Why Haggle, Use The Net.

[jdretired44]

Most car buyers make the mistake of buying based on emotion and ignorance.

Do your test drives when you are out of town on business. It is a great excuse to get out of some boring, useless meeting. "I've got to go test drive a $50-60,000 car". Your co-workers won't miss you; they will envy you because you have the money and the cajones to skip out of the meeting they are stuck with. Even the boss will be impressed. He'll probably offer you the promotion. He needs a person like you to manage the new office. He just didn't realize that you were that person.

Keep your local dealership fresh for the sale. Chose your specific vehicle by making 7-8AM forays to the dealer's lots to look at specific vehicles, copy the VIN and all the options from the Mulroney sheet. If you run into a salesman who has shown up for work early, tell him you're late for work. Make no other comment, run to your car and get the heck out of there anonamously.

Wait until the last day of the month, preferably on a weekday evening when it is cold and raining. Walk into the dealership about an hour before they close. Offer the salesman $200-300 over invoice including invoice price for any options on the vehicle, which you have researched in advance. Never buy the dealer prep, etc. It is already covered in the invoice price from the factory. Dealers love to charge you twice if they can. Insist that he take the offer to the sales manager, by name, which you have researched in advance (simple phone call).

Tell them they can sell you the vehicle that night before they go home or you walk. Never trade-in. Have your finance check in your folder and let them see it 'accidently' when you open it to show them the VIN of the car that you want. The car salesman will react in horror, anger, disgust, etc. Just smile and smile like he's your long lost brother and you are so happy to see him and help him out by taking that car off his inventory.

If the salesman refuses to take your offer to the main man, the only person who can approve the sale, say thank you and leave. Don't make any other statements. Just close your mouth, turn around and leave or you will leave them an opening they will use to get more of your money. Try again next month if you still want the vehicle. But make a call the next day to have a frank talk with the sales manager to be sure that he is informed that he lost a sure sale, even if was low profit. Make sure he is aware that you had your own financing, no trade-in, etc.

Because here is the real truth. Cars are commodities. Each new vehicle has a factory to dealer 'hold back' of 3% built into the invoice price. This is pure profit. A $50,000 invoice has $1500 of profit built in. Some dealers share this with the salesman. Many don't. That is really why the salesman gets so po'd. He knows the dealer will get his quick easy profit and he will get stiffed. But, all he is doing is acting as a conduit to present your offer to the dealer's sales manager. He hasn't invested any time with you in test drives, 'salesmanship' or 'personalized' service so why should he get more than a measley hundred bucks or so? Do you make $100-$200 bucks for 15 minutes of work? I sure don't.

The dealer will most likely accept your low ball, out of the blue, offer. He makes his quick profit, moves the car off the inventory in time to avoid another month's floor plan financing, gets another allocation or maybe even a factory bonus that the salesman isn't even aware of.

Always give the maxiimum scores and even write in really, really nice comments on all the post sales evaluations for the dealer, the salesman, the vehicle, etc. Max everything out; after all, they did give you a hell of a good deal didn't they? Make them look like the world's best dealership.

You won't make friends with the salesman. He won't be giving you any free floor mats. He won't sell them to you at invoice either. But who cares. I really don't want a long term relationship with the guy who sells me a car anyway. Nothing personal but all we have in common is a car sale. 'Personalized, long-term sales relationships' just opens you up to being profitized forever into the future.

BTW, when you bring the car in for service, if you happen to run into the salesman, always greet him like he is your best friend, compliment him in front of his co-workers, boss, customers, etc. He'll get over your low ball tactics. When you decide to buy another car, bring him your low ball offer plus an extra hundred for him. You'll get the car. He will learn to respect you for a knowlegeable car buyer that will be good for a quick sale with zero hand holding or time investment.

Good luck. It has worked for me, even on hot cars. It will work on a custom order too. You just have to stick to your guns. B)

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