negotiating price for a new car

Is it true that you can negotiate just as well on the dealer's web
site with the fleet manager/internet sales manager as in person?
(I'm old fashioned and don't believe it but it sounds good <g>)

I heard this on a radio show recently and I actually tried it on one
dealer and the so called internet manager did give me a price over the
net but I don't really know how good it was because I didn't compare
it to others when I changed my mind and therefore didn't negotiate
with him further.

 

Usually they just give you a good price. Probably close to their best
price. In one case when I did not respond for several days they sent me
another email with a slightly lower price a few days later. That was the
best I could do on the car.

 

A lot of people believe the used car price advertised in the internet
is close to the lowest dealer can do. False! I was able to lower
advertised 18000 to 16700 with not much work at the dealership...
I did NOT even have to do the old trick of walking away from
the deal a couple of times... I have a feeling I could
haggle for probably $300-500 more if I had more time to shop
for a car. Unfortunatelly, the car I wanted to replace was sent
to the junkyard so I was forced to shop for a replacement using
a rental car. This costing me significant money per day to gave
enough incentive to not haggle too much or to not walk away
from the deal and risk being not asked to walk back in

Again, I know this thread is about buying a new car, but my
coment was about internet - never assume the price you have got
over the e-mail, phone or internet will be be the last one.
If you show in person, with your checkbook, you have much
more negotiating power than over the e-mail...

 

Not to split hairs here-- but one *negotiates* with someone you will have on
ongoing buy/sell relationship-- like with like the kid (or Mexican) who cuts
your lawn or the copy paper vendor in the office.

A one-time shot like a car purchase is called *bargaining* -- maybe like
with a hooker in a hotel bar. Different parameters and strategies work
better in each kind of situation ;-)

 

Ok but come to think of it does one say "bargaining price" or
"negotiating price" ? I have heard of the latter but not the first.

 

Frankly I never use either term talking to a sales weasel. I use phrases
like:
--I sorry but I can't handle that;

--I'm sorry but that would be a deal breaker:

--No, that's not reasonable-- and I'm sure a capable and experienced guy
like your sales manager knows it;

--This is the best I can do. If you don't want to deliver the car for this
price-- thanks for your time and enjoyable company, the comfortable ride in
a nice car, the delicious coffee and the coloring book with crayons for my
kid-- but I'm out the door.

Never fails;-)

 

I like the last line .

 

I agree. The used car prices in Edmunds and other sites are ridiculously
high whether buying, selling or trading.

 

I hate the back and forth dealing bit. They just try to wear you down.
For many years I've used this technique:
After looking around, including on the net recently, I come up with my
best value price for what I want. Research on prices is very important.

Then I go to the dealer(s) I'm interested in, state what vehicle I want
and say this:
"There will be only two prices quoted, one by you and one by me.
You chose who goes first. If we don't agree on a deal I'm gone"

This approach has worked for me for years. Usually they go first and if
they are a bit high I quote my lower price. Sometimes they will only do
the deal if I purchase some option, so far it was an extra I wanted.

Then after the deal is agreed on, don't suck into their very high cost
special stuff, such as permanent wax, undercoating, anti stain on the
seats and extended warranty. If you want those buy them outside the
dealer.

If a dealer gets nasty about my approach I leave immediately because he
has demonstrated he's not one I want to deal with.
Fortunately we live in a major city with lots of dealers.

 

Beatiful, but could you give us couple examples how much
you payed for couple of your cars over the years using
this method? This would let us compare how your method
stacks to other methods people use.

 

Too far back to remember the details, other than I got the vehicles
within my best price range.
Also a significant advantage is I don't play along with their games
and waste my time.
I'm sure the dealers prefer it too, because I get a very high acceptance
of dealing in this way.

 

What is "your best price range"?
How much do you think ford or honda with a MSRP of $25000 would
sell for using your method compared to a regular back and forth?
Note - some manufacturers will be willing to get rid of cars
faster than others, especially when we talk about less popular cars.