How to Handle a Bargaining Table in Buying a New Car

New cars cost thousands of dollars, but the price is negotiable. All new vehicles have a Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) in their windows listing the standard equipment and options and itemizing the costs. The total is known as the "sticker price." Ignore the MSRP, advises Philip Reed, an advice editor at the Edmunds auto research website. Consumers who do their research and who are willing to bargain with dealers can usually pay much less than that price.

Instructions

1

Check availability of the new car you plan to purchase in online dealer inventories. You have more bargaining power for slow-selling or overstocked models, and Joe Wiesenfelder of the Cars.com vehicle information site explains that these models are more likely to have available rebates. Your negotiating ability drops if you want a rare or a very popular vehicle.

2

Print out invoice information on the car you wish to purchase and any current consumer and dealer incentives before visiting the dealership, Reed advises. This data is readily available for free through car research sites like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book.

3

Calculate a fair price for your desired vehicle based on its availability and any rebates and dealer incentives. You can often get cars in ample supply at or near the invoice price.

4

Tell the salesperson you are unsure about trading in your old vehicle, even if you intend to do so. Wiesenfelder recommends keeping trade-in negotiations separate to get the best deal. He states that most people get more money for their old cars by selling them privately or shopping them around to multiple dealerships.

5

Tell the salesperson your price and explain that it is a firm offer, not a starting point. Salespeople are used to back-and-forth negotiations that often take a lot of time. State that you want a direct answer on whether your price is acceptable, and that you will buy the new car if the dealer agrees, or leave if the answer is no.

6

Leave the bargaining table if the salesperson takes too long. Get up and walk outside to the car lot and browse at the vehicles, or give the salesperson a time frame up front. For example, state, "I know you have to check with your manager, but I don't have time to waste. I must leave if you are not back in five minutes."

7

Visit another dealership if the initial car dealer does not agree to your price or does not handle the bargaining process in a satisfactory way. You will find a dealer who agrees to your price if you calculated it accurately. Contact dealers through their Internet sales departments if you get tired of visiting them in person.