What is Digg?74 Comments
- skyline35, on 01/24/2009, -1/+58Also, walk out. Don't buy a car on your first trip to the dealership unless you really know what you are doing. I like to give a very, very low offer, make sure the salesperson has my contact info (email is best) and walk out during negotiations. It dives sales managers CRAZY, and the salesperson will usually call you back with a much better offer, and a lot less *****.
- inactive, on 01/25/2009, -2/+35Yeah nice deal, except for the part where you own a Scion at the end.
Just sayin. - pkjohnson17, on 01/24/2009, -2/+30now that i know how to buy a car.....i just need money =(
- oboshoe, on 01/25/2009, -2/+28I went to buy a Corvette once and used the magnet trick.
Man that saved me a ton of money. that whole thing was made of Bondo! - immatellyouwhat, on 01/25/2009, -1/+25Good article but here are some more:
1. Once you find the car you want NEVER SHOW HOW MUCH YOU LIKE IT! Act like you could walk away at any moment, and really walk away at any moment , no matter how far in they get you. Don't feel like you are obligated to buy anything just because they drew up the paperwork, if it doesn't feel right, walk away.
2.Salesman have a few other lines they use like this one. Say you have picked out a Car and they start to get your information. Then they ask...
" How much can you pay a month? "
and you say " $300 " then they ask
"...up to ? "
Then you hesitate and say " uhh, $350 ?" They just got $50 out of you. By using this phrase you unkowingly let your guard down.
3. The best times to buy -
The end of the Month- Most dealers do not own the cars outright so they pay the manufacturer a monthly fee.
The end of the Year - They are struggling to get rid of last years models.
The end of the Day, during the week ( like a tuesday or wednesday ) and preferably on a rainy day. They don't want to be there anymore, make sure you take snacks or eat before hand. Do not leave because your "Deal" maybe lost when you get back.
4. Also while writing your info they use something called a four square in which they divide they price of the vehicle/ monthly payments/ down payment/ financing. They write numbers and play with it until it ends up looking like a tornado , this is done only to confuse you and not follow along. Bring your own paper, pen, and calculator to keep track.
5. Also print out research on your car off of sites like edmunds.com , who show the value of the car, Rebates, and even what other people are paying for it.
6. Setup calls with 3 different dealers, Call the first one and ask " How much for this car? " give them specifics , don't let them ramble on about how you should go down there and see everything.
Next call the 2nd Dealer and tell them " Dealer 1 is quoting me this price, can you beat it? " They usually do.
Then call the 3rd and tell them the same thing as Dealer 2. Repeat back to Dealer one to get the best price , or keep going through each dealer til you like the price.
Remember you are dealing with a large business transaction, DO NOT let the dealer make you feel guilty. - MadOgre, on 01/25/2009, -2/+26I used to run a small used car lot while going through college. Everything a Dealer says is part of his Dealer Game. Don't play it. These tips are rock solid.
Another thing do to is to pack a Fridge Magnet with you. If you think the car's been in a bender - and the dealer denies it. Even a thin layer of bondo will cause the magnet to not stick. Then you know something happened and you are being lied to. Walk away. There are other dealers. Or use that to twist the dealer back and cut you a real deal. - LeepII, on 01/25/2009, -1/+23The best thing I have ever done was to do the whole transaction by email. I simply refused to come into the dealer until I had the price I wanted. Then I walked in, signed the paper and was out the door in under 30 mins, with the price I wanted.
- oboshoe, on 01/25/2009, -1/+16Those tips are actually pretty good.
I like them because they are simple, honest, straightforward and easy to use. I don't even consider them aggressive - just smart. - morcheeba, on 01/25/2009, -0/+15We once had a salesman that, that, as we were driving away, ran alongside us, begging us to not leave.
- inactive, on 01/25/2009, -1/+12Aggressive car selling tactics:
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=iN65mEhgpqQ - briguymaine, on 01/25/2009, -0/+10right on, always be ready to walk
- CTRaiderThe1st, on 01/25/2009, -2/+10Long story short. I offered 15k on a 21k (actual book value) used truck. A bunch of ***** then occurred at the dealership. I gave them 10 min then started to walk out. They finally countered with 15.5k and I signed. The next week I happen to run in to the previous owner and he told me he got 10k on a trade in. I thought I had made a good deal and those guys STILL made money on me.
