Originally Posted by Reg Kittrelle
"...If the initial person I deal with can't make the deal; I walk. And BTW: I use the 1-hour rule. If we haven't come to an agreement within 60 minutes: I walk. This has mightily pissed off a number of salesmen over the years, but it is the most successful tool in my negotiation box. At times, I have lost cars I've really wanted but, overall, it's worked".
You give the process alot more time than I ever would. I give it 15 minutes.
The "first" person you come into contact with is the salesperson. They could not approve a deal if they wanted to, that is unless it was obviously to their advantage and then they still run to the back room for approval.
I do my research on a new car, I know the value of my trade-in (if I have one) and I know what my credit report says. I have an offer already prepared in writting which includes what intrest rate I want.
As the salesman approaches me, I smile, shake hands and ask him to take me straight to the manager. :twisted: I am usually asked to sit down first and give them some information... nope, I want to go straight to the top and make a one time offer. If my offer isn't accepted, then they don't need to know anything about me. I want to know within 15 minutes if my offer will be accepted. If not I walk. I don't want to waste my time nor theirs.
Before anyone slams me... understand that I present a
"fair" offer, between invoice and MSRP plus any discounts that are avalible. I refuse to play the back and forth cat and mouse game, sorry. If other people enjoy it fine, but most of them get taken advantage of one way or another and do not get a fair deal when buying a vehicle.
When I bought my Xfire, the first dealer lost the deal because we were $400 apart. The next day I went to a different dealer and got the car for $900 less than the first dealer's lowest counter offer.
For too many years I was too stupid to know any better and was always on the losing side of the deal... not anymore.
Happy motoring...
