• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

going to buy a car soon at a dealership. tips?

S

Semidevil

Diamond Member
I have no intention of screwing the salesman. I just want the best and fair deal for both of us. Does any one have any tips or suggestions?

I will bring my own financing plans, so I will see if they can match or beat it.
I looked online for the dealerships in my area and will bring all of their prices with me.

I plan to go mid next week.

I am looking for a honda insight. Any words of advice on how to deal with the salesman in getting the best deal?
 
Use Edmunds.com, Truecar.com, etc to get pricing information on the make/model/options. Truecar.com have partnerships with dealerships that will give you the Truecar best price. You can use this as leverage when dealing with the salesman. Also, Costco has an auto program that partnerships with dealerships to give you a set price on vehicles.

Determine exactly what you want before buying, so feel free to go in to just test drive and fiddle around with the vehicles you're interested in.

Be prepared to walk out if they don't meet your price. If they're close, ask them to throw in additional accessories.

However, based on the specific vehicle you're looking at buying, you may not have a lot of room to negotiate. The Honda Insight might be one of those vehicles.
 
Last edited:
Screwing the salesman? BWAHAHAHA!!!

How exactly would you screw a salesman?

Honestly, I'd send out some internet requests and make them work for your business before actually visiting any dealerships.
 
Bignate603 said:
Don't worry about screwing the salesman. It's not like he's ever going to take a loss on the car. If he agrees to the price he's making a profit.
Click to expand...

This. Don't be afraid to walk away either.

When I was car shopping, I told them the price I wanted to pay. They said no, so I walked. They called me the next day and said they would do the deal.
 
You're going to get screwed buying an Insight right now, prices are high 🙁

Anyway, get his price and don't buy today, period, no matter what. When when you have his price call 1-2 other dealerships on the phone and say what you're looking for and what prices do they have. If they're all within close to each other go back to the original place since they already spent time with you.

I've found the last couple of cars I bought new that a lot of places these days seem to all have more or less the same prices. I always will go through the local dealerships' websites first to see what their weekly newspaper ads are--and they can have prices lower than you'll get if you go into the dealership--but in some vehicles there isn't much variance.

Last two cars I bought were in the weekly newspaper ad, the last one actually one of the loss leaders and the dealership refused to lower the price at all. That was fine on me, it was a pretty solid price, so I got it.
 
When I was car shopping, I cut a lot of the chasing around out (more due to lack of time, had a busy work schedule then.) I test drove the model I was looking at, at a dealership close to my work during lunch hour, just to get a feel of it in general. Then emailed the dealers that had the car I wanted, and then basically I emailed the best deal to the others to see if they wanted to give a better offer. Once it was down to two dealers, I called and spoke with the person who I was communicating with via emails and then finally set up an appointment with the one who was really working with me and ended up giving me the best deal. Pretty much all the haggling was done simply by forwarding emails from one dealer to the other lol. I spent maybe 3 hours at the actual dealer over the course of two days, including time test driving the actual car I wanted, and got the car I wanted for the price I originally set to spend.

As luck would have it, it ended up being the closest one to my house which worked out well as I had a bit of a commute from work. I picked it up on a Thursday about 7pm on my way home from work.
 
Do your homework. Before you even go down there nail down what model you want, what options are must have and those you could live without. Call around first and find the dealers with a suitable vehicle already on the lot. Once there and negotiating price don't be afraid to walk away.
 
I was considering posting a thread about buying from a dealership normally versus using one of the many 'car buying services' like from Costco and AAA.
 
SandEagle said:
the haters are jealous that you want a honda over a ford. get the insight.
Click to expand...

Yes, very jealous over a poor car. The Insight has been universally panned as a poor car in every aspect. Show me a good Honda debuted in the last 7-8 years, there are none. I loved Honda too, but the Insight is a perfect example of the poor design and engineering of Honda today. Look no further than the family 'hearse' they call the new Odyssey. Yikes!

Honda's 'answer' to their critics is (1) another poor Civic Si outclassed in every way by the competition and (2) a Civic Si dressed-up as an Acura with the same anemic power.
 
ExarKun333 said:
Yes, very jealous over a poor car. The Insight has been universally panned as a poor car in every aspect. Show me a good Honda debuted in the last 7-8 years, there are none. I loved Honda too, but the Insight is a perfect example of the poor design and engineering of Honda today. Look no further than the family 'hearse' they call the new Odyssey. Yikes!

Honda's 'answer' to their critics is (1) another poor Civic Si outclassed in every way by the competition and (2) a Civic Si dressed-up as an Acura with the same anemic power.
Click to expand...

The Fit is a good car.
 
A5 said:
The Fit is a good car.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I said 7-8 years to exclude both the fit and the S2000 (both great cars). I cannot think of another launch after these that was worth anything from Honda.

Fit was 2001...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ExarKun333 said:
Agreed. I said 7-8 years to exclude both the fit and the S2000 (both great cars). I cannot think of another launch after these that was worth anything from Honda.

Fit was 2001...
Click to expand...

2nd Gen was like 2006, though, right? If you're going to count the Odyssey, then you have to count the latest Fit 😛
 
Make sure that you have an agreed on price without any dealer addons.

Many are trying to sneak in $300-$500 in paperwork costs or dealer profit after a price is agreed on.
 
assuming you know what car and options you want the best thing to do is figure out what price you will pay (take a look on edmunds forums for the particular model for ideas), and be very clear that the only way you'll bother visiting their dealership is to sign the paperwork. every dealer wants you to come in for a test drive so they can perform their control techniques on you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top