel comfortable, then you should find another dealership that has salespeople you can talk to easily.

As mentioned earlier, you should look online for cars that you have an interest in test driving and make several appointments. This will help you make a decision that is not influenced by a salesperson. You should find out the wholesale price of the car as well as the invoice price that the dealer paid for the car and compare it to the sticker price at the dealership. Many times, this can be your best negotiating tool. You should consider other costs such as tags, taxes, registration, and car delivery fees that will be added to the total cost of the car.

After deciding on a car, you should ask the salesperson if there are any rebates, sales, or warranties that are attached to the car. Many times, there is something the dealership will try to offer you. After finding out all the information you can about the car, you should walk away and take the day to think about your options. Chances are you will see two or three cars that fit what you are looking for. This may even prompt the salesperson to offer you other rebates and other warranty options.

You can also ask for a price quote over the phone. This will prevent you from feeling pressured to make any decisions on the spot.

Negotiating the price of a car can take some courage and some research on your part when you are talking with the salesperson. You should be up front about the amount of money you would like to pay for the car, the down payment you can afford, and any other information you may have about the car. Salespeople are in this business to sell cars. They will try to work with you so that you will be able to afford the car.

After discussing the price with the salesperson, you should be able to find a price that everyone can be happy with. When deciding on options, you should ask for price quotes for each additional item you purchase. This will make reading the sales agreement much easier later on. By itemizing each option, you will know exactly how much your new car is going to cost you.