Can you still negotiate car prices?

[Anonymous]

I haven't bought a new car in eight years, obviously things have changed a lot. There is a car I want. I'm not picky about colors or options. There are quite a few of this car sitting on dealer lots. Some dealers have better prices and incentives etc.

1. How do I price shop? There's a dealer that's much closer to me but has the most expensive list price. Can I call them and say I want to buy it from you but I see it for 10k less elsewhere?

2. If I buy it from the cheaper place, there's no room to negotiate right? That's probably the lowest they can go?

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

https://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/negotiating-101.html

[Anonymous]

It depends on the car. If there is a healthy supply of the car you want, which seems to be the case, you can definitely negotiate. If supply isn’t high, you might still be able to negotiate a tiny bit (especially at the end of the month, when salespersons are trying to meet quotas). We bought a car at the end of May that was not in high supply — it had to be shipped to the dealer from a dealership in another state — but still succeeded in negotiating a minor discount from the first price offered (about $1,000).

My personal preference is to collect quotes by email. There is less game-playing than in-person dealings, in part because dealers know that internet-savvy customers are likely to have a lot more information about pricing than in-person shoppers. If one quote is lower than others, you can definitely use that to try to negotiate. I also like to do the negotiation by email, because I can get them in writing with an out-the-door price.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It depends on the car. If there is a healthy supply of the car you want, which seems to be the case, you can definitely negotiate. If supply isn’t high, you might still be able to negotiate a tiny bit (especially at the end of the month, when salespersons are trying to meet quotas). We bought a car at the end of May that was not in high supply — it had to be shipped to the dealer from a dealership in another state — but still succeeded in negotiating a minor discount from the first price offered (about $1,000).

My personal preference is to collect quotes by email. There is less game-playing than in-person dealings, in part because dealers know that internet-savvy customers are likely to have a lot more information about pricing than in-person shoppers. If one quote is lower than others, you can definitely use that to try to negotiate. I also like to do the negotiation by email, because I can get them in writing with an out-the-door price.

Good luck!

OP, this is great advice here.
Email all dealerships in your area and let them know what you are looking for.
Many dealers are now open to these online negotiations since the pandemic. Many can even do the whole process online.
You can then visit the dealership who made you the best offer.

[Anonymous]

Leveraging online quotes/negotiations is god advice. Makes it more efficient and less daunting if you’re uncomfortable with in-person confrontation and haggling.

That said, for in-demand vehicles—eg many of the high end pickup trucks and SUVs—it is a much different world now than even 2-3 years ago, let alone 8-10. I’ve always been pretty good at negotiating car prices—requires a shamelessness about bargain hunting that I inherited from my father 🤠 —but found it really, really challenging to get any meaningful movement on price a few months ago. I wanted a very specific model/options package, which didn’t help, but even without that, these things are selling faster than they can be replaced with ongoing supply chain issues. Dealers have very little incentive to give in.

[Anonymous]

The car I’ve been trying to buy is on waitlist status and half the dealerships are charging a fee. I’m almost ready to give up.

[Anonymous]

Definitely email. The last thing you want to do is walk into a dealer. Also look up the MSRP, dealer rebates/incentives, holdback, as much as you can online so you know what the dealer's costs and likely profits are. If you're not picky about colors that's good, also look for cars that are just barely last year's model.

Reddit is a great place for more detailed advice.

[Anonymous]

Yes you can negotiate price still, but it will vary based on model. 2024s came out a few months ago, so any remaining 2023s are taking up space at this point. Focus your search on those, check dealer inventory online, the more 2023s they have sitting on their lot, the better deal you'll get.

You can definitely threaten call the nearby dealer and say you're interested in a specific make/model, but you found it cheaper at another dealer and want them to price match. The other dealer can't be in Montana or something. It has to be within a realistic driving range. We live in Virginia, and threatened to drive to Maryland to buy from another dealer. The Virginia dealer matched the price. Sometimes the dealers have grudges against one another and will match prices out of pure spite. You just have to call around.

[Anonymous]

If you want a car physically on that dealers lot, they’ll negotiate. If they have to get it somewhere else or it’s on back order, unlikely.

[Anonymous]

I am seeking car that is in good supply and certain dealers are still douchy about not wanting to give an online quote. So I just gave up on them. We are taking lots with 50+ of this car sitting on it.