I just bought a Tesla Model Y and there was no negotiation. I also hate the haggling.

Last time I bought a car, I ended up getting it from the dealership that emailed me back and would give me a good final price without my having to come into the dealership.

My big issue has been financing, TBH. Last two times, I've taken my own financing in because their first offers are ridiculous given my credit score. As soon as I whip out the offer from my bank, all of a sudden they can beat that.

Anonymous wrote:As a woman, I highly recommend negotiating the sale via email, and even potentially using a gender-neutral form of your name. There is still lots of caveman thinking among car salespeople, and research shows you will get a better price this way. I also found it a much more pleasant experience, and much easier to play dealers off against one another.

F here and I love haggling and I’m pretty good at it. If a dealership has a female salesperson I’ll usually choose to deal with her as I find it much easier to close the sale in a fashion most satisfactorily to me. Haggling is a fun game and you just have to be good at mind games, dangling the sale in front of them, pulling back at just the right time, then casting out again.

As a woman, I highly recommend negotiating the sale via email, and even potentially using a gender-neutral form of your name. There is still lots of caveman thinking among car salespeople, and research shows you will get a better price this way. I also found it a much more pleasant experience, and much easier to play dealers off against one another.

The larger the dealer the more likely you can barter for a better deal. They generally focus on volume and know that for every savvy customer there’s 20 suckers.
Make, model, and time of year also play into the ability to get a better price.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think you can haggle on a Tesla - there are waitlists for their cars. You have to pay retail.

Tesla does not negotiate their sale prices. What you see online is what you pay. If you plan to finance through Tesla, their banks will usually match any lower rates you get from a bank or credit union. This can save you about 0.5% on the rate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what these other people are talking about. Tesla doesn’t negotiate.

Not everyone is Tesla slap happy you know.

What’s your point? Didn’t the OP ask about Tesla? Aren’t people replying that Tesla negotiates even though they don’t? I don’t own a Tesla, I’m just trying to actually tell the OP the truth.

The finance person told me the final price is generally an additional 5% of the MSRP -- this includes warranties, taxes, and all the other BS that ends up being added.

I bought the new Mercedes GLE 2020 before they hit the market and was told there was a waitlist and no one would bargain. I emailed all area dealerships, told them I was emailing their competitors, and a few said the couldn’t budge but had 2 give me their best and lowest (one insisted on talking in person vs sending it over in writing; mainly he wanted u too “sell” me that he had been top MB salesperson forv25 years and had a great relationship with corporate and would beat the next guy.) I would have been able to get it down a couple hundred more, but DH was ready to sign, since delivery was 1st come 1st served and wait was slready 8 weeks and our current lease was almost up.

All this to say, you can get a lot done via email. Even when the internet says “impossible”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the aversion to negotiation. Really. I don’t get it. Worst case is you low ball them and they say no. Big deal.

NP. Last time I was bullied by an ahole dealer who told me I was “being too emotional and needed to be more logical”. I was postpartum and exhausted and needed a reliable car immediately. I still regret that I bought a car from that jackhole, but I was so afraid that the old one would break down with the baby inside, I wasn’t even sure it would make it home for the dealer. Mistakes were made. Anyway I never want to be in that situation again.

That’s too bad. I love the game. If I were your friend I would have helped!

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get the aversion to negotiation. Really. I don’t get it. Worst case is you low ball them and they say no. Big deal.

NP. Last time I was bullied by an ahole dealer who told me I was “being too emotional and needed to be more logical”. I was postpartum and exhausted and needed a reliable car immediately. I still regret that I bought a car from that jackhole, but I was so afraid that the old one would break down with the baby inside, I wasn’t even sure it would make it home for the dealer. Mistakes were made. Anyway I never want to be in that situation again.

I don’t get the aversion to negotiation. Really. I don’t get it. Worst case is you low ball them and they say no. Big deal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you trade in your old car, very likely you will have to negotiate for the value of your old car.

Just saw you didn’t have to trade in. Then yes you may be able to get a new car without much negotiation.

Lol. Ignore this advice. She won’t have to negotiate if she wants to pay $500 under sticker.

You need to negotiate firmly and get offers from several dealers and do the research. Of course she needs to negotiate at every step. Not just the trade in.