How to Haggle With a Car Salesman

Paying sticker price for a vehicle is an option, but you can save tons of money by haggling with a car salesman. Car salesmen are trained to be staunch negotiators so it is best to be armed with information before attempting to negotiate with a salesman. According to TopSpeed, car buyers should always remain calm, mature and non-confrontational when haggling for a car. This demeanor prevents emotions from clouding your ability to control the deal and will assist you in negotiating the best deal for your budget.

Instructions

1

Be informed about the particular vehicle you are looking to purchase. Do research online about the reliability of the vehicle, any maladies and other issues such as gas mileage. If a particular make and model of car has a reputation for throwing its transmission out at 100,000 miles, you will want to mention this as a negotiation point.

2

Know the market value of the vehicle. Take a look at price guides such as Edmunds and KBB online to get the fair market value of the vehicle. Be sure to get the retail and private party value. Come to the dealership armed with price quotes and advertisements from other dealers offering the same vehicle for a better price. Look on Craigslist in your area and see how much private parties and dealers are offering that particular vehicle for. Keep in mind that dealers typically sell vehicles for higher prices than private parties, but several of the same vehicle being sold by private parties can become a good negotiation point.

3

Know the dealer's cost of the car. No dealer wants to lose money on a vehicle, so starting your negotiations at what the dealer paid for the vehicle is a good jumping off point. To find out the dealer's price, visit websites such as Edmunds, Cars, InvoiceDealers and AutoWeb. To find out about how much a dealer probably paid for a used vehicle, visit KBB and look up the trade-in value for a particular vehicle. Dealers also obtain vehicles from auctions and other sources, so trade-in value is only an estimate.

4

Avoid conversational distractions and sales tactics. Avoid letting a car salesman give you stories about how the price is only good for one day or how other people are interested in the vehicle. These are sales tactics to incite a sense of urgency to buy the vehicle. Stick to talking strictly about the vehicle and negotiating the price. Distractions can result in you paying a higher price than you want.

5

Keep haggling time to 30 minutes. According to TopSpeed.com, many car salesmen are skilled at getting you to pay more, and after 30 minutes many will have added warranties and other features onto the deal. Inform the salesman that you have a limited amount of time. If after 30 minutes no deal has been struck, leave the dealership.

6

Avoid issues about your monthly payment potential. A car salesman will ask you how much you can spend per month. A salesman will usually talk you into a larger monthly payment. Don't answer this question. Instead look around the lot for cars in your total price range rather than monthly price range. Once a deal has been reached on the overall price, inform the dealer of how much you are able to pay monthly. If a monthly note is above your budget, walk away.

7

Bring a friend along. Car salesmen dislike buyers in the company of friends because they must convince both of you that the deal is a good one. Friends can also look at the deal from a more objective point of view. Friends don't have any emotions tied up into obtaining the vehicle. Make the friend aware of your budget and make it her job to make sure you stay on budget.

8

Be prepared to leave the dealership if you are tired and hungry. Rather than rush into a potential bad deal, you should leave if you are not feeling at your best. You can always come back later or go to another dealership.