- Sonixunite, on 01/25/2009, -0/+7Ben, I reported you. Not because you spammed your blog on Digg, but because I wanted to remind that I am the bigger *****.
- dime, on 01/25/2009, -0/+7"Then you hesitate and say " uhh, $350 ?" They just got $50 out of you. By using this phrase you unkowingly let your guard down."
Uhh, no. You shouldn't be answering this question AT ALL.
The "what monthly payment" question is a scam to get you into a car that's more expensive than you normally could afford by allowing their F&I guy to manipulate loan terms. Sure, $250 a month sounds fantastic, but when you realize the rate is a point higher, the term is 72 months, and you're paying 30% more in interest over the life of the loan, you just got robbed.
Best thing to do is walk into a dealership with your own financing secured already. It takes the pressure off you to play their game, and actually puts the pressure back on them - if they can beat the offer, you win... if they can't, you still win. - AmusedToDeath, on 01/25/2009, -2/+9Did you honestly think they would sell it to you for less than they paid for it?
- inactive, on 01/25/2009, -0/+7Ben, your blog is stupid and you smell.
-Clockworks - RaiderJatt02, on 01/25/2009, -1/+7I wonder how many people actually understood the joke.
- ncinerate, on 01/25/2009, -2/+8One thing I want to point out here is there is NO need to be an *** to the car guy.
Be nice, be reasonable, be educated on values and prices (and if you do run into a clown, go somewhere else). You'll have better luck usually with "fleet" or "internet" salespeople (they usually have years of experience and aren't the usual 3 month in the business kids running at your car door in the parking lot). Things will go smoother if you avoid the floor salespeople.
Do this and you'll get the best deal possible. And this goes both ways, I can't tell you how many people I deal with who know -to the penny- what a car can be sold for, who then throw all of that wonderful intelligence out the window when it comes to their beat to hell trade-in. The dealer isn't going to give in and suddenly lose thousands upon thousands of dollars to "earn" your business by giving you a ridiculous amount of trade value after you've squeezed every last penny of profit off of the car your buying. If you want private-party value for your trade, find a private party buyer.
Any deal the dealership accepts -will- have a small profit in it somewhere, be it the trade-in, a warranty you purchased, holdback, dealer cash you didn't know about, etc. Well, ok, OCCASIONALLY there is a true-blue loss, but this is rare and usually has outside influences (like the dealer knowing the car your considering buying has been seriously damaged in the past, a fact they aren't being completely up front with you about). Dealers won't make it up in volume. They might fight another dealer over a bleeder deal simply because times are tough (beating the deal by 100 or 200$), but don't expect them to go into a bidding war and lose thousands for the privilege of seeing you driving a car with their license plate bracket on it. - paulvq, on 01/25/2009, -2/+8No, you don't.
- falstaff, on 01/25/2009, -0/+5Car salesmen get away with their tactics because of an information gap. They know what the car's worth, and the buyer typically doesn't. Pick a few cars you like, then ALWAYS walk away from the first deal. Do some more research on your chosen cars, and go back later that same day. Stick with your price, and NEVER fall in love with a car before the deal is done. There are always others. Be prepared to walk away every single time if they don't meet YOUR demands, not the other way around.
- pheyze, on 01/25/2009, -0/+5Dugg for pure truth.
- diecastbeatdown, on 01/25/2009, -1/+6especially when your credit sucks and you're broke. being prepared to walk is very important, have supportive shoes.
- ratamaq, on 01/25/2009, -1/+5One of the best things you can do is get financed through your bank ahead of time for the amount you want to spend. They will give you a blank check that is authorized up to the pre-aproved amount.
The Dealerships make most of their money off of the finance side. They'll try to tell you the best rate you can get, for example, is 7.5 when they are looking at a screen that says you are approved for 4.9. They will pocket the difference if you fall for that. When you whip your check out when they sit down to go over the financing they will try to say "We don't take those checks." Just giggle at him and then with a straight face tell him to go get his manager.
