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If
You Know Their Rules ...
You Can Play Their Games
Some
dealerships will refuse to send you a price. But others will
bid willingly. The prospect of having a live customer who's
ready to buy will usually motivate most dealerships to give
it a shot, especially if it's the end of the month and sales
have been slow. Now, be warned that some dealers may give
you a lowball bid. The lowball is designed to get you into
the dealership so that a salesperson will have a chance to
work you into a deal. The fact that a lowball bid will probably
not be honored is of no concern in this scenario. The reason
is because you're going to use the competitive bids to force
down the price quoted by the first dealer.
Tactic
3. "Ma Wait"
If
time is not a factor in your purchase decision, if you're
looking for a car with the most common options, and if color
is not a major consideration, you might consider this tactic:
Visit three or four dealerships-more if you like-and tell
a salesperson that you know exactly what you're looking
for, that you're flexible on options and color, and that
you are willing to pay $200 above the invoice price. Explain
that while you understand that they may not want to make
you that kind of deal at this time, they may, at some time
in the future, need one more sale to "make their month."
Leave your card and on the back write:
"I
will pay your true -invoice plus $,200 for the following
model. Call me when you're ready. "
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Once
you have the faxed bids-and assuming they're lower than
the price you've gotten-take the lowest back to the
first dealer, show it to the salesperson, and ask if
he can beat the lowest price. Emphasize that you want
the salesperson and the dealership to have your business
and that you're ready to write the check, but that you
don't want to pay more than you have to. Always, always
be very, very pleasant. While the salesperson may be
angry inside, it's very hard and a rather poor bit of
salesmanship-to show that anger to a person with a friendly
smile on their face.
Chances are very good that unless the competitive bid
is below their actual costs-including rebates and hold-back-
they'll
beat the competitive price rather than risk you and
your checkbook walking out of the dealership.Then,
every month, call each of the salespeople and remind
them that your offer still stands. At this point you
might be asking: Why would any car dealer accept this
deal at any time? There are several reasons. As we
pointed out earlier, car manufacturers are always
pressing their dealers to make their numbers. That
is, to move a certain number of cars each month. The
pressure to make these numbers is what makes it easier
for you to negotiate a better deal at the end of each
month. If a dealer knows that he's got a deal hanging
out there-even at invoice-and he needs sales to make
his quota, you could very well get a call.
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Play
Their Games
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