Buying is easy if you know how
Sep 27 '00
I am a salesperson at a large Ford dealership, so I write this to help people realize that not all salespeople are out to "get them." If you are smart about what you are doing, you can get a fair deal without a lot of work.
1. Do as much research as you can before going to the stores. Looking at the manufacturer's website will give you all the specs on the vehicles, some will calculate payments on the MSRP of what you build. Sites like Kelley, Edmunds, are like J. Edgar Hoover looking for communists, they want to get the "Big, bad dealer" as bad as possible. They tell you stuff about negotiating out things like holdback, advertising, etc. Let me tell you, the dealer will let you walk out the door if you make crazy demands like that.
2. Call dealers ahead of time if you are looking for something specific. Many times you can save yourself a lot of trouble of driving around from lot to lot. On the other hand, car buying is largely impulsive, so don't get too nit-picky about little things. So what if it doesn't have a CD player or trailer hitch, it can be added later.
3. Know what the market is like for certain vehicles. VW Beetles will not sell for invoice no matter how good of a negotiator you are. If you are looking for something that is slower selling, or more expensive there is a better chance to negotiate because the dealer will want to get rid of the old inventory.
4. Many people think the Used Car Manager is lowballing them with a trade bid to steal it from them. The problem is where consumers get their information from. Don't call your bank, they could care less about the value of the vehicle, they just want to earn your loan business. Don't use the newspaper as a guide of what your vehicle is worth. Most vehicles in the paper are there because they weren't happy with the trade-in value. The reality is dealers can buy vehicles at auction way cheaper than what you "think" your car is worth. This is their barometer, they only take trade-ins as a service to you when buying a new car.
5. Find out what the ACV (actual cash value) of your vehicle is either in the NADA guide wholesale value, or www.kbb.com trade-in fair condition. No matter how good your vehicle's condition is in, it's always "fair" because that has the least amount of negotiating fluff in it. By using ACV as your trade-in basis, you can figure out the deal you are getting in real dollars, and not end up buying a car for sticker price because you had the blinders on thinking only about trade-in. All used car managers go to the same auctions and generally 5 or 6 guys might be within $500 of each other ACV. It's how they present the numbers that makes the difference. Dealers can make the numbers look however they want to, to make a deal. Sad thing is, most people fall for it.
6. Look at the programs the dealership has to offer after you buy a vehicle. Do they have free loaner cars, what is the service department like, how late are they open, what kind of vibe you get from other employees, not just your salesperson. Visit the service area, talk to other employees to see how accommodating they are toward you. You may find a car a few hundred bucks cheaper, but if you get the creeps from visiting the building, why buy there. Again, buying a vehicle is emotional as much as scientific, you need to feel comfortable about your decision or you will second-guess yourself as long as you own the car.
7. Ask friends or relatives if they have dealers they can recommend to you. If they have someone they can trust and have done business with that store a few times, it can make your experience more pleasant, and the salesperson probably will work a bit harder for you because now their work is paying off with referrals from past customers and will want to treat the new customer like a old customer.
If you are knowledgeable about your trade and the cars you are looking at, you are better prepared to make a smart decision and not get taken for a ride. Remember, you are in control. If something seems fishy, back away and let the dealer make the next move. Generally they will sweeten the offer at that point.
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