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Stepping onto a car lot is a bit like stepping onto a battlefield or into a sports arena. It's a competitive place. You and the car dealer that sticks to your side as soon as you set foot on the pavement actually have the same end goal. You want to buy a car, and that man or woman wants you to buy a car. The thing is these people are working off commission and are trying to get you to pay as much money as possible.
The funny part is that car dealers act like they have the control. They don't. Not at all. You're the one that determines if you want the car or if you're walking off the lot to go home and eat some delicious home-cooked cornbread. Flip the dealer's aggressiveness and pressure back onto them with some ploys of your own to get the best deal on your new ride. If you do it right, they're actually pretty flexible. Here are 10 Ways To Talk Down a Car Salesperson.
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10. Know the Kelley Blue Book Value
The more knowledge you have, the bigger advantage you have over the dealer. Cars.com and Edmunds.com are two great sites for research, and Kelley Blue Book gives you a solid price quote for what you should be paying for the car. Print out the car value, so when that dickhead dealer tries to tell you that Pontiac G8 is worth $25,000, you can tell him you're not paying higher than $20,000.
9. Walk
Straight up start to walk away. You leaving is an automatic L for the dealer, and they'll do anything to keep you on that lot, including "okay, I'll take 500 off." If they don't take off enough, act like his offer is still ridiculous and keep walking. Chances are that price will come down again.
8. Flaunt Your Other Options
Regardless of whether or not you actually do have other options, car dealers never want to hear that you're taking your business elsewhere. If you mention or discuss the fact that you're also looking at another Acura Integra that has less miles and is cheaper at another lot (particularly if it's one down the block), he's going to start droppin' dollas to keep you in his hands.
7. Flash the Cash
The car dealer said that he'll never go lower than $5K. But, that was before you brought in an extremely thick white envelope with $4,300 in it and placed it nicely on the desk under the guys furry mustache. Next thing you know, he'll be bringing out all the paperwork.
6. Use Previous Buyers as Leverage
"Oh, what's that? You can't go that low? Hmm, that's funny, because my neighbor just bought a car from here two months ago, and you gave him this great deal. He said you dropped the price on pretty much the exact same car." Got him.
5. Start With a Low Offer
If the car is listed at $12,000, and you know it's only worth $10K, offer nine. We've all see the classic "each side comes down and up a little bit to meet somewhere in the middle" standoffs. When the bargaining is done, you should be right in the range you wanted to pay originally.
4. Bring the CARFAX
That cute little fox can save you some serious dough. Sometimes, the car dealer won't divulge every single detail about the car that you're looking at buying. The CARFAX will tell you if it's got any water damage, structural damage, if the odometer has ever had problems, or even if the airbags have ever been deployed. Now, if there are major problems, we don't suggest buying the car at all, but if it's something that just depreciates the car a bit, use it to your advantage and drop the price hard.
3. Appeal to Emotions
Most car dealers are insensitive assholes that give no shits about you and only care about how many zeroes are on on that check. However, there are occasionally people that can relate to you. I personally was able to finish bringing a car down $600 from $4,600 after telling an older gentleman how I'd been saving up for a year and would be spending every dime I had on that '98 Chevy Camaro. He finally agreed after repeatedly telling us that his bottom line was $4,300.
2. Use a Wing Person
It can be your best friend, it can be your son or your dad, it can be your significant other, or it can be a mechanic (obviously the best choice). It doesn't really matter. Just have somebody to bounce conversation off of in front of the dealer. It allows you to verbally express your concerns, your doubts, and your options. That person can agree with you or bring up other points why the car isn't worth that much money. Just make sure to speak up loud enough that the salesperson hears.
1. Find Everything Wrong With the Car
Every little thing that you find wrong with a car warrants reason to pay less. A chip on the hood? Lower your offer. The tire's tread is worn? Lower your offer. There's a chicken wing stuck between a hose and your distributor (we've seen it)? Lower your price. The dealer knows that these things devalue the car and is just hoping you won't notice or bring it up.
