Car purchasing
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Be ready to leave the dealership if the price is too high or if you feel pressured.
Leaving is your main bargaining chip; dealers might call back with a better deal.
- Some people are too polite to use this power.
4 people, independently
Settle the new car's price before bringing up your trade-in vehicle.
Discussing the trade-in first distracts from negotiating the purchase price, allowing you to focus on one front at a time.
7 people, independently
Set a strict time limit for your visit at the start and leave when it expires.
Dealers may drag out the process to wear you down into accepting their deal.
one person who lived it
List the actual price in online ads rather than posting a placeholder like $1 and asking for offers.
Buyers often skip ads that do not list a clear price.
one person who lived it
Buy a used car that is one or two model years old to get significant savings.
6 people, independently
car, dealers, price, vehicle57
Request an all-inclusive 'out-the-door' price in writing that accounts for taxes, title, and fees.
Set a specific deadline for buying and tell dealers you are comparing offers from multiple locations until that time.
Dealerships compete with each other and may scramble to give you a good deal to meet the deadline.
one person who lived it
Schedule your purchase near month-end when sales staff are eager to hit quotas.
Quotas create urgency in salespeople, making them more receptive to closing deals under time pressure.
3 people, independently
Handle car price talks by email instead of face-to-face to keep control and dodge pressure tactics.
Separating the offer from the reply lets you manage the negotiation and compare options easily.
3 people, independently
- Handle price discussions over the phone or email. Go to the dealer only for test drives and signing documents.4
Shop for a car on rainy days when fewer customers are present.
Sales managers may offer better deals to sell cars when few people show up.
one person who lived it
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Remember that the dealership needs you more than you need them during negotiations.
This mindset shift proved to make a difference.
one person who lived it
Wait for dealers to lower prices on long-term inventory, as they must pay interest after about 45 days.
Dealers face interest costs on cars sitting on the lot for extended periods.
one person who lived it
Tell the dealer you are looking to upgrade when asked why you are selling your trade-in car.
Giving other reasons like needing money or moving town will cause them to lowball you.
one person who lived it
Request an all-inclusive 'out-the-door' price in writing that accounts for taxes, title, and fees.
6 people, independently
- State clearly to the salesperson that you are interested solely in the final 'out the door' figure, which must cover every tax and fee.4
Consider purchasing a service contract if you plan to keep the car long-term and use all scheduled maintenance.
One person found it saved money by having the vehicle serviced every 7500 miles.
- You must stay on top of the maintenance schedule.
one person who lived it
Get appraisals from third-party buyers like CarMax to use as leverage when trading in at a dealership.
Dealers may match these offers if presented with them.
one person who lived it
If a private seller rejects your low-ball offer, leave your number and say 'give me a call if you're interested in selling the car'.
The seller may call back and accept.
one person who lived it
Decline add-on products such as paint protection packages from the dealer.
They are the dealer's biggest money makers.
one person who lived it
Contact many dealerships across a wide geographic area via phone or email to find one willing to lower the price to clear inventory.
Some dealers may need to push out remaining cars to meet quotas.
one person who lived it
Do not trust a dealer who refuses an independent inspection by citing their long tenure in business.
Unwillingness to provide information suggests the vehicle is not worth checking out.
one person who lived it
- Do not accept a dealer's assurance that a car is in good condition without independent verification.1
Inspect the car thoroughly by touching, smelling, driving, and examining every inch, specifically looking in places dishonest sellers might hide flaws.
This approach helps catch dealerships trying to scam you.
one person who lived it
Enter the dealership with financing already arranged.
It makes the process easier and ensures you know exactly how much you are paying for the car.
one person who lived it
- Secure your own financing before visiting the dealership to simplify paperwork and ensure an easier transaction.1
Verify that the numbers in the final finance contract match exactly what the salesperson promised before signing.
Contracts often contain discrepancies such as higher car prices or longer loan terms than agreed.
one person who lived it
Understand that dealers may ask for re-signing to recover missed commission or cover mistakes.
Dealers may seek more money down or financing terms to make up for lower commission checks.
one person who lived it
Be aware that civil asset forfeiture can complicate cash transactions, making it a hassle for dealers to handle large amounts of cash.
Civil asset forfeiture is described as a 'clusterfuck' and a hassle.
one person who lived it
Have a trusted mechanic inspect the vehicle before finalizing the purchase.
5 people, independently
- Ask mechanics how much they charge for a pre-purchase inspection; many may do it for free or a low fee.1
Test drive the same model at multiple dealerships in one day to trigger competitive calls and underbidding.
Dealerships may call repeatedly to underbid each other, potentially resulting in a lower price.
one person who lived it
Consider buying from private parties to avoid dealership markups, salesperson pressure, and resale value loss.
Private sales can save significant amounts of money compared to dealership purchases.
4 people, independently
Use silence as a negotiating tactic and never be the first person to speak after a counter-offer is made.
Speaking first puts you at a weakness; silence provides an advantage.
2 people, independently
Pretend to be uninterested in the car, even if you love it.
