Most Americans would probably rather have a root canal than haggle over the price of a car. That is why we set up the our certified car buying program. We do not ask for your home address which is always a red flag, before you pick a vehicle to buy. In survey after survey, two-thirds of car buyers report that they "hate" the negotiation process. But be consoled if you're negotiating the price for a car: The margin for error isn't all that great. Most dealers mark up cars as little as 10 percent for a low-end model and up to 25 percent for a luxury car. That's nothing compared with markups of more than 100 percent for clothing and jewelry. The time when some people lose the negotiating game is at the "back-end" of the deal. They assume the vital negotiations are over when they leave the lot or showroom floor to iron out financing details. All those options, including service contracts, rustproofing, paint sealant, credit life insurance and credit disability insurance, may be the real moneymakers for the dealer.
If you don't want to haggle over the price, you may buy a car from a one-price dealer or check out our comprehensive list of dealers throughout Houston.. But if you're among the one-third of Americans who likes to jump in the ring with the pros, put on your boxing gloves and learn the game. Although some dealers have responded to competition from no-hagglers by softening their sales approaches, be familiar with the different methods they may use. Sometimes you negotiate with just one salesperson. This person may invest more in your satisfaction than an official "closer" would. A closer is a person who takes over for the salesperson to complete the sale.
To find out how much the dealer has marked up the cost of a vehicle, you need to find out what the dealer paid the manufacturer for it, which is listed on the dealer's invoice. Check a resource such as the "Consumer Reports Annual Buying Guide." It will also show you the dealer invoice for the options. The invoice, however, is not the whole story. "Holdbacks" and other credits
that the dealer receives from the manufacturer often reduce the dealer's true cost below
the invoice amount.
Unfortunately, manufacturer holdbacks change too often to publish in most buying guides, so you won't know if the dealer's cost for the car is really lower than the dealer invoice. Some newspapers periodically run lists of holdbacks.
Almost everything is flexible in car sales the price of the car, the price of the options, the loan rate and the extra services. But this flexibility doesn't mean the seller will bend over backwards for you. The seller may try to make it seem as though prices are firm. Decide what you want in a car and what it's worth to you, then negotiate a fair price. Here are some suggestions to help you get the best deal possible: * Don't mention your trade-in vehicle until the sale on the new car is negotiated. At least, that's what conventional wisdom says. This may or may not be practical in your case. We feel it is better to get a written 7 day bid from two other sources before you hit the showroom floor. * Avoid answering sales questions about whether or not you'll be ready to commit to a purchase that day "if the price is right." Just say, "Maybe," or, "I'll think about it." * Don't tell the salesperson if you've already arranged financing. He or she may offer a low price for the car thinking the dealership can make a profit by financing the purchase. Loan Pre-Approval is always your best bet. * Never tell the salesperson what you're willing to spend in monthly payments for the car. In fact, never let the dealer know your bottom-line price. They won't tell you theirs, either. * Start bidding low. Offer a price that's just above the dealer's invoice price. * Don't panic if the dealer's counter-offer is much higher than your first offer. Only raise your next offer by $100 or $200. Remember: You've done your homework. You know they're making a profit and may be getting a manufacturer's holdback, besides. * Stand
firm. The dealer should give you a lower offer to counter your second bid. Now you must
decide whether or not to accept the dealer's offer.
