Before
Negotiating Car Prices
I
should probably give a quick bit of background on myself.
Not much,
don't want to bore you (or me) with it, but you would probably like
to know that the information on negotiating car prices in this
website comes from several
years working in the automotive industry and not just somebody
piecing together information on all this and sticking it up on a web
site.
I started on the
sales floor. Worked my way into the F&I (finance and insurance)
office. More on F&I of course later. From there I moved up to used
car manager, then new car sales manager, and finally general sales
manager. Pretty typical path for those in the business wanting to go
beyond the sales floor and get into the management side of things.
O.K. hope that's enough on me.
So,
let's get started....
The very first
thing that you must understand before venturing off car shopping, is
that you must take some time to do your homework and educate
yourself. And unlike not too many years ago, before so much
information was readily available on the internet, today this task
is really easy to do....
But to do is a must.
Aside from
the frustration, headaches, and even heartaches that taking the time
to get yourself up to speed on how to negotiate car deals can save
you, taking the time to do so is like paying yourself. That's right.
Paying yourself. Knowing how to negotiate car prices and knowing
what's going on can save you literally thousands of dollars. So, you
get paid to get yourself schooled. Still not sure if you want to put
forth any effort in the area of car buying and car negotiating
education before you go vehicle shopping?
Some simple
math perhaps to shed some light.
Suppose that you spent just 10
hours learning about all the facets and variables about what come together in negotiating a card deal, and let's say
that with those 10 hours with a higher degree of enlightenment and
confidence you were able to save yourself $1,000 either on just a
purchase price of a new or used vehicle or in trade difference if
you were trading in a car.
The math is easy..... you just paid
yourself $100 per hour to do that research. Not a bad wage! And now
you posses a skill you can carry with you and build on the rest of
your car buying life.
First of all,
automotive dealers (or any business for that matter) is entitled to
make a profit on their goods and services. I am not advocating that
with a little practice you can whittle the dealer's profit down to
nothing by driving a hard bargain.
However, the very nature of the
car business and car dealings can put the average person at an
expensive disadvantage.
Especially if you are
a bit of a mild mannered person. You may feel as though you have
been taken advantage of during previous car shopping excursions.
Perhaps you have. Many people do feel that way.
But if you go and
try to 'wing it' without understanding what it is you're doing and
how all the pieces of a car deal fit together........ taken
advantage of???? I can't say that with all certainty. That's a
personal perception.
But, probably paid more than you needed to???
....... Very likely.
|
