Do You Like Negotiating Used Car Prices?
At a meeting of the New England Motor Press Association, mega-dealer Herb Chambers, who owns 44 dealerships in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, talked about his dealership’s used car program. Called SMART Pricing, it gives people three days to return a car, no questions asked, for a full refund and 27 days past that to trade in the vehicle for a similarly priced one.
The major part of the deal, though, is bottom-line pricing. You can’t negotiate the price any lower than what’s posted. Chambers said nobody ever feels good about the deals they negotiate, himself included, and he’s negotiated some major deals in his life.
So, please take a moment to take the poll and let me and others know how you feel about negotiating for your used cars.
- Love doing it, always save money
- It’s a necessary evil
- Glad when I don’t have to do it
- Always feel like I’m on the losing end
Remember, before entering any used car negotiation, make sure you’re armed with as much info about the car you’re buying before entering any negotiation.
Comments
Bottom line pricing is a sham. Dealers throw phrases around like “no hassle” and “worry free” when the buyer is actually shooting him/herself in the foot by falling for it. EVERY price is negotiable. Unless you’re buying a rare classic, there is always some wiggle room in the price. If you choose not to take it, you’ve thrown some money away.
I understand what Matt is saying about bottom line pricing. The sad reality is, dealers, most of the time, take control of the negotiation. But the key is for buyers to know what they’re doing. There are always alternative to every cases so don’t deal with dealers you can’t deal with.
Matt & Robert -
Thanks for the comments! You’re helping to keep used car buyers informed.
Keith
It definitely pays to be an educated buyer. When you walk through those doors, you should be armed with enough “info” to keep negotiations going for as long as it takes to get a good deal. When you walk in unprepared, you lose any and all bargaining power.