Ten Dealer Tricks

[gt00]

Dealer Tricks (http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2005/st0421.htm)

[tenspeed]

Another good article on car buying.

Confessions of a Car Salesman

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/article.html

[Nighthawk243]

Yep. When I went in to buy the G5, the first thing the sales guy said "How about we see to getting you into a G6". This is a car with alot higher price-tag and wasn't really the car I had my mind set on. I already had the G5 in my mind and locked in when I went in. It was the cheapest of the new cars on the lot.

[coupe]

Do what i do, dont buy from dealers

Unavoidable when buying new but i dont buy brand new either.

[sunrunner_pei]

Hahaha that is funny, most of that crap is not true. My roomate is a car dealer, he laughs his ass off everytime he sees one of those sort of stories. Peoeple do what those things say, find invoice prices and stuff, and try to come in and work the dealer, he knows the type of person, and they usually end up paying more than someone who came in there with good intentions.

No offense intended, but your roommate sounds exactly like the type of sleazeball that give car salesmen a bad name.

Of course you can't go into a dealership expecting to pay invoice for a car that dealers are having a hard time keeping in stock. But everything in those articles is true, at least to a point.

[gt00]

Hahaha that is funny, most of that crap is not true.According to you . :roll2:

[TA^Guy]

Dealer Tricks (http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2005/st0421.htm)
The only ones I had tried pulled on me are #2 and #9.

However those are true.

[5speed4]

The "what are you looking at in terms of payments?" is the most common thing I hear. I always say, "I'll be paying cash, so that's not an issue."
I'd recommend that everyone do this, even if you don't have the cash. You can always "change your mind" about financing later in the deal. Just get the focus off payments and onto the total price (and your trade-in price if you have one).

[Silversmok3]

The best way to buy is to go to the dealer with financing already arranged through a different bank.Youll be able to shop around and likely get a better interest rate than if you go through the F&I at the dealership.

I went to a Credit Union and got a 6% interest rate vs the 15% the used car dealer wanted to arrange.Plus, with check in hand, all you have to worry about is the out-the-door price.

As far as ethics are concerned,this is all I can say:Ive worked in comissioned sales ( not cars though) , and if a sales guy is trying to pressure/muscle you into buying something, odds are its because his sales manager is cracking the whip.If your job's on the line and your kids don't eat unless you added $200 to your next sale ,youd be pushy too.
So, all that to say is, sales guys are human too. Treat them that way, and youll save far more money and time than if you march in demanding an invoice price.
End soapbox.

[Nighthawk243]

The "what are you looking at in terms of payments?" is the most common thing I hear. I always say, "I'll be paying cash, so that's not an issue."
I'd recommend that everyone do this, even if you don't have the cash. You can always "change your mind" about financing later in the deal. Just get the focus off payments and onto the total price (and your trade-in price if you have one).


Depends on what car you're wanting to buy. When my mother bought her Silverado a few years back, she tried to pay the thing off immediately in cash... of course, the dealership almost called the IRS (They would've if she hadn't taken financing...)

[5speed4]

So, all that to say is, sales guys are human too. Treat them that way, and youll save far more money and time than if you march in demanding an invoice price.
End soapbox.

That's true too. I'm always very polite when I deal with salesman. To be honest, I feel bad for them that they have such a crappy job.

[tenspeed]

Depends on what car you're wanting to buy. When my mother bought her Silverado a few years back, she tried to pay the thing off immediately in cash... of course, the dealership almost called the IRS (They would've if she hadn't taken financing...)

I would have walked. Was the money legal? Did she have something to hide? There's plenty of people with cash and plenty of dealerships that want to sell cars. I haven't financed a car since 1985.

[sunrunner_pei]

...sales guys are human too. Treat them that way, and youll save far more money and time than if you march in demanding an invoice price.
End soapbox.

I agree completely. :thumbup2:

[matts]

Hahaha that is funny, most of that crap is not true. My roomate is a car dealer, he laughs his ass off everytime he sees one of those sort of stories. Peoeple do what those things say, find invoice prices and stuff, and try to come in and work the dealer, he knows the type of person, and they usually end up paying more than someone who came in there with good intentions.

hmm, guess everyone who's done one of these reports has been lying over the years :roll2:

The best way to buy is to go to the dealer with financing already arranged through a different bank.Youll be able to shop around and likely get a better interest rate than if you go through the F&I at the dealership.

I went to a Credit Union and got a 6% interest rate vs the 15% the used car dealer wanted to arrange.Plus, with check in hand, all you have to worry about is the out-the-door price.

As far as ethics are concerned,this is all I can say:Ive worked in comissioned sales ( not cars though) , and if a sales guy is trying to pressure/muscle you into buying something, odds are its because his sales manager is cracking the whip.If your job's on the line and your kids don't eat unless you added $200 to your next sale ,youd be pushy too.
So, all that to say is, sales guys are human too. Treat them that way, and youll save far more money and time than if you march in demanding an invoice price.
End soapbox.

they are humans, but it's hard for me to treat someone with respect when they're trying to bend me over the table and rape me.

but you're right about the financing. that's how dealerships make a good portion of their money. another good portion is trade-ins. they'll give you 18K and turn around and sell it for 25K lol

I would have walked. Was the money legal? Did she have something to hide? There's plenty of people with cash and plenty of dealerships that want to sell cars. I haven't financed a car since 1985.

i would have too, (assuming it was legit) there's too many other dealerships that will take my money

[Silver71]

I don't think I'll ever buy new my entire life. If I ever do it's because I've got money to waste. I'd walk in with $$ in a briefcase and say This is what I have. I will buy THAT car. Am I signing, or walking next door?

Who wouldn't want a cash sale right?

[trogdorpontiac]

i work at a dealership, it's all true. NEVER buy those warrentied "paint/interior protection" packages. where i work, we sell a package called "Simonize" which is a wax, stain resistant spray and leather conditioner. i don't like the wax, after a month i couldn't tell anymore. the leather conditioner smells good, but probably doesn't last, i don't notice it when the customer brings it back for it's first oil change. the stain protector might work, don't know for sure, but it makes the carpet kinda stiff.

Simonize is $350. the selling point is a 5year warrenty and if the car gets traded back to our dealership, an extra $500 is tacked onto the trade. or so the salesmen say. :-)

[coupe]

You cant blame dealers for trying to sell cars anyway possible.
Dealers dont rip people off, people rip themselves off.
If you get ripped off by a dealer its not shame on them, its shame on you.
As a consumer your supposed to know what you want, every detail of that item AND know what you can afford. If your financing your supposed to find the cheapest interest rate possible through either a credit union or bank, never a dealer. If you did your research like a good consumer you would know that financing through a dealer is stupid as stupid gets.