Car Buying: 16 Tips to the Best Deal

Great another article about how to Lie to the dealerships. I think as long as people are dishonest with dealers you will get dealers to be dishonest with them.

tip #1 be honest and expect the same back and all will be well.

tip #2 only deal with dealers that have a good reputation

#3 if you get a bad salesperson then ask for anotherone

#4 never say when you walk in " who wants to sell me a car today?" that person never buys

#5 do your resurch but also realize that a lot of resurch has another motive / Edmunds, KBB, Etc just want to have you click on the advertisers or give your information in "request a quote" so they can sell yoru name for $30 bucks to each dealer in the area.

#6 every sanario the dealer has seen before
1. 3rd baseman
2. I have to go talk to my wife
3. I am just looking

#7 no matter how we look at it about 3/4 people thatt go to a dealer buy a car in 3 days / nada source

#8 be honest (repete)

#9 expect the same

10# have fun / we live in a country that alows us to be so picky and demanding but remember it is just a car. Enjoy the sale and the 3 or 4 years that you will have this great car/

IamEvilHomer - I didn't really think is was about lying. I thought it was more about being upfront and setting expectations. I think your points are very good though. The biggest thing is if you are spinning your wheels, and you feel that it is going nowhere you need to get out or get someone else. Be sure to do your research first and set you goals..

Case in point we purchased a business SUV for my wife.

First dealership played the “talk to the manager” game and came back with a payment that was mathematically impossible. So we asked the basics, what was the price, residual, and the trade in value? Neither the salesman nor the manager knew. We again asked for more information and they scurried off and came back with a lower payment, but it was still out of line, so we again asked for the details. No one knew. So we asked for our keys from them, and that this was taking too long. But the kept trying to make the sale. So finally I asked if they wanted me to walk over to every customer in the dealership and tell them how we were being treated or could they cough up the keys. Viola out came the keys and we were off.

The Second dealership ran the deal and came back a bit off of the mark that we wanted. He knew he did not have the deal. So he explained this to us, that he would get the manager involved as a secondary follow up. Since this was the first of the month the manager promised a call back a bit later in the month, as new dealer incentives typically broke. Sure enough 2 weeks later he called and said, “I have assurances that we will make our volume allotment for the period and I can pass some of the expected funds from that program into the deal and meet you mark now. Are you interested?”


Dealer number one: not forth coming with any details and a 2.5 hour ordeal with no purchase even close. No figures forth coming from any one.

Dealer number two: We knew what the trade value was ($1500 above NADA). The SUV was discounted to what we felt was fair for the market. And the residual was better than we were expecting. End result everything fell into place and the payment beat the target we set. Dealer number two had the courage to realize that the sale was not going to happen immediately, but gave an option for it to happen at a later time. The end result was a VERY satisfied customer who feels he got one great deal.

The Irony? The MSRP of this purchase was actually $3500 HIGHER that Dealer One’s vehicle but the end payment was $300 a month LESS.

Interesting tidbit was that the local sales office for Dealer Number One’s regional office did a phone survey, where we told the truth of our experience. Within 2 hours the dealership called and said they had reviewed the deal and made another offer. It was $75 HIGHER than any offer they had before. When asking for the details, they had none. I just hung up the phone.

The pint is there are all type of dealers out there. The majority of them are fine busi

continued:

The point is there are all type of dealers out there. The majority of them are fine businesses. The few bad apples make it hard for everyone.

cough and check http://www.dealerrater.com first as well cough :)

your right Plano... The minute I pull into a dealer lot, I already have an attitude and I pretty much have played out how the whole scenerio will go...usually ends with me walking away after giving the dealer a whole bunch of made up info so I'm not bothered... The point is that the whole car buying process is a huge pain.. Its time consuming and worse of all, I hate being told about the great deal I'm getting....

but the facts are that you will probably buy a car within 3 days

plano i think we agree I mentioned stay away from the dishonest guys but I am just saying don't lie eather

001 nice free plug for you site :) I know how you buy cars first hand / baby you are good :) lol

oh sorry that was 004

oh sorry that was 004

damn site lags so i hid submit 2 times sorry

another thing as a good dealer I am willing to understand that the deal will not always happen today and most of the time that is the case.

There is no intention of deceit. In fact, honesty will help you get a better deal. If you intend on driving more cars before the purchase, tell the dealer and leave. If you think you can get a better financing deal on your own, tell the dealer and see what they come back with. In fact, tip #15:

"15) Be serious, respectful and intent on the deal. Do not take your kids. Turn off your cell phone. Be polite. Don’t lead on the dealer if you do not intend on buying. Most dealership staff are professionals and should be treated as such until they do something that shows they are not professionals."

If someone chooses to mislead a dealer to get a better deal, that is their personal choice.

There is no excuse to mislead the dealer. all you are doing is fooling yourself. The dealership is a business that earns your patronage and deserves your respect. It is a mutual thing. I have a problem when they become “Stealerships”.

One step: Bring your friend Vinny dressed in a black suit and dark glasses. Just have him stand there, ominously silent. Anytime the issue of price arises, Vinny will crack his knuckles. If you don’t like what the dealer is saying, you just look over at Vinny, who will reach inside of his coat. You then say "No... not yet, give 'em a chance," and Vinny reassumes the malevolent, yet relaxed stance.

I think you will find your salesman quite receptive to your offers.

LOL @ webguy. I tried that but the dealer knew karate so i got my a$$ kiked along with Vinny. LOL

Plano - honesty is always the best policy. What i see some people do and I see this in what you are saying. Well dealers lie so i should treat them bad or lie to them.

Plano the truth will set you free. Be honest and if a dealer is dihonest with you then be honest with them and tell them that is why you are not going to do business with them. This will get rid of the bad guys. More and more dealers are becoming the good guys. I would say that is the majority of dalers in California.

TJensen- good points

I will pay more for good service. THere are to many customers that are willing to buy just for price and not care about how good the dealer is. I think if people had that attitue then everyone will get a great deal.

why is it that the blogs are full of 'expert advise' from a guy that bought a car once on how to beat the saleman at his own game? most all 'lists' of advise have the phrase "just walk out" early on in the top 3. time is valuable and going from dealer to dealer following the misleading advise of actual know nothings can be frustrating as hell and sure enough those folks will be the first to loudly voice how 'this is why people hate the car business'! most expert advise tries to tell you how to be better at buying a car than a professional is at selling it, stop it! most of theses guys talk to between 5-9 people a day! every day 20-25 days a month. you do this once each 3-5 years, how good can you be at it, regardless of your research and advise gathering. there is an easier way, either go to the dealer of your choices web site and submit for a price quote or walk right in and ask for the fleet/internet department. did you know that anyone can purchase/lease a vehicle from the fleet dept. and save hundreds, sometimes thousands? none of the "i'll have to check with my manager" crap, just straight forward and upfront car dealin. look into it, its pretty easy. then perhaps you too can write an article that claims your expertise in car buying!

I am impressed by the sudden outpouring of altruistic dealers trying valiantly to save consumers from the agenda of evil bloggers. It's almost tear-jerking in its selflessness!