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1. Work with a dealer who will listen to you. From Jody Devere in 6 tips to score a great deal on a new car now “…find a dealer who listens to your whole story, who pays attention and gathers all the facts before making suggestions about what car you should buy. That is the dealer who will point you to the right car that will solve your problem–rather than wasting your valuable time by trying to sell you a car that you don’t want or need.” |
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2. Understand the dealer’s overhead costs. From Hautblossom in 10 negotiating tips for women buying a car “For new cars, it’s also really important to find out what the dealer paid for the car – including the specific features – so that you know what profit they’re making. Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) is an excellent resource, and there are others, too. You’ll learn what to factor in for the dealer’s overhead and other costs. If you know what the dealer has into a car, you have a much better idea of what’s reasonable for you to pay.” |
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3. Know how much you should be paying. From Rita@Goldivas in Car buying “I’ve used Edmunds.com, it has been a huge help with establishing a price. Most car salespeople seem to think women are stupid, so it’s very satisfying to get a reasonable deal. I’ve had a salesman tell me a (used) car was priced at $14K when the dealership was advertising it online for $11K.” |
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4. Negotiate after incentives. From annefleming in 10 negotiating tips for women buying a car “What this means: dealers will tell you that they will give you $1,500 cash back if you buy a car. Now, would anyone willingly give you ‘Free money?’ Unfortunately for us, probably not. What this really shows you is that the car is marked up. Negotiate the price with the dealer without incentives. Then, only after you have that price, ask, ‘What else can you do for me?’” |
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5. Consult Consumer Reports and Click & Clack. From Pontette in Car buying “Consumer Reports has a great deal of information, including their Guides to New Car Buying and Used Car Buying. I consult Consumer Reports to begin investigations of all $$$ purchases. For entertaining and good Car Buying info, you might also consult Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers of NPR’s Car Talk.” |
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6. Have your financing approved before you shop. From annefleming in 10 negotiating tips for women buying a car “Walk into the dealership with your own financing approved and ready to go. How do you do this? Go to your bank, credit union or online lender and get pre-approved for an auto loan. Then, when you speak to the financing manager at the dealership, pull out your piece of paper and ask them, ‘How can your F & I team beat this?’” |
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7. Try CarMax. From Elizabeth4 in Car buying “I love CarMax because there is no haggling. You can search online for any vehicle, with any features, from all over the U.S., and have the car you choose delivered to you.” |
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8. Test drive before you “fall in love.” From Renee H. in Car buying “Be sure to drive whatever you are looking at; there is nothing worse than to ‘fall in love’ with a vehicle, then figure out that it is uncomfortable or just isn’t a good fit for you. Most dealers are very, very willing to bargain if you wait until model change (like July thru November). If you buy last year’s model, they want desperately to get them off the lot and will offer large discounts or even freebies, like rustproofing or special services. The best advice, though, is to take your time; find what “you” want and don’t let anyone pressure you.” |
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9. Protect your investment. From annefleming in 6 must-do annual car maintenance tips “Your car is a serious investment.” Follow Anne’s 6 absolute-must maintenance tips so that your car stays in tip-top shape and you’ll get maximum trade-in value when you decide to buy again. |
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Determine what you need, want, and can afford before you go shopping. Do NOT buy new…look for a low-mile used car (the internet is great for this!) and have it checked out by an independent mechanic before you buy. You’ll get more for your money. I’m part of a full-service, fee-based financial planning group and part of what we will do for our clients is negotiate on their behalf in situations like this.
I had time to research for a car. I looked not only at ConsumerReports.org, kbb.com and Edmunds.com, but I also searched consumerguideauto in HowStuffWorks.com. I indeed buy a new car. As a single mother with no family around, I was ready to trade in my 13 year old vehicle for a new, reliable vehicle with the dealer nearby. I researched for a year and a half, so I knew by that time what I needed for my family, including back seat and trunk space with growing teen boys, reliability, warranty and local dealer reviews, financing, safety features, etc. I try to keep current with car information, because anytime we can suddenly be faced with having to purchase a car quickly. I use ebay for a resource or local purchases. I mistakenly purchased a car on ebay, and without seeing the car first ended up with unanticipated repairs. I have decided to never buy a car again without first sitting in the drivers seat! By the time I went to the dealership, I knew more than the salesman.
an error: ConsumerGuideAuto in HowStuffWorks.com
I just bought a new car last week alone and never had so much fun. Just rember to be frank and up front, do your research and go in to it with an open mind. Always make them work I new my budget and what I could afford. He went back to his supervisor 4 times before I got the price I wanted so be patience it was will worth it. It really was fun what a challenge.
If you are purchasing a new vehicle – ask to see the invoice!
I just bought a custom made Mini Cooper. The dealership is owned by a woman and it was the Best car buying experience I’ve ever had.