Buying a new car, whether a brand new one or a used one, is overwhelming and, to be honest, a pain. The entire car buying process, from visiting dealership to dealership looking at vehicles, dealing with the annoying salesperson, and going on multiple test drives, there are probably 100 other things you rather do with your time. All that is a hassle, and you haven’t even got to the financing and dreaded negotiating with salespeople. For goodness sake, all you want to do is purchase a new vehicle without getting raked over the coals. Is that so much to ask? Honestly, it is, unless you purchase your next vehicle from FFUN Cars, where you have the choice to purchase a vehicle online or in-store, and the only pushy salespeople you deal with are, well, no one; we don’t have any, we have Customer Experience Specialist who are tasked with one thing; finding you the perfect vehicle. But we get it, maybe you’re old school and like the process of buying a car from a traditional car dealer, and that’s fine. We want to ensure you and every other car buyer are getting the best car prices, so we’re here to help you understand how to get the lowest price (not the sticker price) on your next car purchase.
Don’t Ask
You know the old saying, “doesn’t hurt to ask?” When it comes to getting a lower price when car shopping, it does hurt to ask. Remember, car salespeople work on commission and love to negotiate. We’ll say that some of them have egos, so it’s not always about getting top dollar; it’s about winning. For whatever reason, though, don’t ask what the lowest price is because they will just throw one of their cheesy lines at you in an attempt to emotionally manipulate you into believing them. The truth is, you shouldn’t have to pay more than fair market value for a new or used vehicle. Instead of haggling over the price of the car, be upfront and tell them you know of a better deal at another local dealership. You may be bluffing but let them call your bluff.
Research
When we say to do your research, we mean research vehicles you like. We also mean to research the pricing of those vehicles at different dealerships so you fully know the best price. The great news is that you don’t have to deal with sales or finance managers to find out what other dealerships will offer on new car prices. To compare dealerships against each other and to ensure you are getting a fair price, use what’s known as the back door approach. Simply put, that means using the internet sales department, email, phone, and contact forms. When you use these tools, dealerships know you are researching other options for the best car deal, and they know it’s not in their benefit to waste your time.
Use the manufacturer’s website to your advantage. When local dealerships sell cars, they sell them at the price they want, not necessarily the MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price). Go onto the specific automaker‘s websites and build the car you want, i.e., colour, interior, trim, etc. and then request information from a dealership near you. Once the dealership has seen that you know the MSRP, it’s much harder for them to waste your time trying to get you to pay more than you know you should.
Pay Cash
There aren’t many things that speak louder than cash when making a big purchase. If you can pay cash for your new car, do it. If you don’t need a car loan, it makes the salesperson more eager to sell you the vehicle for a lower price as they know there isn’t the risk of your credit score ruining the chance of them making a commission. Many car buyers focus on a monthly payment instead of the purchase price, so if the interest rate offered is too high, they may have to walk away from the vehicle. Walk in with cash and avoid the complex loan terms that often come with car buying. Coming up with enough money to buy a brand new vehicle can be challenging, so if you can’t, at least save enough for a down payment. The more you put down, the less you need to rely on lenders to finance the remaining, which ultimately saves you money in the long run.
In addition to paying cash (if you can) for a new car, look at a trade-in with your existing vehicle so you can use that towards the purchase, ultimately lowering the cost you have to finance. Going back to doing your research with dealerships near you, ask each one about incentives or rebates they are offering, as those are great negotiating tools.
Avoid Extras
The excitement builds as you get closer to owning a new vehicle, but be careful that the purchase price you get for the vehicle doesn’t creep up once you’re sitting in front of a finance manager. If you think salespeople are good at using lines, wait until you sit with a finance person. Tread carefully when they try to upsell you on an extended warranty, sealant, new toilet, and a puppy. Well, not a toilet or puppy, but they have a long list of items to add to the purchase of your new vehicle, so be wary. In fact, be wary of anyone who works at a traditional dealership.
Not all dealerships are out to get you, but there is a balance between getting a reasonable price on a new vehicle and just making the salesperson’s life difficult. To avoid any of this and know you are purchasing a car for market value, avoid traditional dealerships and shop FFUN Cars. We offer a 100% online car buying experience or a 100% in-store experience. Heck, do a combination. Seriously, search vehicles online, buy them online, have them delivered to you, and enjoy a 24-hour test drive. There’s no worry that our used cars aren’t going to last. Each one comes with a free CARFAX report and goes through a meticulous 92-point inspection. If you want the lowest price on your next car, shop with us.
