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Haggling with Dealerships on used cars

DietDrThunder

DietDrThunder

Platinum Member
It has been 32 years since I've had to "make a deal" at a dealership. I've always purchased new cars at GM employee pricing, so I'm really not sure how to haggle on a used car. I've looked at several used cars for my daughter (almost 16 and I won't buy her a new one). I see these dealerships online price, and when I get to the dealership the price on the car is higher by at least $1,000. But of course they say they will "honor" the internet price. I may be wrong, but I thought the internet price was still a little high and was going to negotiate off of that price.

For instance, I was looking at a 2012 Chevy Sonic Sedan with 50K miles. The internet price is $12K, at the dealership the price is $13,199. In my mind, 1/2 the life of this car is gone, especially with 25K miles per year driven on it. I've looked at KBB and NADA, but I don't know as I trust these sites for pricing. This Sonic is being sold at a Ford dealership and isn't a Certified Pre-owned vehicle, and only has a 60 day warranty. What would you offer the dealership for this car?

As a side note, I can buy a 2014 with 2 miles and a sticker price of $20+K for $16.5K ($500 GM card rebate), plus TTL with my GM employee discount, and it will have a 3 year 36K mile bumper to bumper, and a 5 year 100K power train warranty.
 
I do all my negotiating over the internet and then print off their offer if I want the car.

I just got a 2009 CTS and did it all over the net. Printed off the last e-mail saying what price they would take and went and bought the car.

In your case it seems you should either look at older cars or just get the new one based on the numbers you gave. That's unless they come down on the price much better on the used one.
 
I prefer dealers that have gone to the fixed price model. I compare it to other dealers, compare to national average, check KBB, and done. Haggling with someone who does it for a living is a good way to lose.
 
I just figure out what I think is a good price, subtract a little and try to get my goal through negotiating. I've walked out without buying before, sometimes you get a call and sometimes you don't.

In the end, you should just feel happy with what you paid. Whether or not it was the best price is irrelevant.
 
I sit in their showroom complaining loudly until they give me the price or have me escorted from the building.

$12k for a 2012 sonic w/50k miles and no extended warranty is a rip off. $10k out the door everything included or I start yelling about customer abuse.
 
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There really are two things you have to do before you even consider haggling.

Know the actual market value of what you're buying.

Know what you want to pay for what you're buying.

Then you can start talking. You have to go in with all the information you can get.
 
Ferzerp said:
There really are two things you have to do before you even consider haggling.

Know the actual market value of what you're buying.

Know what you want to pay for what you're buying.

Then you can start talking. You have to go in with all the information you can get.
Click to expand...

This

I know what i'm willing to pay and I tell them. Don't be afraid to leave, or better yet do most negotiating via email or phone so they don't pull any crap.
 
BoberFett said:
I prefer dealers that have gone to the fixed price model. I compare it to other dealers, compare to national average, check KBB, and done. Haggling with someone who does it for a living is a good way to lose.
Click to expand...

This just reminds me of that video "Don't talk to the police" where a veteran detective basically says "you aren't smart enough to outsmart my during the interrogation; if you were, you wouldn't be sitting in this room with me."
 
When we bought our Silverado, we went the new car dealer route. Figured a dealer wouldn't keep a POS on their lot.

Used Carfax, TrueCar, and a host of other online resources. In the end, we got a pretty good deal.

But like Gilbot said, don't be afraid to walk away. That in itself is your strongest bargaining tool.
 
monkeydelmagico said:
I sit in their showroom complaining loudly until they give me the price or have me escorted from the building.

$12k for a 2012 sonic w/50k miles and no extended warranty is a rip off. $10k out the door everything included or I start yelling about customer abuse.
Click to expand...

So $10K everything, you mean TT&L as well? Because that is what was my initial thought.
 
Cepak....you've done good work to research/reveal the dealer's multiple pricing on the car...that suggests that they are being flexible...so that's good...

What's not good is that the worst deal on a used car is one that is only 1-2 years old...getting a new-end-of-year model is a much better deal...
 
kitatech said:
Cepak....you've done good work to research/reveal the dealer's multiple pricing on the car...that suggests that they are being flexible...so that's good...

What's not good is that the worst deal on a used car is one that is only 1-2 years old...getting a new-end-of-year model is a much better deal...
Click to expand...

I know you are right. I just got off the phone with a sales person at AutoNation Chevrolet in Dallas. I got a quote for a 2013 Chevy Sonic with 3 miles on it, sticker price $18,028, and the GM Employee pricing (with rebate) on it is $14,212, then I get a $500 GM MasterCard rebate, bringing the price to $13,712 plus TT&L.

Even though it makes sense money wise, I just can't be one of those stupid parents that buys their kid a brand new car.
 
Cepak said:
I know you are right. I just got off the phone with a sales person at AutoNation Chevrolet in Dallas. I got a quote for a 2013 Chevy Sonic with 3 miles on it, sticker price $18,028, and the GM Employee pricing (with rebate) on it is $14,212, then I get a $500 GM MasterCard rebate, bringing the price to $13,712 plus TT&L.

Even though it makes sense money wise, I just can't be one of those stupid parents that buys their kid a brand new car.
Click to expand...

Many dealers are getting rid of the 2013 models at cost or at a loss.

A dealer close to me is selling a $17k MSRP Sonic for $13,999 advertised price. If I negotiate on top of that, I can bring that down to $15k out the door.

Your employee pricing is good for any other time of the year, but at this point in the year you might be better off bargain hunting for clearances.
 
Cepak said:
I know you are right. I just got off the phone with a sales person at AutoNation Chevrolet in Dallas. I got a quote for a 2013 Chevy Sonic with 3 miles on it, sticker price $18,028, and the GM Employee pricing (with rebate) on it is $14,212, then I get a $500 GM MasterCard rebate, bringing the price to $13,712 plus TT&L.

Even though it makes sense money wise, I just can't be one of those stupid parents that buys their kid a brand new car.
Click to expand...

yeah, I can understand that....sooo...consider some incentives...e.g. offering a "bonus" for every month the car stays clean inside and out, free of scratches and garbage...throw in a bonus for washing the family cars...build pride in ownership...
 
BoberFett said:
I prefer dealers that have gone to the fixed price model. I compare it to other dealers, compare to national average, check KBB, and done. Haggling with someone who does it for a living is a good way to lose.
Click to expand...

Eh, I got my current vehicle from a place like that after he came down to my price 😛

What they were asking wasn't out of line, but it was more than I could do, so I just walked away. Almost, he stopped me and just asked what I would pay. Told him, and he did it lol. Wasn't a huge difference, but still. I thought it was a little funny.

So, yeah, even those "fixed price" places aren't always so fixed 😀
 
We'll I'm now one of those parents who have bought their kid a new car, but I couldn't help myself. Every time I tried to leave the price got better.

2013 Sonic LT, 1.4L Turbo, 6 speed Automatic, MyLink infotainment, power everything.
Sticker price $18,820
Negotiated price $16,994.1
- $1,000 national incentive
-$750 bonus cash
- $623.27 GM credit card earnings
= $14,620.83
+ TTL
Total out the door price $15,771.74
 
Should have gone MT. I'm convinced it makes better drivers.

EDIT: Only somewhat serious based on a very small sample size.
 
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