Overcoming car dealership pressure
Cars, like people, don’t last forever. Everyone finds themselves in the scary position of sitting in front of the sales manager at the local dealership sweating out a deal. The office is hectic and there seems to be information coming from everywhere. The atmosphere of the place is part of their strategy, and the point is to distract you and make you feel pressured. As you watch people come and go you get the feeling everyone is buying a car, so you better act fast. You have to keep calm, and resist any pressure and slow down – keep to simple, important concepts.
Do your homework first
Information is never more powerful than at a negotiating table. Remember, even at “the sticker is the price” dealerships you are negotiating. You have just as much power as the other guy. They want to sell the car as much as you want to buy it; in today’s economy maybe more so. Spend time comparing prices and terms at area dealerships. Research industry journals and web sites that display sales prices, if they’re available. Just having the information may not be enough. You have to know what you’re saying, say it confidently, and let that malicious suit know you brought your A game.
Know where you want to end up
In order to end up in the right place, you have to know what your idea of a good deal is. After you’ve done the homework, figure out how much you’re willing to pay. Don’t let the salesman switch units on you at the table. In other words, if you are talking price don’t let the salesman switch to monthly payment. Don’t let him switch to a car that’s similar but you aren’t familiar with. You have researched one car that you want. By switching to a less familiar vehicle, he gains all the power of information. Keep working the conversation back to where you want to end up and don’t get distracted from that target.
Avoid slick and worthless add-ons
According to U.S. News and World Report Rankings and Reviews, there are several costly add-ons that add on to only the price you pay. The biggest offender is extended warranties. Most warranties from manufacturers cover just about anything you need, unless you plan on keeping the car for twenty years. Furthermore, you don’t have to buy the warranty at that moment. It can cost less to get in touch with a third party later if you think you need a warranty.
Fabric and paint protection is another pointless addition. A can of fabric protector from a local department store or auto parts store for $ 10 will do about the same protecting as the much more expensive dealership offering. A third costly add-on listed by U.S. News is rust proofing coverage. Most cars sold in the U.S. are well protected against rust for decades. Since cars use far more plastic these days, rust isn’t as big an issue – it isn’t as if you hear of plastic rusting. You can easily get any protection you want from a third party.
Stick to the deal at hand
The key to car negotiations and other negotiations is to keep focused on your target price and don’t budge. All that extra crap they throw at you is something dealerships do to distract you and make you pay WAY more than you should. If they can throw something else at you, they can erode your power of information and therefore your bargaining posture. If the distractions are becoming too much, don’t be afraid to walk away. You’ll get a better deal, and feel better too.
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