tractorshopper
Veteran Member
Fell hook, line, and sinker one time in my early 20's on my first new truck. Got me in so many ways, you'd think it's impossible. Probably worst deal in recorded history (at least from my standpoint). Might have actually been best thing ever for me because I paid for being naive dearly that one time.
Since then, anytime I buy, I make a fair offer that I think is a good deal. I do my research up front. I take my financial calculator with me and calculate my own payments based on this offer or at each negotiation step. You'd be surprised how many times someone has come back from the finance mgr with a different calculation or "estimated" payment based on what we had just "agreed" to.
I also know what my trade is worth or if I can get more in private sale and not bother trading. If they don't like my offer, I start to leave (with resolve). Usually they chase me down and ask to come back and talk more. Sometimes they don't. Either way, I don't get robbed. They either get my business or someone else does. Won't take a high rate, won't take a payment deal, won't accept anything but firm price of vehicle first. Then we can talk about rates. I compartmentalize each transaction. If final paperwork doesn't have exactly what I agreed to, I get up and leave again and the process starts over. I have had final paperwork with numbers massaged differently twice in the past now.
You can also research incentives online from the manufacturer for your region ahead of time. Sometimes dealers won't tell you about all incentives because they can pocket the incentive for themself depending on what is offered.
I have found my absolute best deal came on the last day of a slow qtr. Poor guy told me sales had been low lately too and there was nobody in the dealership. Got the price way down. Then went to go over financing and I told them I expected the 0%. They said I couldn't have that price and incentives and get 0%. I got up and told him I was leaving again. He said hang on and went to mgr one last time. Told him I wouldn't come back after this. Could hear sales mgr cussing in the back room when saleman went back there and knew I was actually gettting a deal of a lifetime and 0%.
My other best deals are buying last year's model new in Q1/early Q2. Those leftover models' incentives can become huge. You can negotiate a lower price, then add the incentives from dealer and maker, and get low financing.
When you find an honest salesman or someone you can simply tell this is how I work and they work with you, keep him/her. Reward them with your repeat business. It's good for both of you.
Since then, anytime I buy, I make a fair offer that I think is a good deal. I do my research up front. I take my financial calculator with me and calculate my own payments based on this offer or at each negotiation step. You'd be surprised how many times someone has come back from the finance mgr with a different calculation or "estimated" payment based on what we had just "agreed" to.
I also know what my trade is worth or if I can get more in private sale and not bother trading. If they don't like my offer, I start to leave (with resolve). Usually they chase me down and ask to come back and talk more. Sometimes they don't. Either way, I don't get robbed. They either get my business or someone else does. Won't take a high rate, won't take a payment deal, won't accept anything but firm price of vehicle first. Then we can talk about rates. I compartmentalize each transaction. If final paperwork doesn't have exactly what I agreed to, I get up and leave again and the process starts over. I have had final paperwork with numbers massaged differently twice in the past now.
You can also research incentives online from the manufacturer for your region ahead of time. Sometimes dealers won't tell you about all incentives because they can pocket the incentive for themself depending on what is offered.
I have found my absolute best deal came on the last day of a slow qtr. Poor guy told me sales had been low lately too and there was nobody in the dealership. Got the price way down. Then went to go over financing and I told them I expected the 0%. They said I couldn't have that price and incentives and get 0%. I got up and told him I was leaving again. He said hang on and went to mgr one last time. Told him I wouldn't come back after this. Could hear sales mgr cussing in the back room when saleman went back there and knew I was actually gettting a deal of a lifetime and 0%.
My other best deals are buying last year's model new in Q1/early Q2. Those leftover models' incentives can become huge. You can negotiate a lower price, then add the incentives from dealer and maker, and get low financing.
When you find an honest salesman or someone you can simply tell this is how I work and they work with you, keep him/her. Reward them with your repeat business. It's good for both of you.
