How to Buy a Truck Below Factory Invoice

As a new truck buyer, you are looking for the best possible price. The truck dealer want to make as much profit as he can but also wants to make sure he gets the sale and moves another unit off his lot. Some prior research and sharp negotiating tactics could allow you to drive home a new truck that costs less than factory invoice.

Instructions

1

Go to the dealership where you want to purchase the truck and find the truck you want. Write down the suggested retail price, or MSRP, and all of the options and option prices. If you do not want to talk to a salesperson, go when the dealership is closed. If you go during business hours, ask the salesperson how long the truck has been in the dealer's inventory. Do not stick around to negotiate the price at this time.

2

Use one of the vehicle information and pricing websites, such as Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) to look up the invoice pricing information on the truck you want. You want to be as accurate as possible when selecting the options for the truck to obtain the most accurate invoice price.

3

Go to the truck manufacturer's website and find the current incentive offers on the truck model you want. Your are looking for cash-rebate or cash-allowance numbers for your truck model. The manufacturer's website is the best source because many offers are specific to certain states or even ZIP codes. Once you have your cash-allowance numbers, subtract them from the invoice cost of your truck. This should be pretty close to the net cost of the truck to the dealer.

4

Go to the dealership to negotiate the best price on the truck. If the invoice cost is $30,000 and there is a cash allowance of $2,000 you can easily buy the truck for $29,000 which is technically below the invoice cost but leaves the dealer with a $1,000 profit. That is the easy way out. You want the dealer to sell you the truck at a price below his cost less the rebates. In this case, your price should be below $28,000.

5

During the price negotiation, keep your offer price below your calculation of the dealer's net invoice cost. The salesperson or sales manager should continue to make counter offers closer to your offer. If the dealer gets its price down close to the net invoice cost and won't go lower, it is time to play chicken. Leave the dealership and tell the salesperson to call you when they are ready to accept a lower price. If at this point the dealer concedes to your price, take the offer and buy your new truck.