Originally Posted by spearfish25

Here are some tips I put together so I don't fall into traps during my next car purchase. Hope this is helpful for everyone:


Car Buying: Things to remember when purchasing

Drive the exact car you want. If a dealer doesn’t have the exact car, find one that does.
Ask for a take home test drive (keep the car for an evening). If they don’t allow it, settle for nothing less than a no-salesperson test drive. They can be distracting.
Don’t be bullied or pressured.
DO NOT SHARE DESIRED MONTHLY PAYMENTS or TRADE IN VALUES. Say you’re only looking to discuss purchase price and you want to hear what their trade value is.
The dealing isn’t over when you’re done with the sales person. Finance managers will push extended warranties, paint protection, etc. Also, carefully evaluate their rates. They will add a percentage point to the bank rate or use rates to steer you into other additional charges to make extra money.
Reply to bullying lines with mirrored answers. “This offer ends at the end of the month” gets “My purchase offer ends tonight.” “I have to put food on the table” -> “I have to keep food on the table.” “I have to check with my manager” -> “I have to check with my spouse”. “We’re already losing a lot of money on this deal” -> “I’m already losing a HELL of a lot of money on this deal.” “I have another offer, this car is in high demand” -> “They have this car down the street or I’ll just order one from someone else.”