| Buying a new car can be confusing. All-too-often, a | | | | invoice price. |
| buyer drives off the lot to discover that he paid too | | | | Another thing to watch out for when haggling over the |
| much, or wasn't offered the same incentives as | | | | purchase of a new vehicle: negotiate over one thing at |
| someone else. Avoid being taken advantage of when | | | | a time. Salespeople like to mix financing, leasing, options |
| purchasing a new car by following these simple tips: | | | | and trade-ins into a single negotiation. Or they may ask |
| Get Your Financing In Place First: | | | | you to negotiate over a set monthly payment. Both of |
| Compare, compare, compare. A dealer's rate might | | | | these tactics gives the dealer the benefit. Settle the |
| seem great - until the buyer discovers that only a | | | | price first, then negotiate trade-ins and financing. |
| select few actually qualify for that low-interest rate or | | | | Stay Away From Options You Don't Care About: |
| cash-back bonus. Check with local banks, credit unions | | | | There sure are a lot of options available for new cars |
| and other finance options before heading to the | | | | today. While they might seem "neat" at the time, |
| dealerships. Being finance-ready may ultimately help | | | | remember, you're paying for each and every one of |
| negotiate a better deal. | | | | those nifty gadgets. Carefully consider what options |
| Do Your Homework: | | | | you want and need on your new car before heading |
| Never enter a showroom unprepared. That gives the | | | | to the dealer showroom. Unless the salesperson is |
| salesperson way too much control. Know what type | | | | willing to add it for free, don't take anything that you |
| of vehicle you want, what the models available offer, | | | | don't want to pay for! |
| average prices, etc. Basically, know what you want | | | | Another thing to watch out for: unnecessary add-ons |
| and about how much it's going to cost. Be prepared to | | | | by the dealer. Check the bill of sale for things like rust |
| leave the dealer if you don't find what you want. | | | | protection or stain guarding on upholstery. Most cars |
| Be Ready To Negotiate: | | | | these days already come with high-end rust protection, |
| Don't start negotiations based on the sticker price. | | | | and stain guards can be done easily (and a lot less |
| Good negotiators go online to find out what the dealer | | | | expensively), after the sale. |
| paid for the vehicle, which may or may not include any | | | | Buying a new car doesn't have to break the bank. |
| additional sales incentives or dealer bonuses, and begin | | | | Smart buyers can get a good quality car at a price |
| their negotiations there. The average starting point is | | | | they can afford, with a little knowledge. |
| about 4 to 8 percent higher than the dealer's final | | | | |