If You Know Their Rules ...
You Can Play Their Games

At this point an aggressive salesperson might counter with what we call the "If I could, wudja?" question which goes something like: "If we find a car you. like and I could get you, that car at $3, 000 less than the sticker price, would you be prepared to buy that car today?" Naturally your inclination might be to say: "Sure, who wouldn't buy a car with that kind of discount?" But understand this: The salesman has no intention of selling you a car at $3,000 off. His sole objective is to see if there is some price at which you would buy a car "right now ... today." If your answer tells him that for the right price you're ready to buy now, he instantly labels you as a "hot prospect" and will turn up the pressure. We suggest that you answer that question this way:

"I have no idea,. I think maybe we ought to see if I like the car first."

If the salesperson persists with this line of questioning, suggest that since he or she seems interested in only the price, it might be better for you to visit another dealer first in order to learn more about the car and then come back and let the salesperson bid for your business. Rest assured, no dealership (at least none that we can imagine) is going to let you walk off their lot if they think you're a buyer. You'll find that once you let it be known you're going to leave, there will be an immediate attitude change. If there isn't? Walk. You don't need the hassle, and unless you live in East Nowhere, there are many other dealers who will be very happy to accommodate you.
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The less salespeople know about your true financial intentions and the less you tell them about how you plan to pay, i.e., cash, finance, or lease, before the negotiation, the more control you have. Make no mistake, information is the key to control. The more information you hold back, the harder they have to work and the more control you retain.