| What is your car buying strategy? Why do I ask? | | | | advantage. If they see that you are ready to leave, it |
| Because if you go out to buy a car without a plan, it | | | | might encourage them to improve the deal. |
| could cost you a lot of money. From the moment you | | | | On weekdays, there are fewer shoppers around. The |
| enter his lot, the car dealer will be employing his | | | | dealer will be more anxious to make the sale. If you |
| strategy on you. | | | | are the only potential customer, he doesn't want you |
| You need your own end goal in mind. The dealers | | | | to walk out. You can always do that if you don't like |
| focus is reaching his monthly sales quota. He wants | | | | the offer. |
| the maximum profit from each customer. He will want | | | | It's a big commitment to buy a car. You don't have to |
| you to take the options and extras. | | | | rush into it. But it's exciting too and it's easy to be |
| Finance through the dealer, service contracts, GAP | | | | swept along by emotion. The salesman knows that |
| insurance etc may be a better deal for him than they | | | | and will try every trick in the book to play on it. He try |
| are for you. You need to plan ahead and know what | | | | to convince you that this deal is only available today. It's |
| alternatives are available before you go to the car lot. | | | | not true. |
| Know what model and what features you want. | | | | If you are not sure about the car or any aspect of the |
| The next part of your car buying strategy is to know | | | | deal, or you are feeling under pressure, walk away. It is |
| when to look. New models are released between | | | | much easier to do that if you have prepared in |
| August and November. Just before then is your | | | | advance. You will be able to get the same model, at |
| chance to get the current model at a discount. The | | | | an equal or better price, next week or the week after. |
| dealer needs to get old stock off his hands. | | | | Have your car buying strategy prepared and you can |
| The end of the month is good because they will be | | | | take away the salesman's home field advantage. |
| trying to hit that quota. The pressure is on them to get | | | | Every penny counts these days. Get the car that is |
| you to buy now rather than later. Use that to your | | | | right for and for the best possible value. |