If the dealer sees excitement, they will likely raise the price or become less flexible.
one person who lived it
Consider financing a car even if you have cash, if the incentives outweigh the interest cost.
Incentives may be larger than the rebate received for paying cash.
one person who lived it
Bring food with you to the dealership.
Hunger can impair clear thinking during long negotiations.
one person who lived it
Distrust dealers who offer to replace parts like batteries or alternators instead of taking the car back for a full review.
Such offers without re-inspecting the vehicle may indicate deeper issues.
one person who lived it
Research the vehicle's value, available inventory, and incentives thoroughly before visiting a dealership.
Relying on a salesperson for this information is ineffective; knowing what you want and its worth prevents being overcharged.
3 people, independently
- Price the specific car with your desired specifications on the dealer's website before visiting.1
Ask vague questions like 'Is your car still available?' to Craigslist sellers to identify unlicensed dealers pretending to be private owners.
Dealers will typically ask which specific car you are referring to.
one person who lived it
If you and a companion know sign language, use it to communicate privately during negotiations.
It allows silent discussion of what the salesman is saying.
- Requires both parties to know sign language.
one person who lived it
For used cars, inspect the vehicle for potential repair costs and use these findings as leverage to lower the price.
Identifying items that cost money to fix is described as the real price changer.
one person who lived it
When a dealer will not lower the price, negotiate for included parts or services instead.
Dealers can often provide these at cost, reducing their profit margin just as a price reduction would.
one person who lived it
Never negotiate based on monthly payment amounts; focus only on the final price.
Negotiating on monthly payments is described as a trap.
one person who lived it
Check the internet price listed on the dealership's website, as it may already be their bottom-line price.
It is easy for customers to check competitor prices online.
one person who lived it
Set the expectation that you are not ready to buy immediately and are willing to let special deals lapse to avoid emotional manipulation.
Salespeople set out to find and prey on emotional triggers.
one person who lived it
Disengage from salespeople who rely on fear of loss rather than providing answers.
This tactic is described as a sign of weak sellers who lack substantive responses.
one person who lived it
Use a professional car buying service or broker to handle negotiations and avoid direct interaction with salespeople.
This approach helps avoid being taken advantage of and allows for delivery without talking to sales staff.
2 people, independently
Deal with internet sales departments rather than floor salespeople when possible.
Internet sales staff typically do not work on commission and can often secure better pricing.
one person who lived it
- Use internet sales departments to obtain quotes from multiple dealers, then use the best quote to negotiate further with a regular salesperson.1
One person reported that lying about having a bank offer, despite only having stellar credit, forced a dealer to lower their interest rate.
- This is based on one person's experience involving deception.
one person who lived it
Verify pricing and warranty terms in person, as online listings may differ from what is offered at the lot.
one person who lived it
Contact the car manufacturer directly if a dealer fails to wipe your data.
The manufacturer may exert more pressure on the franchisee than complaining to dealership management would.
one person who lived it
Walk away from a sale if the buyer is rude or difficult, even if they agree to your previous terms.
one person who lived it
Be aware that initial prices for low-mileage vehicles are often exaggerated.
These vehicles are major profit makers for dealerships, and sellers rarely get full value.
one person who lived it
Decline unsolicited vehicle upgrades when renting a car to avoid higher fuel costs, worse mileage, and increased insurance premiums.
Upgraded vehicles often have worse mileage leading to more gas waste, and while the rental rate may appear unchanged, the insurance cost is frequently much higher.
one person who lived it
Insist on getting all verbal promises and agreements in writing before proceeding.
Written buyer's orders provide hard evidence for negotiation and prevent reliance on unverified salesperson claims.
2 people, independently
Use independent valuation websites to determine the average market price or actual value of a vehicle before making an offer.
5 people, independently
Note that some salespeople may prefer avoiding financing paperwork.
One salesperson reported being happy to avoid the extra work.
one person who lived it
Buy a car rather than leasing it.
Advice against buying depreciable assets is considered incorrect specifically regarding cars.
one person who lived it
Write your target price and contact information on the back of the salesperson's business card and hand it to them.
one person who lived it
Walk away to the lot or move to a different vehicle whenever the salesperson leaves to speak with the manager.
one person who lived it
Treat salespeople respectfully and like human beings, recognizing they are trying to make a living.
Being nice and respectful gets you further than treating them as adversaries.
3 people, independently
Read every number on every document before signing.
Verbal agreements may differ from what is written in the paperwork.
one person who lived it
Ensure roadside signs are legible from the road so drivers do not have to double back.
Drivers will not turn around if they cannot read the sign before passing the house.
one person who lived it
Use shared branching networks to perform transactions at other credit unions while traveling.
3 people, independently
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Label unknown caller IDs with compliments to reduce irritation when seeing them.
It turns irritation into a smile by reframing the notification.
one person who lived it
Verify the check engine light illuminates during startup to ensure it has not been disabled to hide problems.
A non-functioning light may indicate the bulb is burned out or the system was disabled to conceal issues, which can be confirmed by checking for stored codes in memory.
one person who lived it