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LET THE BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!Mar 14 '00 Write an essay on this topic.There it is....... Just look at it! Isn't it just beautiful? It must be the way the light hits it..... that color is just Perfect! Those rims really gleam in the sunshine..........I guess I could take a closer look. What could that? I am just "looking" after all......Oh my gosh, just take a look at that interior! Oh how that leather must smell... It looks like I could just melt right into those seats!!!! I just bet they are even heated! Is that a Bose stereo system I see? Wood grain in the dash???? This car would look great in my driveway! I would look great in this car! Just as I stand there daydreaming of long drives in the country, it is spring. The temperature is perfect, the windows are down, the sunroof is open, I have Kenny G playing the perfect tune....... All of a sudden, my thoughts are interrupted as I hear someone say, "Hello, I am Dave! This car sure is something else isn't it? How about taking it for a little spin"! STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is where the negotiation begins!!!! THE THEORY OF SALES This is the very first and foremost thing you should know BEFORE you ever step foot on a car lot! You had better believe those people know what I am talking about and they will use this very thing to sell you that car if you are not careful! In every purchase there is a process that takes place. This is the psychology of sales. Simply put, people buy on emotion and back up their decision with logic! We see something we get all attached to it emotionally, buy it and later we think of all the good reasons that we needed it! Buying a car is not the place for you to do this! Right now, just an average car is over 20k. That is TOO much money to spend on a whim. This is YOUR ballgame, just keep your head! There are SO many places to buy a car now! You had better believe THEY want to sell you that car more than YOU want to buy it! KNOWLEDGE is POWER!!! Do not fall into the "it is SO nice" trap! USED CARS YOUR CAR- This is one of the ways that you could become the loser in a car deal. You must know what your car is really worth. If the dealership offers you too little WALK AWAY! This is one of the ways they make big money. They give you $4,000.00 for your trade and they turn around and sell it to someone else for $7,500.00! Who would you rather see with that money? You or them? You may be better off selling your car on your own first, then take the money to the dealership to buy the one you want! DO NOT trade your car in if you have negative equity! This means you owe more on the car than it is worth. What happens in this case is the dealership adds in the difference to your new car purchase! Turning what could have been a good deal into a bad one! BUYING A USED CAR Take special caution when buying a used car! Where did this car come from? Who was the owner before you? Do not buy the "little ole lady, that parked it in her garage story"! How many miles are on it? Has it been in an accident? Carry a magnet with you! It works! You do not want to end up with a "Bondo" mobile! Watch out for a paint job that looks too good! A cheap paint job now looks good, but in a year it will flake off! What is the "Blue Book" value of the car that you are interested in? Just because they are offering the car to you for a price near or a little under that price still does not mean that you are getting a good deal! That is right, that book in the end is only a guide! Here is a scenario for you! Let us say Louise buys a car and they take her car as a trade and give her $2,500.00 for it. Now here you are, thinking of buying her trade. The sticker says $5,200.00. The "Blue Book" value is $5,500.00. At first glance you think it is a fair deal, they are going to sell me this car for under the book value! Wait!!!!!!! Remember Louise? They only gave her $2,500.00 for it! Meaning they are making $2,700.00 profit!!!!! Not such a good deal now is it?????? If you press them for this information and they really want to make a deal and sell a car they will show you what they paid for it! Used cars is the often the largest profit margin for a salesman and a dealership today! Do not become another victim! NEW CAR PURCHASE The first thing I will say on this subject is check online. Some of the best deals you will find can be had here! If only to find out the real price of a car do this!!!! Often, there is not a lot of mark up in a new car. Dealers are not making the money in this area that they used to. Check for rebates on the vehicle that you are interested in. Dealerships on occasion will hold this information back, making you think they are helping you when really, the discount was there all the time! There is a lot of room for comparison in new cars! You can find out just how much room for negotiation there is this way! Shop several dealerships for the same vehicle! Get prices from at least two for the same thing, and try this trick: After you have shopped at least two, and YOU know this is the car YOU want go back to the first one. Find the sales person. Let them take you back to their office to review the offer again. Once there you listen to what they have to say and ask to make a phone call! Call the other dealership you were just at and ask for the sales person you talked with there. Tell that person where you are and what price this sales person has offered you and ask boldly can they beat that price!!!!!!! It works!!! Let the salesman and the dealerships haggle this one out, just sit back and wait for the best deal!!! OTHER ITEMS TO THINK ABOUT There are many things that the dealerships will throw in IF YOU ASK! Such as floor mats, I have NEVER paid for those. A full tank of Gas. Certificate for free car services such as oil changes or tune ups! Free upgrades of stereos! Undercoating and rustproofing and protectant for upholstery, for the most part they come out the winners in these deals. Unless you live in an area of the country where salt or sea air can cause serious damage. Skip these items. Look under the car, if you see black, they have already done it! Tell them you do not want it, and refuse to pay for it! I have and it does work! The ideal time to buy a car is on the LAST day of the month! Dealerships are eager to "move that last unit over the curb" before the close of business! If you go in the early fall, there is an advantage of the new years vehicles coming in. They want to sell the old ones! They have to before they can get the new ones!!!! Do not forget that the dealership also makes money if you allow them to do the financing of your new car! Yes, they receive money from the lenders for your note! The interest rate they offer will be higher than the one you can walk in the bank and get!!!!!!! HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!  |
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