New Cars – Master the art of haggling

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W. Somerset Maugham once wrote, “He preferred to be overcharged than to haggle.” Don’t let that statement describe you when you’re car shopping.

Haggling is the art of chipping away at high prices until you reach a bargain. Once you’ve haggled your way to a great new-car deal, you’ll drive away feeling pleased and refreshed – not drained and beaten.

Your goal is to keep your cool and remain objective. The remedy for getting emotional is to do your homework, know your stuff, and have the facts ready when the pressure is on during negotiations.

* Be prepared. Before you enter the showroom, know which car you want, its invoice price, the amount you’re willing to pay, and what your trade-in is worth. Armed with these non-negotiables, you’ll remain steady throughout the battle of wits at the dealership.

* Have a strategy. Dicker over one thing at a time – say, the purchase price. Stick with it until you have it in writing. Don’t allow anyone to sidetrack you with talk about your trade-in, the financing, extended warranties, or anything else. Talking about too many things at once gets confusing.

* Enlist support. If you need moral support, take someone along – someone you know is levelheaded and will come to your rescue when a sales clerk fluent in Dealerese starts to confuse you.

* Find a stand-in. If haggling isn’t your cup of tea, remove yourself from the fray. Free online services can arrange for dealers in your area to negotiate among themselves for your business. Check out InvoiceDealers.com, Cars.com, and Autoweb.com.

You have the key bargaining chip – one a dealer can’t use against you. As good at haggling as you may be, the time may come for you to simply walk away. That alone is a huge advantage. Don’t hesitate to use it if you have to.



All the best,



Timben