Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Okay, my husband is the one that is going to take care of this, but he doesn't explain details to me, so I want to know - how do you negotiate effectively? What do you need to know to negotiate the best deal?

We are Ford people, so don't throw in other options. :thumbsup

We already have a Taurus and an F-150. We are thinking of an Explorer or an Escape. Don't want anything too big. I was reading a couple of negatives on the Escape - bad performance of rear drum brakes and the back seats don't recline and are hard to fold down.

I was reading that handling things on-line is a great way to start as it lets the dealer know you are an on-line shopper. My husband isn't big about doing something like that. So, maybe I could do it on the sly? :heeheehee

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Go to Edmunds.com. You can find the vehicle(s) you are thinking about. Reviews for each vehicle will be there as well.

Edmunds will give you good negotiating advice. The website will tell you the MSRP, the actual invoice price of the car, the TMV (true market value - what people in YOUR area are actually paying for a particular model). It will also give you any rebate info and "kick-back" info. (Kick-back are manufacturer incentives to the dealers.)

All this information will give you more negotiating power with the dealer. We purchased three vehicles using this info. We did most of the negotiating online and in one instance drove about 50 miles to the dealer who gave us the best deal. When we got there, we found out that while he was negotiating, he didn't even have the actual vehicle on his lot - but he traded another dealer for it (one that had given us a higher price). There is a lot more wiggle room than a person would think between MSRP and what you can actually pay.

I am close to people who have had both the Explorer and Escape. The Escape will give you better mileage than the Explorer. The Escape owners were very happy - drove it about 9 years and had no problems. Had about about 130K miles when they sold it. It is quite a bit smaller than the Explorer.

Also...... we prayed about it.... :thumbsup

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Thanks, Sweet Pea. I do have Edmunds in my Bookmarks. I was just wanting to read more layman experience on the forum.

And I was concerned about the size of the Escape compared to the Explorer. Don't like driving around Texas in a small vehicle. But I don't want a huge SUV either.

I was very disappointed in our Taurus, which my son has right now, compared to our Lincoln. You can really hear the road in the Taurus and I don't like that at all!

We aren't as interested in spending as much as we would for another Lincoln, but I was looking at the Lincoln MKX and if we could get a deal, I think that's what I would really want. I'll see what my husband can do with that. :thumbsup

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Mr. Pressing: How much for this Explorer?

Salesman: $35,000.

Mr. Pressing: Deal!

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

LOL! I'm not going to talk about the shoddy deal he got us on the Taurus. I had to remind him of that when I insisted we pay if off even though our son was making the payments so he would have a car.

I'm doing the legwork now. :happydance

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Interior Lincoln MKX:

http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/meris...ry/6961_51.jpg

Interior Explorer:

http://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/pi...20378503-E.jpg

Interior Escape:

http://media.ed.edmunds-media.com/pi...20375776-E.jpg

Okay, if I can't have the Lincoln, I'm in for the Explorer.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I am a horrible negotiator myself which makes my best bet the "Get a Quote" option under Auto's on Yahoo. That's how I got my new Hyundai 2011 Sonata Hybrid. I let the dealers duke it out on price and truly did get a pretty good deal, which seems to get better the more I hear about its current going price in reviews.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Thanks, Randy. That is some information I was looking for. :thumbsup We will probably pay cash for the vehicle, so I want a very good deal. I wonder if that is something you should tell them up front?

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Buy a Consumer Reports guide - we use a consumer report magazine for just about everything we purchased. As far as negotiating - you just have to have set in your mind what you want to pay and don't budge. I bought a camaro not too long ago - told the dealership what I was willing to do - they said there was no way - I left - they called me a few days later and asked me what they could do to make me walk away with the car - told them I had already told them and they said there was no way possible - I reminded them the details of what I said - they said DONE - I went and got the car.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Awesome! :thumbsup I traded in my Camero for a Ford Bronco when I got married. :heeheehee I don't especially like Chevy's, but that was a good car. It had been in culverts, over curbs, etc., etc. LOL!

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I don't know if your supposed to tell them if your paying cash up front or not. I'm pretty sure your supposed to either TELL them, or NOT tell them until the end. :)
I DO know that if your planning on trading in a car you wait until the final price is settled on before saying "Oh yes, I have a car I want to trade in, how much can I get for it?" other wise they will jack up the price in order to make it appear your getting more for your old junker.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Or you could just wait for the next 60 second sale at Barnacle Brothers and pick up the car of your dreams for only 20 bucks.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

We aren't trading a vehicle. I'm just doing some legwork, but I know that I'm not allowed to speak when my husband is talking to the salesman. I'll get the evil eye. :heeheehee

I am a good negotiator, but my weak area is when you start throwing numbers at me. My ears start ringing and I look around for a math teacher. :heeheehee

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

This looks like some good information.

