For a woman buying a car alone, the experience falls somewhere south of having a root canal on the pleasure scale. Female car buyers often have to endure a subtle and sometimes not so subtle discrimination. They find themselves being shown cute cars. Salespeople discuss the choice of paint colors rather than the gas mileage. At worst, women are asked if they want to wait for their husbands to arrive before making the big decision. So, how does a woman purchasing a car on her own defend against this sort of behavior? Education. Learn what you need to know before you head to the showroom.
First, decide on the car you want. Consider what you are looking for in a vehicle size, style, and features. Use the websites of the major car manufacturers to build your dream car.
These programs will even given you the sticker price of your ideal vehicle. You can ignore this price during real negotiations, but you’ll have a idea of the general price range of the vehicle.
Still unsure about what you should buy? Look at car comparison websites such as Edmunds and NADA Guides that can help you compare cars side-by-side as well as offer reviews and guides for car buying.
Once you have found the perfect vehicle, its time to research the price. Using the internet, you can find out what the dealers invoice price is for your car. This is the price you want to work with, as it is the actual dealer cost.
In addition, check to see if there are any incentives available on the car. These can be incentives such as low-interest financing or cash back. There may also be incentives to the dealer from the manufacturer. That means that if the dealer sells a specific model, they receive a rebate. This means that a dealer can sell at or below invoice and still make a profit on the car.
Many websites will even give you information on actual selling prices of similar models in your area. By analyzing this information, you will be able to determine a reasonable sales price for the car you want.
Now that you have found your car and know how much you should reasonably pay, head out to the dealer. You can now negotiate effectively.
When you arrive, make it clear to the salesperson that you know exactly what you want and exactly how much you are willing to pay. In short, there should be very little negotiation. Make your offer and stand firm. You will likely get the usual, I have to check with my sales manager runaround.
If the dealer will not meet your price which you know is reasonable go to another dealer. In some cases, you can even get dealers to bid against each other. With a little homework beforehand and a little persistence at the dealership, you’ll have a better experience buying a car.
Tags: Addition Check, Behavior Education, Car Buyers, Car Buying Tips, Car Comparison, Car Manufacturers, Cute Cars, Dream Car, Edmunds, Gas Mileage, Incentives, Invoice Price, Mileage, Nada Guides, Paint Colors, Purchasing A Car, Root Canal, Salespeople, Sticker Price, Subtle DiscriminationRelated posts
Car buying is not a task to be taken lightly. The cost of a new car equals almost what my parents paid for their first home. It’s imperative to do behind the scenes research to ensure you get a great deal.
Do not be in a hurry. Car dealers can detect the scent of desperation a mile away! If you are totally without transportation, rent a vehicle until you find the right car. If you rush your purchase, you will usually end up on the bad end of the deal.
You can uncover the typical retail cost of a specific make and model right on the internet. With a little extra research, you can discover the wholesale cost as well. These two pieces of information give you an edge when it comes to negotiation.
It’s best to work toward a win-win situation with the car salesperson. They need to make some money on the deal, and you want to pay a fair price. You can often negotiate a price that is $500 above dealer cost, or about 20% off the sticker price. Make sure you take your calculator with you when car hunting.
You can often order a car with *custom* option choices. This could save you hundreds of dollars. You might wait a couple of weeks, but why pay for options that you do not need?
Always check with the dealership to see if you can return the car if you do not like it. Many dealerships now offer this option. Some dealerships will give you a three day trial period in which to try the car.
It is a good idea to wait until the end of the month to go car hunting. Salespersons who want to meet a certain quota will be eager to strike a deal.
Knowing the value of your old car makes it easier to negotiate a better price for it. Try not to talk about a trade-in possibility until you get a purchase price. Sometimes this is difficult, as most salespeople will ask upfront about a trade in.
I took my car to one lot, and was told the trade in value was $1,200. Another dealership said they would give me $3,500 for the same car! So do your research to make sure you receive a fair price on your used vehicle. Stick to your guns when it comes to getting the value of your trade-in, especially if you’ve had your car serviced regularly.
A service contract will likely be brought into the negotiation. Most consumer information shows no need to buy an extra contract on a new car, as it’s not likely a problem will occur during the first months of use.
Whatever you do, always read the fine print of any contract before signing it. Ask questions about what certain phrases mean if and when you do not understand something.
Also, just because a car is brand new doesn’t mean you should buy it without asking questions. New cars can land in the lemon category as well as used ones. Keep on your toes during the negotiation process. You will enjoy both getting a new car, AND creating a win-win situation for yourself and the dealer.
