a reply to:
TheTruthRocks
Dealers want to wast your time for several hours. That way, you will not walk out the door, thinking that "oh, well, I'll just have to spend several
hours someplace else. This is how the are actually trained!
One way to avoid the "invest several hours" problem is know exactly what car you want, all the way down to the floor mats. So, assuming you have spend
the time on the internet and gone out and done the test drives...
Start on the second/third weekend of the month. The monthly sales pressures increase on sale folks and dealers as the month progresses. Plan for a
closing on the last possible day of the month.
Bring your own financing (it is cheaper to go though your own bank). Do not offer a trade in - sell the car yourself or sell it to another dealer. Do
not confuse the two transactions, it is what the dealer wants.
Do not buy the extended warranty (buy a 3rd party commercial one-cheaper and better). Get the lowest price quote online, even if it from another state
(hey I'm going there on vacation in a few months to visit my friend, and in no rush...). Tell the dealer up front, and provide paper copies to the
sales person. Tell the sales person you have a meeting/lunch date/appointment with your proctologist and will be back in four hours to pick up the
dealers best offer. Make sure you stress that you want "Out The Door" best offers, that include tags, title, delivery, "water glazing" treatments
(they wash the car), etc. Make it clear that you have a check that you will sign for the "out the door" amount, and not a cent higher. Let then know
that you are in no hurry, and that you will be making a decision of the final week of the month.
Do this at several dealers in your area, over the next several hours. Then go back and collect the offers one by one. When you have them all, one will
be the lowest. Go back to the higher priced dealers and ask them why they are higher for the same vehicle? Play them all off each other.
So far you have spend several hours, but they are your hours. Now the dealers have to compete with each other. If one dealer shuts down, ignore them
ad walk out.
A final tip - do not buy on the first day that you start shopping for best and final offers. Make the dealers and sales folks sweat it out for a few
days. They will get desperate, and knock down their prices.
I am sure others have some good tips.
Let's hear them!