Haggling with dealers: how cheap was your car?

[concord]

I'm trying to buy myself a used Territory which has put me at the mercy of used car dealers.

Is there any system on how much we ccan haggle with dealers? A standard format for how much below he sicker price one should aim?

I understand each dealer will have a different system but inside knowledge would be appreciated.

How much did you haggle your used car?

[MWTB]

My first suggestion is don't buy from a used car yard.

My second is that you need to pick out every little flaw with the car. Paint chips, scuffed wheels, faded paint ("Ohhh that'll need a detail"), funny ticking noise that you know is the injectors and very common but hope he doesn't know, anything at all.

Never say a positive thing about the car like 'oh that looks really good' because it will give the seller the idea that you want it badly and he will be firm on the price because he knows you want his more than others.

Good luck!

[SM1DY]

Also mention that cars like the Kluger and Captiva are on your list to check out, even if they aren't. Used cars are a dime a dozen, so if the dealer doesn't want to play ball another one will turn up.

[prydey]

i have a different view. whilst i still try to knock a bit off, i'm very mindful of the sellers point of view, having been on the receiving end many times.

dealers often have a bit of room to move. private sales do as well but generally not as much. personally speaking, i generally price my cars to suit the condition, so trying to knock off money for paint imperfections or worn tyres just isn't going to work.

just bear that in mind. also, find a car that is what you want, and if it means spending a bit more, then spend that coin. trust me, 6 months later, what you paid will be forgotten but you have to live with the car every day. don't buy something because its cheaper and then regret not spending the extra on something you really wanted.

follow your heart but keep your head involved.

i only knocked about $500 off my FG. i was always going to buy it as it was the only 6sp around at the time that was close to my budget and the dealer knew i wanted it but at the end of the day, i still bought the car i wanted.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Do some research, both here and online on buying tactics...

There is no set rule on savings... a seller my give you a great deal to end a very good month, or not budge because they have had a lot of interest and you are the first of many to see the car.

1 thing... look over all paperwork carefully, and verbal promises need to be written down in detail on the paperwork. Eg, if you have negotiated extras at extra cost, itemise them separate to the cost of the car.

Write EVERYTHING down....

[H.G]

you know those people that gloat about how much they screwedthe salesguy down...
well they usually are the ones that end up screwed.. ;P

[JimStone]

As a car salesman in a previous life I approach this issue a little differently to most -

I NEVER talk price unless I am prepared to drive away in that car on the day, full stop,

If you are trading in; talk changer over price, not trade values or price on new car. Both of these are often flexible, the change over price is the critical number,

Research - know what you are looking for, know the good and bad of that model; cuts a lot of crap if you can be concise with the dealer as to what you want and even better if you can demonstrate knowledge of the vehicle,

Research - know what your trade and the new car are worth in the car yard and privately, don't loose sight of the fact your trade in is generally worth 5-10k LESS as a trade compared to a private sale,

If trading in - clean your car; don't turn up with a fithly car with empty maccas wrappers and ciggy butts overflowing out the ashtray - does not need to be a full on detail, just present as a clean example,

Check the yard stock number of your target car - lower stock number means its been on the car lot longer, dealer will be more motivated to move the car,

When you are ready to buy - dont talk deals on the lot, you will tip your hand and give the dealer the upper hand in the negotiations, only talk money when at the table,

Make an offer based on your assessment of the value - there is no magic formula, no set amount of profit for the dealer; it comes down to what you are prepared to pay and what the dealer is prepared to sell for. That being said, don't be afraid to lowball the change over price - will give a start point for negotiations at least,

At the table - be very clear - you are ready to buy IF you can agree on price; the dealer will be more likely to move on price if they believe ther is a deal to be made on the day,

Be prepare to walk away - if they try delaying tactics, get forceful, won't negotiate on the changeover price, etc - stand up and walk away(don't forget keys for your trade in!!), there are more fish in the sea.

Good luck and don't forget the key is negotiation - you want to spend the least amount of money, dealer wants the most profit - just have to meet in the middle somewhere.

Cheers

James

[2011G6E]

I don't really believe true "haggling" exists in Australia.
Too many times I've foolishly watched stuff like "Bargain Hunt" to get ideas and seen Pommies haggling over stuff, and been to a shop or a swap meet or something to buy some object large or small and asked "what's your best price on this", or "what sort of deal can you do on this", and got the frosty reply "The price is on the tag...that's the best we can do".

[jpd80]

I once offered a guy $1,000 less than his asking price, he was so insulted and infuriated that he went to punch me in the mouth...
From that. I learned that it is important to first read the people you're dealing with and whether they are or should be on medication..

[No.6]

My experience was quite good. The salesman at a ford dealership approached me and i told him straight up that i want to buy a car and if he gives me the right price i will sign papers today. I was eyeing this 09 fg xr6t which was going for 42K + on road with around 20,000km on it. Managed to negotiate down to 39K + on road. I told him id think about it and went home. On the way home he called me and offered it for 38750 + on road and told him i would think about it. I came back the next day and told him I will sign the papers and pay 10k upfront if he could meet my price at 38500 + on road and include window tinting, paint protection plus extended warranty and a few other little extras. I ended up getting the car for 37900 + on road including tinting, paint protection and extended warranty and he even threw in a matching spare mag wheel .

I was pretty happy with it seeing as how the car was only a year old at the time. Plus at the time of purchase it was around the EOFY so im assuming dealerships would want to move stock asap. Letting the salesman know you are definitely ready to buy a car isnt always a bad thing. Its just a matter of you and him/her meeting in the middle. BUT always be prepared to walk away and not get too excited about buying a car. In the end it is your money and you are not losing anything by walking away. Cars come and go, and being patient definitely pays off.

[IanC]

Check out the government car auctions. That is where the dealers get some of their stock so you can see what price they are buying in at. If the car still has a year or so on the manufacturers warranty you don't need to worry about not having a warranty. I don't know if there will be any Territorys there but it is worth having a look at the online catalogues.

[GTP534]

When I was looking around for my AU II XR8 I was after the 220kW model, only just released. I got messed around by Jubilee Ford when, after all the negotiation, the salesman went away, came back, and said that the deal was only for the 200kW model. I left.

Went down the road to Thomson Ford, salesman came over to me and apologised that I hadn't been approached and asked me to wait. Not long after, he came back, I explained what I was after and his response was "OK, you know what you're after, how can we make this happen today?". I had the price in mind for my trade and I stuck to that. It was all done politely and I got my price.

So I guess reading the person you're dealing with is important and that is also important for the salesman.