Tags: Car Buying, Car Car, Car Dealers, Car Salesperson, Custom Option, Desperation, Extra Research, How To Buy A New Car, Hunting, Hurry, Model Right, Negotiation, Option Choices, Quota, Right Car, Salespeople, Salespersons, Sticker Price, Trial Period, Two PiecesRelated posts
Virtual World, Virtual Car Dealerships – Buy Online Through Car Finder Services And Save Money
Everyday, the world of the virtual marketplace gets more real. Dealers, owners, salespeople and services around the world are learning the value of putting their stores online. The automotive manufacturing, marketing and dealership sectors have a greater reliance and expertise in knowledge management than any other industry. This extends to viable E-commerce and cutting-edge online presentation of value-added products. In October of 2005, the New York Times reported that according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, 94% of the dealers in the US have websites with many of them registered through car finder services. The monthly average customers that visited any given dealer site were 230, as compared to a monthly average of 116 in 2004. Consumers are not just window-shopping or researching possible on-lot purchases, they are buying online at a dramatically increasing rate. Typical dealer sales conducted entirely online have increased from an average of 4.9 to 7.5 monthly in just two short years. 1.6 million people a month now buy their vehicles online. This is a staggering statistic. However, given the outstanding customer service and convenience provided by virtual car dealerships, its no surprise. This is part of a worldwide upward trend in auto related site traffic and business. Although site traffic numbers are higher in Germany, Sweden, and Holland, online sales are 60% higher in the USA than the world average.
One of the advantages of the online marketplace and virtual dealership sites is the fact that comparison-shopping is more convenient and less confusing for the consumer. For example, you are more times than not looking at a limited selection of make, model and inventory when you visit your local dealer. The price is approximately whatever the salesperson says it is. Knowing that auto sales are always negotiable, and that most salespersons work from commission, you are immediately put on notice that if you want a good deal, you will have to haggle. Offers and counter-offers then ensue. The salesperson plays the “good cop” role as he shuffles off with offers to a mysteriously absent manager or “bad cop” that is, of course, reportedly inflexible and steadfast. You, on the other hand, sit and twiddle your thumbs for hours on end waiting for a reasonable counter-offer. Usually eight or ten hours later, you are tired, confused, stressed out, and just plain exasperated. You may or may not have worked out a deal. Many car-buyers consider this a frustrating experience, not a satisfying or pleasurable one. Thanks to advancing IT technology and online virtual dealer showrooms, the scenario described above is becoming less common all the time.
The online marketplace allows you to select from an entire world of inventory and options. All makes and all models are available. MSRP and invoice cost are available and price quotes are yours for the asking. Many dealership sites will provide you with a complete detailed list of options and specifications on any make and model that may have caught your interest. Multiple views and zoom features are available for new and some late model vehicles. Some more advanced virtual showrooms can even provide three hundred and sixty degree interior scans. Do you want to hear what your new high performance vehicle sounds like? Yes, you can hear it online in some virtual showrooms. You can access financial worksheets that will calculate your monthly payments right down to the penny. You can do everything short of kicking the tires and taking the test drive. Online, there are no grandiose showrooms, in-your-face sales promotions, prizes, colorful dcor, or overdressed salespersons to drive the dealer’s overhead off the chart. There are no mysteries. On car finder sites like http://www.carfinderservice.com, you can provide a description of exactly what type of vehicle you are looking for and your zip code. You receive a prompt reply from a trusted in-network dealer in your area. This is not an auto-reply with a generic message. You receive a phone call from an actual local salesperson with all the information you need. This includes the availability, the value-added price, and answers to any questions you might have. In addition, there is no cost or obligation to use many of these services.
The value of the in-network dealer is obvious: They have made a commitment to provide consumers with the lowest possible price. A quote at rock bottom price results because the dealers’ cost to obtain you, as a customer is almost zero. These savings can then be passed on to you. We are talking about prices that are usually one percent over the dealer’s invoice. This is a huge bargain by anyone’s standards. There are a number of factors that are taken into consideration to determine pricing at this stage of the online buying experience. One of them, of course, is supply and demand. If a vehicle is in high demand, the price can be as high as the MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price). However, the fact that you are dealing with an in-network dealer is going to carry more than adequate weight into the quote you receive. You get the lowest possible price and the best quality service available anywhere by using a car finder service online. You get the virtual royal treatment with this system.
Tags: Auto Sales, Automobile Dealers Association, Automotive Manufacturing, Car Dealerships, Car Finder, National Automobile Dealers, National Automobile Dealers Association, New York Times, Outstanding Customer Service, Salespeople, Salesperson, Staggering Statistic, Traffic Numbers, Upward Trend, Value Added Products, Virtual Car, Virtual Dealership, Virtual Marketplace, Virtual World, Window Shopping