IMO, the main things are go prepared, be realistic and be flexible.sat1983 wrote:What is the best conversation to have with a dealer when I walk in, literally? Where do you start etc?
I heard asking for a "discount" is never the thing to do- best to ask for a fair deal for myself & salesperson.
But first - settle on your spec. I find it helps to know exactly what you want before the haggling starts.
Then, when you ring or visit a dealer, make sure you know your bottom line - what is the absolute maximum you want to spend? Do some research and get a genuine idea of what is the best possible price you could *realistically* get for the car that you want (usually from a broker*). Work out what the minimum is you want for any p/ex and how much deposit, if any you're willing to contribute.
Ultimately, you will benefit from being flexible - I'm on my third brand new car now and have found that it is well worth shopping around to get a good deal - in my experience discounts vary wildly from dealer to dealer.
I would recommend phoning as many dealers as you're prepared to visit first - tell them what exactly what you're looking for and give them a good idea of what you want to pay for it, based on the above.
The dealer will flatly refuse to get near the offer, say that they're willing to negotiate or simply offer to do the deal (although I've never had this over the phone). If they refuse, simply move on to the next dealer on your list until you get one (or more) offering one of the other responses.
Once you've got a short list, weigh them up in terms of how easy they are to get to and how genuine they are on offering to match your requirements (I travelled all the way from Coventry to Northampton once on a half-promise which failed to materialise) and then go and visit the one or two dealers who are showing the most promise - be sure to take everything you need with you to do the deal.
I've found it really helps if you know exactly what you want, what you want to pay for it and are ready to do the deal there and then.
When you're in the final stages of the haggle, hold your ground (within reason - don't lose a deal over a set of mats or a tank of fuel) and don't be put off by the silences. The dealer will stop talking to try and make you make the next move but hold your nerve and wait for them to speak next... Above all, have fun!
*if you plan to use a broker price as your best price, make sure you use a broker who uses main dealers so you can tell your local dealers that your best price is a pukka dealer price.
GOOD LUCK!
