8 Tips for Your Next Visit to the Car Dealership

Imagine your last visit to the car dealership. Did it fill you with joy? Or was it a tedious, awful experience where you hated every minute? If you’re like most Americans, it was probably the latter. Going to the dealership is like going to the dentist.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Follow a few reasonable tips and you can make the process go a lot smoother.

It’s okay if you’re a little daunted. After all, you’re going up against a professional negotiator.

1. Research

Don’t show up unprepared. This is 2018, you can look up absolutely everything you need to know about your potential car before you speak to a single salesman. Knowledge is power- and here’s why.  It’s much harder to pull the wool over your eyes if you already know how much the car typically sells for.

Kelly Blue Book, Auto Trader, Google, etc., are all great places to start. Use the information you learn to arm yourself during negotiations.

You can look up sales information for your model whether you’re buying new or used.

2. Figure Out Your Trade

If you’re trying to upgrade your car, you have a few options. You can try to sell it outright or you can trade it in to pay off some of your new car. You can even trade in a damaged car.

What’s your best bet? Don’t tell the salesman right off the bat that you’re looking to trade. You can get a better deal if you hold on to that information. It’ll be harder to knock down the MSRP price after it’s been agreed that you’ll get X amount of dollars for your trade.

Usually, you can get a better deal if you sell your car first.

3. Focus on the Price

When you get swept up in the negotiation process, it’s easy to lose sight of the final price of the car. Once the salesman starts throwing numbers around, there’s a lot you have to keep track of. Keep the total price in your mind’s eye, even if the conversation flows in the direction of monthly payment options or talking about your trade-in value.

If you’re lucky enough to have the cash to cover your entire payment, don’t mention it at first. Car salesman anticipate being able to make money off of you through financing.

4. Keep the Dealer on the Hook

You want the dealer to stay interested in you. They’re professionals whose aim is to make money. If you give off the impression that you’re not serious about making a purchase, they’ll be less inclined to work with you.

However, that doesn’t mean that you should show that you’re desperate. It’s a delicate balancing act.

5. Consider Pre-Financing

Dealerships typically offer exorbitant interest rates. You might be able to get a better deal if you get your loan through a bank or credit union. You could even be eligible for special discounts.

Make sure you get your offer in writing.

6. Stick to Your Guns

Negotiating is a battle. You and the salesperson want different things. The dealership wants to take as much of your money as possible. You, obviously, don’t want that to happen. So, what can you do?  Don’t allow yourself to be bowled over.

Buying a car is likely one of the biggest investments you will make in your life. If the salesperson offers monthly payments based on 60-month loan, ask for the amount to be cut in half. Make the same monthly payments but do it in 30 months instead.

7. Go Online

One easy way to make your experience at the car dealership more pleasant is to skip going to the dealership entirely. You can now reliably buy cars online, saving yourself a lot of hassle. The only drawback is that you won’t be able to go for a test drive before you complete the purchase. However, that’s where your research can come in handy.

8. Ignore the Add-ons

The dealership is going to try to convince you to agree to add-ons like a GPS navigation system or a rearview camera. Think about what you really need before you agree to anything. For instance, using the GPS on your phone when travel is significantly cheaper than using one of the built-in systems.

Visiting the car dealership doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience. Just show up prepared and knowing what to expect and you’ll be in a good position.