Used Car Salesmen

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I should also mention that many buyers get boned because they become emotionally invested in the car and the deal.

Remember these things:

1. You will not lose the sweet deal if you walk away. If you do, I can promise you it wasn't all that sweet. They do not want you to take the time to think about the deal because they know if you do, you will figure out what they already know.

2. Contrary to what they will tell you, that sweet deal exists in many other car lots.

3. The car you want exists somewhere for the price you want. Be willing to look for it.

4. Do not "settle."

5. Do not shop desperate.

6. Don't haggle too much and don't spend a lot of time. I don't care how much you want the car, be willing and ready to walk away. It's just a car, and there is nothing magical about it.

7. Remember that there is a HUGE difference between buying a car and being sold a car. You want to buy a car. So don't be sold one.

8. It helps to shop at the end of the month.

[Chrismor]

[QUOTE=RecoveringKinkoid;719437]

Personally, I see no sense in buying a brand new car. QUOTE]

This right here.

I have never owned a new car. I do not want to pay more for "new", I do not want to insure new, and I don't want to pay taxes on new. Let someone else do that for me. I've always, knock wood, been pretty happy with all my used vehicles.

BTW, you can get demo cars with very few miles on them, and they must be sold as used. They are new cars, they just are not virgin cars. So you can get new but pay for used.

Spot on. When my dad got his current car, he got one that was for showroom display and had been out on 2 test drives or something. Virtually no miles on the clock, and a very sizeable discount.

C.

[bainsidhe]

Huh. My very first car-buying experience involved going to a redneck little car lot with "Wacky" in the name (first mistake). This was about 12 years ago and one beautiful (looking) little car was selling for over 2 grand. For a fast-food-working student like me, that was a LOT of money. Hell, it's still a lot of money. Some of the problems included:

1) Not allowed to test drive
2) Not allowed to even sit in the car
3) Or start the car myself, he had to do it for us
4) Horrific knocking of the engine. Even an idiot like me knows that isn't good
5) Some sort of fluid dripping from underneath

I decided I wasn't allowed to test drive because this $2000 paperweight would never even drive off the lot. Niiiiice.

[Geek King]

Remember these things:

[...]

8. It helps to shop at the end of the month.

I'd also add:

9) If possible, shop for last year's model in November/December.

By that point, they're already selling the next year's model, and want to move the previous model badly. I got my pickup for around six thousand less than current model, and it was still brand new, only been test driven, and still got full factory warrenty on it. The only thing I had to compromise was the color. I've been driving it for thirteen years now.

[Treasure]

After working in a car dealership (as just a receptionist ) i can tell you that researching the VIN is invaluable;

End of Quarter is even better than end of month - they're willing to do just about anything to get their #'s up to save their job and to get older cars off the lot!

always look up bluebook value on the car - if they dealership is asking less you might have a gem, or a dud; if asking more - know you're bottom line, and tell them you won't pay a penny over...
ask for a test drive,
always take napkin or rag, and run your finger in the tailpipe before starting the car (unless you know it's been recently cleaned) any residue should be powdery and light to medium gray - if its sticky, or dark, or god forbid both - RUN away - it's burning oil. (the napkin/rag is to clean your hands after)
75k miles or less is actually ideal for a used car 10 yrs old or younger, 100k + - its going to start having problems due to age/wear and tear
with the car in park, pop the hood, and then get in, start it, and slowly an gently rev the engine - you should be able to tell if there are any skips/stutters etc....

and despite what the salesperson says there are a few test-drive tricks to put the car through - it will scare the pants off your salesperson, which is why he will tell you not to do it - these are best done in a large open empty parking lot:

Get the car up to speed, then slam on the brakes, repeat in reverse
then - get it up to speed and then slam it into reverse and back into drive, then hit the brakes....(this shouldn't take more than 30 seconds - 10 forward, 10 back 10 forward - if even that - 5-8 seconds each way should be plenty) this tells you response time, and will help to reveal any alignment issues, then get it up to a comfortable speed, on a straight-away, and let go of the wheel then apply the brakes, w/o grabbing the wheel - this is a surefire way to tell if the alignment is off.



And of course I have to agree w/ RK - Never be afraid to walk away from the dealership - you can always go to another one, w/ the VIN and see if they can buy it from the other dealership (its part of how they maintain loyal customers) b/c the 2nd dealership can buy from the 1st for what the 1st paid to the seller - which anybody who has ever traded in a car, knows is usually pittance; but go to the 2nd dealership, and let them know you'll pay say $500.00 over what they pay for the car from the 1st dealership, up to $5000.00 "out the door" Out the door - is a phrase that tells them you mean business - you want TT&L and all fees etc, already included in that 5 Grand you're willing to drop for the car... and either talk to the Manger, the Finance Manger, or only the Salesperson you trust - if its a dealership you've never been to, b/c the one you normally do work with is the one screwing you around, play dumb! Hem, and haw, and then after they've showed you a few cars, and none of them seem quite right, let them know you've kinda been looking at this one.... but its at another dealership, but they're asking too much - HAVE printouts! (the online ad and your blue-book research) see what they're willing to offer! - either to get the car from the other dealership (very easy if its 'sister' properties) or see if they can find you one on their lot that is comparable.

some would argue that is playing Dirty - you know what its your money, and the car you want, don't be afraid of playing dirty, dealerships rip customers off everyday *again i worked at one, i know this*

[blas]

I just heard this the other day.

It was unknown to me back then, but the place I bought my Neon from has an awful reputation....your typical small podunk used car dealership. Any vehicles that aren't sold by a certain time go to auction, so they have it pretty easy trying to push used cars that were probably trade-ins, in any condition, and they push getting rid of them by any means, any promise, any any any.

Some woman bought a car from there (although the way the story was told to me, this was a newer car) and it was a total piece of shit. She tried to call, bring it back...they refused to do anything, and this woman actually defaced her car by spray painting "LEMON" across both side panels of the car, and then in the back where it says what dealership the car was sold from, under it, it said something along the lines of "Rip off"....

That's not the best part. She actually PICKETED at that car until the dealership got a restraining order against her!

So after that, she picketed across the highway, parking her car in view for everyone to see.

[Andara Bledin]

Heh. And if she wasn't right, they would have filed a defamation/libel/slander suit against her.

^-.-^

[blas]

Some people would find that sucky, but I think it's hilarious and feel bad that I never got to witness it.

She must not have had a job or a life if she could park there all day, but damn that must have been great to get everyone to see.