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Dealing with the Car SalesmanMaybe you just want to go down and kick a few tires on some new cars. At some point you will need to check out a car you want to buy by actually driving it. You just can't do that on the Internet.
Well if you've ever been shopping for a new car, then your stomach may already be getting tied up in knots just thinking about your last experience. Here are a few ideas and point that the car sales people really don't want you to know or want to hear. Let me start with the number one thing that you should keep in mind & add some more help: #1 The car salesman is most likely going to lie to you! If you don't believe this than you are naive and at an extreme disadvantage. The fact is it does not matter what the sales person tells you, it is not legally binding unless it is written and signed. The car salesman needs to connect with you. They are pros at this and will talk to you about anything and everything in order to get you to like them. Once they have connected with you, you will feel guilty about your negotiations for a better price. When you go to look at the new (or used) car, go alone. Or at least make it appear you are alone. Why?, because the sales person will play you against each other in order to compel you into a decision you really shouldn't make. If you appear to be alone, then you will have a very good (but not perfect) response to the salesman trying to make the sale. "It sounds like a good deal, BUT I will have to talk it over with my wife or husband." Most sales people hate this because it takes the Control of the situation out of their hands and this is what the car sales game is all about. Now don't think this will stop them dead in their tracks, it won't. Be prepared for them to hand you the phone and say, well give them a call. Or perhaps, they will say something to the effect that they will be so happy when you bring the new car home to him / her. I've heard both and simply responded with "She's not available by phone right now" or you have no idea how mad she will be if I made a such an expensive decision without her. Neither was true in my case, but I figure my lying was just leveling the playing field. Now here's a trick you may not have noticed! When you go to the car lot have you ever noticed there is never anywhere to park on the street in front of the dealer? Well the reason is not that they are so busy, the fact is they take all the parking spots on the street so that you have to drive into their lot. Their control and the games have already started... For me, I know this and park some where down the road and walk to these Auto Mall type locations. I don't mind at all and it gives me time to think about what is really nothing more than a confrontational game. Don't talk about a trade in until the Cash Price has been negotiated first. If you negotiate for a new car on anything other than a cash price, you are going to lose. The confusion on your part means control on their part. Ideally you should have your financing taken care of ahead of time and even if you don't, still only negotiate on a Cash Price Basis. Don't talk about financing until a Cash Price has been negotiated. The more confused you are the better chance they have of making you a crummy deal. It is best to get your financing done up front, but sometimes you can't because you don't know how much the vehicle is going to cost. Be vary wary of any financing offers and if at all possible get it done or at least compare it to financing with your own bank or other financial institution. Don't leave keys to your trade in with the auto dealer. The stories about why they can't do this are long, but be very aware that once you have left your keys for a trade in with the dealer, you are being held hostage. Can't do this because of Insurance or any other line they give you is frequently just a line. The car is just sitting some where waiting for the sales person to get you to give in to a deal. It only takes a very few minutes for a mechanic to take a look at a car, but they will keep you there just as long as they can. You want to go home, but they will stay there till 2:00 in the morning if they need to in order to make the deal. Tell them you will go with the car or the mechanic can come out and look at the car. If you didn't believe me earlier that you will be lied to, this will confirm it with the list of reasons why this can't be done. Have you lines ready, they do! I have only 1 hour or 2 hours and then I have to be to work or I have to meet someone at the movies or I have to be anywhere but here in a certain amount of time. Time is on the side of the sales person and it does not matter how much of your time they take in order to make a deal. They generally don't respect your time and if you don't set some time table up front, they will abuse your time. Keep looking at your watch and let them know how much time they have left. If you haven't gotten a quote before you visit the dealer, then no matter what deal they offer, it is most probably not the best. For that matter, if you don't have more than one quote, how can it be the best quote? You can get one or two now. Don't feel special, you're not! Remember they just want to connect with you, so you feel they are your friend. You're not, you're not going to see them on the weekends or ever going to go to the movies with them. You can be courteous with them, just remember your place, they want the best deal for themselves and you want the best deal for you. You can't have it both ways. What about No Commission Sales People? Believe what you will, but business is business and if this assumption is in fact true, then the sales person is very good at what they do which is get into your pockets or they are fired. In some cases, it could be said they don't work on commissions and be kind of true, but the fact is there are then bonuses paid. In my mind this is just semantics for what is a commissioned sales person. They say this is the Best Deal they can possibly do. If it is, then that deal will not go away and you should be prepared to do so. I have been run down just as I was getting into my car to drive away with an even better deal. What's that all about? I was just told this is the best deal... Did I mention you are going to be lied to?
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