Many of us think that negotiating the price of a car is only for secondhand vehicles or secondhand dealers, but you’d be surprised at how much you can get when haggling at a regular dealer as well. Sometimes you can lower the price of your car substantially, and at other times you can increase the number of features you get with your car for the same price!
A lot depends on the dealer, the vehicle, and your tactics. So in order to help you with the process of buying a new car, here are our top three tips for getting more than you bargained for!
Get Ready To Travel
If you live in a town where there are only one or two dealerships, they’re likely to charge a lot more than usual or be a lot harder to negotiate with. In a larger city, where dealers are used to higher levels of traffic, you’ll be able to strike a deal with them more easily. They’re also used to negotiating and therefore have a slightly larger margin with which to work with. Make the journey and save big!
Timing is Key
One of the most important things to do when shopping for a new car is your homework. You need to know about the features of the car(s) you want, what the jargon means, and how to increase your negotiating abilities. But you also have to pay attention to your timing – which is crucial in the car market. Usually, around and March and September respectively, sales tend to slow down, which means that deals are easier to come by and dealers are more likely to negotiate better terms for a sale. Also, pay attention to specific dealership sales and holidays like Black Friday in order to find even better bargains for your buck.
Consider Finance, Not Cash – Sometimes
This one is pretty subjective, as sometimes a dealer is more likely to offer you a better price if you propose a cash payment for the full amount offered. However, even if you have the money available to pay for the car in full, it could work out to be a little easier to finance a better deal with monthly installments, granted that the interest on the payments isn’t too high. So when you’re shopping around, consider comparing different financing plans against cash price benefits.
