Do you have a car buying strategy? Why would I ask that question? Because if you dont you could be getting taken for a ride. You can bet that the auto dealer will have his strategy planned, down to the last dot and comma. From the moment he sees you, he knows the path he wants to lead you down.

You’ve got to have your own strategy in mind. The salesman’s job is to hit his sales target. The more he can make on each deal, the better. Maybe by bumping you up to a more expensive model or some optional extras.

The dealers offers on finance and servicing may sound attractive but they could work out better for him than for you. That is why you need to know what alternatives are available before you go to buy.

The next part of your car buying strategy is to know when to look. New models are released between August and November. Just before then is your chance to get the current model at a discount. The dealer needs to get old stock off his hands.

The end of the month is good because they will be trying to hit that quota. The pressure is on them to get you to buy now rather than later. Use that to your advantage. If they see that you are ready to leave, it might encourage them to improve the deal.

Weekdays are better for getting a good deal. With fewer buyers around, the agent needs to pull out the stops to make the deal attractive. If you are the only one in the showroom, he doesn’t want to see you walk away.

Buying a car is a major financial commitment. You dont have to do it today. It is easy to be seduced by the shiny paint job and that new car smell. And the dealer will have used every trick in his playbook to take advantage of that. He will want you to believe that if you want this car, its got to be now. Thats not true.

If you feel uneasy about the contract or there is too much pressure to sign, leave. You always have that option. There will always be other opportunities to get the same or better deal on the model you want.

With your car buying strategy in place, you can take away the dealers advantage. Things are tight these days and you need to be sure you are getting the right car for you at the best price.

Share This