How to Haggle With Car Dealers

Those in search of a vehicle at a reasonable price can fall prey to a variety of car dealer techniques that make a deal appear to be a good one, which in reality is not. To get a good price on a car, haggling skills are important. But resolve, confidence and extensive research beforehand are essential.

Instructions

1

Formulate your offer before you even step into a dealership. Use multiple sources to verify the cost to the dealer of the car model you are interested in. Add to this a roughly five percent profit to reach a number that is reasonable for a dealer and affordable for you.

2

Set a half-hour time limit for your car buying negotiations when you enter the dealership. Many car salespeople are on commission based on the price they sell a car for; if they won't accept your offer in about half an hour, they'll likely spend the next couple of hours trying to convince you to pay more. Inform the salesperson that they have exactly half an hour to close a deal. Walk away once that time is up.

3

Enter into negotiations with all of your research materials in hand. Not only will all of your research aid you in making decisions on the fly, it will also show a salesperson that you did your homework. That makes it less likely they will attempt to scam you.

4

Haggle with a partner in tow. A second person at the negotiations can help you question claims made by a dealer. A partner can also be invaluable later on, if the dealer tries to renege on verbal agreements made. If an issue later goes to court, it is not simply your word against the dealer's.

5

Look out for car dealer lines. These often include panicking a customer by telling them the car won't be available later, or saying that a deal is good for one day only. These are almost always untrue and being aware of them can help you avoid being swayed by these spurious arguments.