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

What Information to Provide

The only thing that you want the salesperson to know at this point in time is your name, what you're looking for, a price range that is inflated by 15 to 20 percent over what you actually plan to spend, and the fact that you are in the market "now" and plan to buy "soon." This will establish you as a buyer and someone deserving of their attention.

Don't reveal anything about how you plan to pay, i.e., cash, finance, or lease. When asked questions relating to the method of payment, respond by saying that you really haven't decided yet. When asked if you plan to trade your car, respond by saying that you're not sure:

"I may keep it, or sell it myself ... or maybe I'll trade it, in. At, this point, I'm really only interested in seeing if your car meets my needs. "

The message you're delivering is: "Sell me the car first, then we'll talk about trades and financing." If the salesperson persists with questions related to how you plan to finance and whether you plan to trade, make it very clear that you first have to decide on the car and then decide if you want to buy it at this dealership.

The Presentation and Demo Drive
Insist on a full presentation and then a demo drive. There are two reasons for demanding these. First, you want to be sure that this is in fact the car or pickup that you want to buy and that it does meet your needs. Second, the more time a salesperson invests in you, the more anxious they're going to be to realize a financial return on the invested time.

You should know that while the sales manager insists that the salespeople grind for every nickel of profit, salespeople will, in turn, grind the sales manager to give a little so as not to lose the deal and the commission. If you walk, you're out some time, but the salesperson is out both time and commission.