Trade-ins When you're ready to talk price on a car you've selected, the salesperson will ask if you're planning to trade in your current car provided you own one. That's the last question you should answer. If you tell the dealer you're planning to trade in your old car, the dealer will want to lump the two transactions together, possibly putting you at a disadvantage. If you've done the leg work you can always pull out the two bids you have already gotten after they have priced your trade-in. Here's how the other way usually works; Example
Sound good? Not really. People rarely pay the full sticker price. If Marcy had negotiated her new-car price before mentioning her interest in trading in her coup, her deal might have been sweeter. First, she could have negotiated a discount off the sedan's sticker price say $2,500. For the coup, she may have been able to negotiate to receive the blue book value of $5,000. Her total price for the new car would have been $7,500. Deal for the new car:
Subtract the trade-in:
Just when you thought you could let down your guard with the dealer, shake hands and sit down for coffee in the office, you find you have several crucial negotiations left. You still have to find the best deal on a loan (unless you were smart enough to get pre-approved) and decide whether or not to pay for an extended warranty, rustproofing, credit life insurance and other extras. Your Options Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a car in a higher-priced trim line than to buy a basic model and dress it up with options. But check out the available trim lines and the prices of options you want. Options usually come in packages, and buying a package can be cheaper than purchasing options separately. But try to avoid being talked into options you don't want. The Loan Service Contracts (a.k.a. Extended Warranties) An extended service contract supplements the manufacturer's warranty that comes with the vehicle. Compare your warranty with the service contract being offered to avoid paying for services you're already getting for free. Because competition for customer satisfaction has grown of late, standard manufacturer's warranties have improved. Since a typical warranty covers the car for three years or 36,000 miles, you may choose not to buy more coverage. A service contract, however, will extend the length of time parts will be repaired
under warranty. That may be helpful if you're planning to keep your vehicle longer than
the time covered in the manufacturer's warranty. Check to see if the extended service
contract cancels automatically when you sell your car. If you want a manufacturer's
service contract, double check to be sure that the contract is indeed from the
manufacturer. Rustproofing So the term rustproofing is misleading. Rustproofing may help stave off corrosion for a few years, that is. Certainly cars on the streets today take longer to rust than those of old. But your question when buying a car is whether or not after-manufacturing rustproofing is needed. Some experts say galvanizing during manufacturing makes additional rustproofing unnecessary. Galvanizing is a process of protecting the steel with a zinc coating that manufacturers say they've perfected in recent years. To help consumers choose whether or not to buy additional rustproofing, the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., launched a thorough study of rustproofing practices. It found that 90 percent of vehicles made by the early 1990s already came with five-year corrosion perforation (anti-rust) warranties from the manufacturer. Manufacturer's warranties, as well as warranties for after-market rustproofing, apply if the rust starts on the interior of the car and eats a hole through to the outside. Surface rust due to stones, scratches, hail and environmental damage are excluded from manufacturer's and most after-market rustproofing warranties. Paint Sealant and Fabric Protection Fabric protection is also expensive. You can save a lot of money by spraying the fabric
yourself with a spray protective commonly available at discount, automotive and hardware
stores.
Credit Life and Credit Disability Insurance These types of insurance are usually optional. If you wish to buy this type of coverage, remember that you do not have to purchase the insurance from your finance company. Shop for the best price by checking credit life and disability rates offered by insurance companies. The Deposit Before You Sign . . . * Everything you and the dealer have agreed to is included. * Both the dealership manager and the salesperson have signed the contract. Otherwise it might not be valid. * All portions of the contract are filled in before you sign. * The contract states that you can void the agreement and get your downpayment back if all terms in the contract are not met (such as failure to deliver on a specified date). Give It the Once-Over
Feeling Squeezed? Learn About Texas Lemon Law The Lemon Law applies to those cars that are still covered by the manufacturer's original new-car warranty, were purchased in Texas and are used at least 40 percent of the time for personal, family or household purposes. The terms of the law are: * The manufacturer has a duty to repair a motor vehicle in accordance with the terms of the warranty if: 1. The motor vehicle has a defect or problem that is covered by the warranty; and, 2. The problem has been reported by the vehicle's owner within the warranty period, or within two years after delivery of the vehicle, whichever comes first. * The manufacturer has a duty to refund or replace a car that has substantial defects or problems. Under the law, if the manufacturer or its authorized dealer has been unable to repair a car's problem after a "reasonable number of attempts," the buyer or person leasing a car may go through a manufacturer's arbitration program or go to court to seek a full refund of the car's purchase price, minus a deduction for use of the vehicle. A "reasonable number of attempts" * four or more unsuccessful attempts to repair the same defect; or * one unsuccessful attempt to repair a defect that has caused the complete failure of the steering or braking system, and that is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; or a car that has been out of service due to warranty repairs for 30 or more cumulative business days. Next Chapter: "Consider an "Experienced' Car" |
