Some other suggestions:
- Don't act like you love the car (this goes for your wife as well)...act like you can take it or leave it...as though it is merely a means of transport. Maybe you are between this car and another or even 2 others at other dealerships...whomever will give you the best price will get your business.
- Do a little research before to see if there is money back from the manufacturer or any rebates on the vehicle. See if they tell you about it first before mentioning it...(especially the money back from the manufacturer) this can also be an indicator of how honest they will be during the negotiation/transaction.
- If you can, find out if there is a spiff on the car. This is an incentive given by the dealership to the salesperson to sell a particular car (maybe one that has been on the lot a long time). The salesperson and dealership may be more inclined to blow the car off the lot just to get rid of it.
- After doing your research and deciding what you'd be willing to pay, ask for that price to be "out the door." This figure means you drive it off the lot for that amount...it includes, tax, title, license, destination fees, etc. For instance, let's say the sticker price is $30,000. If your research tells you that $500 over invoice is a fair price and you feel good about it, find out what that figure is (maybe it's like $27,700 or something) and say you'll do the deal for that figure "out the door." They may or may not be able to or want to do this depending on the mark up or desire to sell, but it could be a starting point.
Things you probably know:
- Do NOT buy any after market "rustproofing"
package or whatever. If the car is decent, you won't need that.
- Unless you plan to keep the car for many years after the manufacturer's warranty expires before trading, do NOT buy any extended warranty. That is mainly something to buy if you are buying used.
