Can I throw questions about dealing with dealers in this thread?
Specifically, how do you guys like to negotiate, and what do you do about low prices that have the "require dealer financing" stipulation? I've been shopping around after securing a used car loan online, and AutoTrader is filled with low prices with the "must finance through dealer" caveat.
- Many dealers I deal with in the lower end of the price bracket want to negotiate my trade-in instead of the price. Lots of them point to an "accident" (one of my idiot relatives backed the corner of my bumper into a brand new parked Toyota while going less than 5MPH, no real damage to the car) and want to knock off like $2500 from my TIV, then often relent and put it back when I make it clear I'm about to walk out. Is there an easy way I can skip the bullshit, or will I continue to have to play hardball?
Don't mention you're trading something in until you've settled on a price for the new car. They'll try to confuse the negotiations with the TIV.
- How do you deal with dealers that seem eager to get you in to talk, but their price is a few thousand higher compared to the competition? Nobody wants to negotiate with me until I'm actually at the dealer, but I don't have time to visit every dealer on the planet, especially if after haggling they are still going to be a few thousand short of what I want. Are these people just a lost cause?
Don't go to the dealer. Settle on exactly what you're looking for and send out e-mails to all the dealerships in the area carrying that car asking for their best price. You'll get some quotes, see if you can get them lower by playing off each other.
- What's your experience with putting dealer prices and TIVs against each other? I've had mixed success, most try to tell me it's not an "apples to apples" comparison because of some lame excuse like the car has a thousand less miles on it, or it's a more popular color, or something else equally dumb.
The dealer is there to make money. They're not going to buy your car for anywhere near the price they're selling one. You're much much better off selling your car privately.
Any advice is appreciated. Dealing with these people makes me want to never buy a car again.
Oh, and for the curious, I'm shopping for a new-gen (2011-2013) Chrysler 300C. Yes, I know, I know.