5 ways to outsmart car dealers and salespeople

Walking into a car dealership while just shopping is usually like entering a war zone. The closest salesperson will approach you almost immediately and you’re ready to close a deal you didn’t even know you were there to make. Being prepared for the trip and arming yourself with some basic knowledge can work wonders for you. If you follow some of these car buying tips, you could even beat the dealerships at their own games.

• Know your history and credit score: Having this knowledge is extremely valuable since you know what kind of bartering power you have. If you are considering one of your cars, you can usually talk about approximate payments without having your credit withdrawn. Do not complete the credit application until you are almost sure there is a car on your lot. Some dealerships will even lie about your score because they can’t get an interest rate low enough to please you.
• Never be afraid to walk away from the dealership: This is your most powerful tool. Dealers shudder when a potential customer even starts to leave the lot after spending time with them. Often times, sales managers will give you incentives through the salesperson because they know how much each lead costs in advertising. Not only that, but they don’t want to waste their time with you any more than you do. It is honestly always suggested to leave the lot and come back at least once. Don’t be fooled on the spot, NO MATTER how good it sounds. Go home, check out the blue book value, check out some of the popular car websites, and do your homework. Believe me, this is always worth it in the end.
• Never buy used vehicles “AS IS”: When buying privately, you have no choice, but with both used and new dealerships, you can trade your way for a warranty of at least 30 days. When a car dealer is trying to sell a vehicle “as is,” they are basically worried and trying to shed the responsibility of having to repair it. If they have all these wonderful things to say about the vehicle, why don’t they endorse it? I always suggest running some kind of vehicle history or carfax report, as even high-end dealers have damaged vehicles.
• Don’t be fooled by your exchange vehicle: Believe it or not, this is where most dealerships will make most of their money (especially selling used cars). They will play numbers games with you until the sun comes up, it is their business. They will offer you an additional $ 500 off your new car, but they will flip it over and remove it from their offer on their trade-in. Always try to find out in advance how much they are willing to pay for your exchange to avoid this.
• Don’t let them convince you of something beyond your means: The more expensive the vehicle they sell you, the higher your commission check. Unfortunately, this is the attitude of most dealerships. They are not concerned about whether or not you will actually be able to afford it and whether you are going to have financial difficulties to do so. So you need to be careful – don’t even consider vehicles that you know are out of your price range. They will always try to convince you by saying that they can go down or something just down those lines.

Well, I hope I have helped you arm yourself with good ammo for your next visit to the car dealership. Remember, any vehicle transaction that takes place will affect you far more than the car dealer in the long run. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, stand up for yourself and analyze all aspects of the deal thoroughly.