You’ve seen and heard all the commercials.  We need your trade, interest rates at an all time low, this is the best time to buy a car, low prices, no haggle pricing, year-end inventory sale, summer sale, winter sale, and see you on the showroom floor.  And have you noticed they always seem to be yelling, maybe that is the first thing that turns us off, but really why is it so difficult and intimidating to buy a car.

I just recently purchased a car and actually had a good time doing it and felt confident about walking into the dealership.  Here is how I did it. I hope you find some of the suggestions helpful. 

1. Research! Research! Research! The internet is great.  Check out auto trader, Car Max, and cars.com to get prices, trade in values, and current interest rates. 

2. Go to multiple places and test drive cars you have narrowed it down to consider.  This is a big step.  Go at times like lunch or later in the evening when you and the dealer only have a few minutes, which will help prevent the dealer from sticking you in the office and being bullied into buying the car.  Also be up front and say I am not buying today. 

3. Have a plan on how you will pay, negotiate, what price you are comfortable with and how you will finance.  Financing is huge so know the current rates, check your bank or even your insurance company (they do car loans too).  This is what I actually did. 

Ok the big day is here and I headed off to the dealer, actually made an appointment with the salesman I had driven the car with on my original visit.  The first thing is always the trade-in as expected; therefore I countered with my offer along with the research.  Next what I will pay for the new car, this is where I offered cash and my trade-in.  He was floored by the cash offer, which was actually the loan from the insurance company, but he did not know that.  He came back with a reasonable offer (within my pre-planned amount) and inquired about the cash I was coming to the table with.  I explained that if he could beat the rate that I was getting from my insurance company then I would finance through them.  I actually told him lower than the insurance company had offered and wouldn’t you know he beat it and by a large amount.  I could not have been happier.  It only took two hours and the majority was filling out all the paper work. 

Here are a few other items you may be able to use when negotiating your deal.

 1. Never sit down in the office.  Walk around the showroom or even outside if the weather is nice.  Talk to other sales people. This throws them off something terrible and takes them away from their comfort zone. 

2. Always ask for your keys back when they look at your car before you begin negotiating.  This shows you are willing to leave.

3. Always be willing to walk away.

4. Never give your monthly price or any price.  Remember the first person who speaks loses.

5. You are not there to find a best friend, but be cordial.

6. Never allow the guy from the back to come out.  If they bring the other guy out this is your cue to leave.  The hard sell is coming

7. And always answer the question, “What will it take to get you in the car today?”  With the answer, “A free car.  “

Good luck!

~Kelly