I've had a similar experience with a regional 4x4 shop. Twice I tried to do business with this shop, and called before I drove there, to verify prices before leaving home, and when I arrived, was told a price, nearly doubling or more the cost of the item I was there to pick up. I was in a pinch, so had to pay the price, but that left a stain in my opinion of that shop. Makes me wonder how other customers are treated, or if maybe the fella just doesn't like me? I'm not certain of either.

 

I know a shop owner who bills you according to what he "THINKS" you can afford-- he will raise prices until you say -- well I can't pay that-- then he lowers the price just enough -- getting the maxium dollar you can pay.

 

I can't figure it out, I can go to a dealer, or shop and price something and they will often want way too much for what they have, and I will eventually decline and look elsewhere, but then I run across other people who say they got an excellent deal at that same location and will always do business with them. I don't know if I am just too cheap, or broke, or if other people are just willing to pay way too much.

 

When we had the national FTE meet - they gave some advice on buying a vehicle-- great advice actually. The sellers use several tricks to get the most money they can-- you kinda need to know those tricks and how to counter them.

 

Yeah.. I would like some of that good advice.

 

We can talk :-) It is way easier to hear the advice then to do it.

Some of the Biggies were... Don't show emotion- don't let them know what you are thinking-- They are trained what to do if you are happy- Mad- sad- disappointed-- but they have no recourse but to lower the price if they don't know what you are thinking.

You may have found the perfect car on their lot- to you it is an amazing find-- to them it is wed. Keep your excitement in check-- Ford made a liion of that car with those options and in that color.

If you bring your wife-- only one of you does any talking-- either you or her-- the silent partner is just 100% stone-- not happy- not mad-- but volunteers little more then yes or no answers- that way they can be used as leverage later on-- "Well my wife is not happy about the whole thing maybe if it was 2,000 less?"

When you first walk in the dorr-- you are "just looking and not buying anything today"- Give them a general description of what you want-- "F150- possibly crew cab- or supercab- " act unsure of what you are looking for even if you researched enough to know exactly what truck you want- at what price and what your trade in is worth-- then every so often drop a question like " I read the 5.4 ltr has cam phaser issues? I don't know if I could pay that much for an engine the might have cam phaser issues.

The first salesman you talk to is a minor player- he will have to ask the boss anything-- he will always come back with "Well I know you wanted it for 20000 but my boss can only go as low as 25000-- they will do this a minimum of twice-- dropping lower each time-- on the third time he goes to the "floor manager" say well if you hae to keep asking him-- maybe I should be talking to him. This shakes the minor guy a bit.

The salesman are not your friend-- they are trying to make the most money they can-- no exceptions-- Your kids may go to the same school- you may have the same taste in sports-- whatever- they are not your friend. (Not true for some little car dealers) They will sing a song that you want to hear about anything-- "you like eating snail slime I love snail slime" To try and make you think you are getting a great deal. You are not--

You will never ever ever get a great deal from a dealer- just an acceptable one.

 

Well I may have sold it yesterday-- $4,500--- in negotiations with wifey as to what I get to spend of that but- I do get new glasses and a new windshield for the super duty out of the deal- We will pay off my colonoscopy and a couple minor bills and put the rest in the bank. He is supposed to call us back on Friday with money and to do paperwork-- he lives on the next street over.

 

That's Great!!! Congratulations!

 

Nice! At least you still get to visit it on a regular basis, if you've grown an attachment to it

Thanks for the quick "Dealing with Dealers" guide, I'll be saving that for my next unfortunate trip to my most hated place on earth......

 

I have a few more tips-- I don't have cash in hand yet but we will see :-)
Getting the sig- other to go along with the quiet thing was the hardest part of my last purchase. I basically told her that just let me rattle on and say anything-- don't correct me- don't really say anything at all- and we will get it cheaper--- Just be quiet until we go to sign then say "can we talk outside" -- Worked like a charm-- got my super duty for $8,500-- and he started at $12,000. I told her if it didn't work she can be in charge next time :-)

 

They have probably seen every trick in the book, but these are some good guidelines.

 

The last couple of deals on buying from a dealer weren't too bad. I had financing or cash lined up ahead of time. When it came time to deal I offered out the door amounts. In other words I didn't care how they wrote it up for dealer prep, paper work fees etc. as long as I wrote a check for X and took the vehicle home. That eliminates all the games they play after you agree on a price for the vehicle. Usually they say we will sell you the vehicle for Y, but when it comes time to write the check or get the financing they add a whole bunch of fees. My answer was the vehicle is Y and the only extra fee I will pay is tax.

 

Thats a good one-- I've done that-- had them pay for the 30 day tag- and everything too