Also, most of the add-ons they try to sell you (gap insurance, extended warranty) you can buy directly from they same company they purchase from and resell to you for hundreds less. And like the article said, the other worthless crap they try to add in (like a $250 detailing job, or fog lights) just tell them you don't want it, not to charge you for it, and if it's that big of a deal to take the ***** off! - Rivetgeek, on 01/25/2009, -1/+5No haggle because they rip you off from the get go and dont let you bargain them down. Good luck with that.
- seanleeforever, on 01/25/2009, -0/+4exactly.
edmunds is the way to go. email dealers and tell them you are going to buy car within 2 days. they will send you the lowest price available. you don't even need to move your chair. - immatellyouwhat, on 01/25/2009, -0/+4It really depends on the Salesman, if he is an A s s I will be one back or ask for another one. But true about the trade-ins, be fair on the trade ins and agressive on the deal.
- Sonixunite, on 01/25/2009, -1/+4Now don't beat him with the consumer morality stick.
Just because it is a good idea not to work in that type of business doesn't mean everyone in existence can logically not work in a car lot. Someone has to do it. - rushiku, on 01/25/2009, -1/+4#4: "I’m already losing a hell of a lot of money on this deal." - A trade occurs between two parties when a price that can be agreed upon by both parties is reached, if you really feel that you're taking a loss, walk away; and in the future, have your wife do your negotiations.
#8: 'Free' stuff. This reminds me of the 'free' pinstriping the stealerships put on every flipping thing with wheels they get their paws on. It looks cheap, cliche and doesn't last, also it is anything but free (adds 2-3 hundred to the bottomline, whether you see it listed or not). When buying my last car I specified that I would not accept a car if it had pinstripes on it. (as I prefer manual, it's almost guaranteed that they will have to locate a car for me, that's fine, I can wait for the right car) - AmusedToDeath, on 01/25/2009, -0/+3If you did a lease, I can pretty much guarantee you got screwed. Leases are one of the worst deals you can make.
- manjar, on 01/25/2009, -1/+4This might be the most useful digg article + thread I've ever seen.
- MadOgre, on 01/25/2009, -0/+3I did it for a year... and didn't like it so I got out.
I tried to be completely honest.
But check this out - this is 100% God's Truth.
We got a car at auction in LA. A red car. I put it out on the street so it was most visible. It was hot. Later that afternoon I opened to to show it to someone - and the stink pouring out was enough to make me puke.
So I had the car pulled to the detail shop (part of the dealership I ran. Not owned - Managed everything about the operation) We pulled out the rear seat and it was filled with red sticky blood... pooled under the cushion. We cleaned it out and eventually got rid of the stink.
But from the moment that car hit the lot - we couldn't sell one single car. NOTHING sold. For a whole week. It was killing us.
I advertised the car as "Blood Red" and eventually got another Dealer to snag it. The MINUTE that car was pulled away... some buyers showed up and sales picked back up.
Yeah, I quit. Car Sales, being New or Used, is all shady. After this - I became a buyer instead of a seller. You want a car, I'd find you that car at the right price in the best of conditions.... I'd make 50% the difference between what the car goes for and what I got it for you. So if I saved you 2 grand - I got one. I mainly dealt with German cars as I grew up with them and drove them all my life. Audi's and BMW's mostly. It was good college money. I played the game for you.
You don't go to the Grocery Store and say "Hey, I'm interested in this milk... what kind of deal can I get?"
You don't have to.
Yet with cars - it's expected.
So you either Negotiate like Mobster or you get screwed.
If you are buying and you don't want to get screwed - educate yourself on the cars. Dont' just look around for any car.
Pick a specif make model and year. Research the prices... Trade in, Retail, and how options and Miles effect that price. Also look for known issues and see if the car you are looking at had that issue sorted. This is the only way to prevent yourself from being bent over. - Gaya2081, on 01/25/2009, -1/+4Fog lights are not worthless....they make a huge difference in the fog. In the right area (read: foggy) they can be a god send!
- raynar, on 01/25/2009, -1/+4because a scion is like herpes...you cant give that ***** away fast enough..