Negotiating to Buy a New Car
http://www.negotiationdynamics.com/Newcar.asp

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

http://www.ford.com/suvs/explorer/

They start out at $28,170. As shown in the photo $46,370. I would choose Candy Red. :)

$25,000 would be my bottom line, without all the bells and whistles.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I love my Saturn, and got a great deal. But was surprised that some things are extras. Like floor mats, CD players, sometimes even A/C.

BTW, I got mine in Tyler, but it came from Louisiana.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Candy Red is out. That is the top car color that the highway patrol can spot. :heeheehee That and yellow. I am wanting Sterling Grey, Ingot Silver or White Suede.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

:heeheehee

Yep, I found that out. But, they love me, so I don't have a problem with that. :D

I like the Grey or Silver, the White not so much.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I know. I was looking at the list of things not to purchase extra:

Undercoating
Scotchguarding (can do that ourselves)
Paint Sealant
VIN etching
Window Tinting
Pin-stripping
Alarm system (which most vehicles already have)
Extended Warranties (I'd probably want some kind of extended on the transmission, etc.)
Gap protection (could have used that when we had our rear-end collision)

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

This is what I was looking for:

Dealer Holdback

http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/de...tid=cj50922506

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Yep, good idea. And make sure they go over the inside and outside of the vehicle for everything. Dents, dings, spots on the interior, etc.....BEFORE you sign anything.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

:thumbsup :heeheehee

The White Suede isn't a bright white, which I like, but I'm sure we won't be getting that anyway. We've pretty much already agreed on the darker grey.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

"holdback" - that's what I meant instead of kickback. I have old-timers disease. :heeheehee

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Yea, when we bought the Taurus, the back window wouldn't roll down. We got that scheduled for repair before we signed the papers. They had disengaged it for the lock box thingy on the window.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Yeah, we live in the country so White is OUT. The official color of my car is Garnet, not Candy Red. We looked at a silver, but our driveway is a mile of sand and gravel. UGH!!!!!!!!! Well, not really a mile, that's just an expression...........:D

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Got one of these bumper stickers?

http://rlv.zcache.com/if_you_dont_li...94trl0_400.jpg

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I knew what you meant. When I'm on-line and reading too much, my spelling gets worse because I'm then in a hurry to get off-line. LOL!

The F-150's have a $2,500 rebate. Hmmm, do I want my own truck? I can't decide. I want another car, but I hate sitting so low in the traffic. I need to see who I can cut out, a head of time, to get where I'm going! :heeheehee

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

LOL! :thumbsup

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Yea, white it out. My husband is too busy to wash the vehicles, so I have to take care of that. We used to have a LTD that was silver, so I think I'll stick with the darker grey. I wonder if that will be as hot as black? I guess it depends on the interior.

Man, it is hot here! And we need a hurricane so it will rain!!!

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I remember starting a thread, some time back, about purchasing a handgun. I ended up picking up a 12-gauge. What if I end up with a Chevy instead of a Ford? :nah Ain't gonna happen. :toofunny

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Do they come in "Stealth"? :lol

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Randy,
Is this what you are talking about?

http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/buy.h...stalcode=85117


They want your name, address, etc. Would the dealer check your credit score by having this, because I understand that your credit score drops when someone checks it. Also, I understand that if you do a self-check, the score doesn't drop. So, I'm not sure if I would want to use this or not.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I just called Auto Color Library at 858-909-2110
and they said - NO! 1995 Dodge Stealth, but no car color of that name. :heeheehee Darn, I wanted it! :toofunny

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Yes, that is the area where I requested a quote. And when you do, stand by your phone because you will start getting calls within 15 minutes.

And no, they don't check your credit at this time. They will when you actually buy it but no matter how many check it only counts as one inquiry.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Okay, because if we ever did finance, we would go through our credit union and not the dealership.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Of course if your showing up with a check then there will be no credit check, other than the one your credit union does. But as Gimli said, it still only counts as one.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

I see you added this after I responded. I'm afraid I'll mess up my husband's dealings if I talk to anyone. Would I? He would be so ticked. :heeheehee

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

He can talk to them than but the beauty of this is that it pits the dealers against each other rather than against you. It makes it easy for negotiating creme puffs like me to actually get a decent price.

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

LOL! Okay. I didn't know that. Thanks! :thumbsup We don't borrow very often, so I didn't know how it worked.

When we bought our house the lender said, "You don't have anything on your record that you have purchased. Why not?"

I said, "We haven't ever needed anything."

He said, "I need you to talk to my wife."

:toofunny

Re: Negotiating a new car deal - how's it done?
 

Okay, so should I put his name on the inquiry? He'll probably put the vehicle in his name.