Give me all of the tips for buying a car!

[Anonymous]

Ok, so I did this (paid cash for a hybrid SUV) earlier this year.

Do NOT tell the salesman that you plan to pay cash. Save this for the very end.

Ask for the total price of the vehicle that you want. Know what you want exactly so that you can get a total price in writing before you enter the dealership. When we bought ours, it was very close to MSRP.

You might have to order it. It depends on which model/make you are getting. If you do, the salesman or woman will call you when it is available to be picked up. Ask them to reaffirm the total price on this call. Then, go to the bank, get a certified check for that amount, and drive straight to the dealership.

If you do this, they will figure out what you are doing pretty quickly, but let them figure it out. Dealers don't like cash buyers. Most of the money that they make in their business is in the finance office and the service center. And say no to any extended warranties or service contracts. They make a killing on those. Expect the person in the finance office to cry when you hand them the check. They might even yell at you. Then take the keys, get your car, and go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring a man with you. It sucks but car salespeople are notoriously sleazy and respect men more than women. Have a man do all the talking.

Also, this. I did this, too.

I only started talking to them after the car and price were agreed upon in writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bringing a man won’t matter because there’s no negotiating below MSRP. Our car had a $900 mark up and I wanted DH to negotiate it down. He was passive about it though so I had to do it. I nickle and dimed them on every little thing- I asked them to take off every little fee- and finally the manager asked what price I’d walk out the door with. That got us the car for MSRP.

I hate to say this, but I called a salesman first and got a totally different price on the same exact car than my husband did when he called a different salesman week later at the same dealership. I didn't give them my real name.

Sexism is real, and it's rampant in the car world. Sad but true. A march on Washington is not going to change that.

[Anonymous]

I have a relative who is a very successful car salesperson. He says the dealership makes very little money on new cars, they make all their money on financing and service and used cars, which, after hearing his stories, i would never, ever buy from a dealership. I mean they might make 600-1200$ on a new car sold at msrp.

I would aim to buy the car you want for cash. To me it would not be worth the time to try to negotiate off 600$ or whatever. One thing you can try to ask for is throwing in extras for free, like the all weather floor mats, because that is basically free for the dealers.

Fwiw he thinks car sales/dealerships as a job will be gone in 10 years bc the manufacturers are shifting to an order system, and electric cars need little maintenance.

[Anonymous]

I am not the OP but could use some tips as well for buying used cars. What is the negotiating margin on used cars and I can pay cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring a man with you. It sucks but car salespeople are notoriously sleazy and respect men more than women. Have a man do all the talking.

Really? What an absurd recommendation (sorry). Perpetuating sexism. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

If/when you don't get what you want, be prepared to walk. Really. When we found the used car we wanted at a dealer, they weren't going to let us take it to our mechanic. We said that we couldn't buy it without our mechanic taking a look, stood up and started to walk out when the salesman said, "wait a minute..." We now own the car, and our mechanic said it was a great car

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring a man with you. It sucks but car salespeople are notoriously sleazy and respect men more than women. Have a man do all the talking.

Really? What an absurd recommendation (sorry). Perpetuating sexism. Ugh.

Recognizing sexism exists doesn’t perpetuate it. Reality exists even if you ignore it.

[Anonymous]

Also get quotes on the car from someplace like Morgantown WVA

[Anonymous]

This was 2019 but I emailed like 30 dealerships for best price out the door (tax, title etc) before I would even talk to them and then used their deal and sent to other dealerships to get the best deal. Then in the end I had two fighting over the deal before I even went to the dealership.

[Anonymous]

I found the car I wanted and then did all negotiation through email. Didn’t tell them I was paying cash until I showed up to get the vehicle. You don’t need a man; that’s ridiculous.