- contentpig, on 01/25/2009, -0/+3i dunno carmax but i know carsdirect dot com. Dealers hate it. the best part is carsdirect delivers your car to a nearby dealer and they have to watch you take delivery off their lot of a car at little above cost. they sit there fuming. i love it.
- Voide, on 01/25/2009, -0/+3Who said anything about not working in a car lot. I'm talking about running a dealership with morals and ethics instead of adding to this lame reputation that car dealers have.
Dealerships can be honest...I know, because I work at one that's upfront with people. We let them do what they came for....to shop without being sold. We price everything as far under book value and market price as possible. We've never sold a vehicle in 16 years of business with a damage disclosure or salvage title. Anything we know, you (as the customer) WILL know. We've turned away people because it simply wasn't in their financial interest to purchase another car.
All I was getting at, is that if MadOgre really did run a dealership....I hope he was implying that OTHER dealers play the game, and he refused to join in. - noknockers, on 01/25/2009, -0/+2befriend a dealer and go with them to the dealer auctions and get them pay dealer rates... stupidly cheap, and once you got a car, pay them a couple of hundie in cash right into their pocket for the trouble.
- Voide, on 01/25/2009, -0/+2Furthermore, some add-on's shouldn't be overlooked.
A [fairly priced] extended warranty on an otherwise as-is vehicle may end up saving you a ton of money if your transmission or engine goes out. Some dealers don't mark up warranties. You just need to do some research and make sure the warranty covers all major parts and is priced well. - Dquist, on 01/25/2009, -0/+2@AmusedToDeath:
The point is that they gave the original owner much less than it was worth, and then turned around and charged CTRaiderThe1st more than what it was worth. Or, maybe they ripped the previous owner off big time, and then sold it at a reasonable price. The point is, that the markup in this case was pretty high. The used car market is a big clusterF#%k. That's why articles like this even exist. - ooooo, on 01/25/2009, -0/+2Another that helps is tell them your buying it for some one else. Say its for your kid, your company, etc... If they're not selling you the options anymore because your just paying for it they'll be pushing the price alot more and you'll get a much better deal.
This is one to use while shopping around. - WafflePirate, on 01/26/2009, -0/+2Just take a shotgun with you, and you'll get a good deal.
- farfromhere, on 01/25/2009, -1/+3Oh, is this the thread where we sign all our names at the bottom?
-farfromhere - immatellyouwhat, on 01/25/2009, -0/+2I am of course talking about the average consumer, many people have been tricked by this, including me. You don't know it's a trick you just think they are curious. I forgot to mention that.
And YES I totally agree with everything else you said monthly payments are a horrible thing to base your car on and getting pre approved before hand , or even paying in cash ( from a loan ) would help you be less stressed since the finance part is almost half the battle! - morcheeba, on 01/25/2009, -1/+3I know I'm not the best negotiator, and car dealers are no fun... so, I hired a professional. I got some very basic prices and the autobytel "fixed" price and gave them to the negotiator ... I said, if you can beat these prices, minus your fee, then I'll get the car... and he got me a much lower price.
- immatellyouwhat, on 01/26/2009, -0/+2OMG those ***** were trying to make 10K off of you? And they wonder why we hate them.
- drewhoo, on 01/25/2009, -1/+3You need money? You're obviously not being aggressive enough ;)
- karan1003, on 01/25/2009, -1/+3it's definitely better than ascii art of admiral ackbar.
- mousky, on 01/26/2009, -0/+1You either are satisfied with the deal and sign on the dotted line or you are not satisfied and walk away. It's not rocket science.
- CTRaiderThe1st, on 01/25/2009, -0/+1@Amused No, not at all. I expect them to make a profit. I was looking for reasonable. 10k profit on a seems a little to steep for a Silverado.
- lopla, on 01/25/2009, -0/+1if someone is selling a car for 17,500 ONO, what is a good rule of thumb for ONO? In a dead market could I get away with another 2k?
- joncannon, on 01/26/2009, -0/+1To think that in the near future more auto companies are shying away from this model and going towards Internet sales. It'd be nice to get rid of all those leeches known as car dealers.
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