re: New Truck Buying Tactics

It's ahhhhhmazing how I was just able to save an additional $3,500 from their first offer all the way down to the offer that I finally agreed upon (and many conversations along the way) all by knowing what I wanted to pay without letting them know.

Silence is golden. Contrary to what they will ask in many different ways, you don't have to give a number. It's their job to tell you what the vehicle will cost.
Your job is to either agree or disagree with what they present to you.

The ability for you to be able to walk out is the most powerful thing you can do.

Case in point. After going back and forth with one of the managers of the dealership (I eliminated the sales person right away from taking the lead - he didn't know how to handle me as he was inexperienced in the art of negotiating) and after he told me "I just can't go any lower." I told him, either you can't or you won't. He said he would be losing money on the deal, blah ... blah ... blah ... Well, he ended up getting up from his seat (as a power play), I stood up and shook his hand, thanked him for his time and then the sales person then re-engages me to say, "I am pretty sure that is the best price he can do." I simply told him, "well then ... it's not good enough is it?"

As we were walking toward the entrance for me to leave, I told the sales person, I came here to make a deal and I believe based upon what I presented to you, I have not mislead you. I said, if I walk out of this door, I am not coming back and I am going somewhere else to buy a vehicle today. I suggest you go back and speak with you manager and tell him I want this vehicle for xx this price (which I set lower), but tell him because he was willing to work with me, I'll split the difference with him.

So off into his office he went and back out to meet me ... they accepted my offer.

You have to stand firm. They call a lot of people's bluff. But I wasn't bluffing. I would have gone somewhere else that day and I think he knew it.

In recollecting my conversation, the manager said why should I sell this vehicle to you for what you are wanting it for when I have only had it in stock for two days ... when I can probably sell it closer to my asking price in three or four days, because it will move and it will sell. I said, "you're right ... you could sell that vehicle and you may get more ... or you may not." You have a customer right here in front of you today that is wanting to buy and willing to give you money today. To me that is a sure thing. What you are talking about may not happen.

Just different tidbits of how I handle negotiating with these dealerships.

It may work for you, or it may not. But nonetheless, good luck to you in your quest for a new vehicle.


One other note ... I ended up trading in my vehicle. What they initially offered me was almost $7K LESS than what we settled on. I only made the dealership aware of the trade after I negotiated the price of my new vehicle. They thought they were done with me once we reached a price on the new vehicle and then I let them I know I was interested in trading it in. That's when they low balled me to make it up on what they couldn't get out of me on the new vehicle. But by that time, they were too heavily invested in me and I had the leverage ... even though the manager tried to take control of the situation, which I would not allow to occur.