There are definitely some tricks of the trade when it comes to byuing a car from a dealer. But if you play it right, you can get a good buy and more out of a dealer.
We all know the stereotypes about car salesman. Every once in awhile you might luck out and get a good one who is straight with you, but for the most part, the stereotypes aren't too far off. There are some things you can do to combat any confusing terms or tricks and get a good deal.
First, remember that playing it cool is always the best way to handle the car dealer. They want you to do the deal today for fear you'll re-evaluate and realize you can't actually afford the top-of-the line. Whatever you're buying, don't listen to any sales pitches with incentives and now-deals. If they're willing to do a deal with you today, they'll likely do the same deal tomorrow, the day after and so on.
In fact, you can use the incentives to your advantage. If the dealer actually has the car you want with the options you want, they're the ones with a motivation to sell it as soon as possible. If you can wait a week or a month, or make it appear so, you're in a better position.
If they want to lease, act as though it's really not what you're interested in, even if you are. You can play "good cop bad cop" where your spouse is holding out and you're excited or vice-versa. This works fine as long as you have it straight before you go. And make sure whoever is supposed to be the holdout doesn't get too wide-eyed when you look at the car or the third offer.
By making them add things to the deal, bring down the price and make it work, you'll get the best deal possible. Be bold with what you're asking for, you can always back off of it and what you're actually prepared to pay then seems more reasonable. You must do as much as you can before the deal because once you sign, you cannot go back.
Whatever the case, don't feel pressured to buy or lease anything right away and don't be intimidated by sales or agreement terms or wordy explanations that don't satisfy you. Make sure you understand how much you'll be paying, the interest rate and all of the details. It's one of the biggest investments you'll make, so make sure it's right.
Another approach is to simply tell them you want to avoid the bartering and tell them how much you're willing to pay. Do some research to find out what's a fair price; what's a good price and what isn't. Make them the offer and tell them they can contact you when they're ready to do it. You might have to wait a couple of days, but it's far less excruciating than waiting for them to talk to the manager 15 times.
The dealer wants to make a deal and they have room to come down on the price and still make a nice profit, so don't be shy about low-balling. Just tell them what works for you and go from there. If it doesn't work out, there are usually plenty of other dealers you can try.
Another approach is to get a couple of dealers working on your car. There's nothing wrong with telling them that you got a better offer from another dealer. Give them a chance to match or beat it.
Using all of these methods, you get the most for your money and can take comfort in a good deal.
It's the best way to start a good relationship with a dealer. They'll know not to take you for a fool and you'll be comfortable knowing you got a good, fair deal.
