WASHINGTON – Buying a car isn’t simple. In fact, it’s nerve-wracking. But AOL Autos says there are ways to get a good deal if you know what to do.
Don’t give your budget: A car salesperson may ask for your budget so he can sell you a car that’s a bit more. Just let him know that you don’t have one and are simply looking for the best deal.
Additionally, make sure to write everything down and ask lots of questions, perhaps even questions to which the salesperson probably don’t know the answers. The idea is to level the playing field.
Most popular cars come at a premium: A dealer may have only a few of the most popular cars on the lot. At the same time, the dealer may have lot of a particular model. Take advantage of excess stock. Dealers often have incentives to move these vehicles and may have rebates for them.
Hold off until December: The hardest part of getting a deal might be waiting. According to AOL, December is the best time to get a good price because the dealer needs to clean out inventory by the end of the year. There also may be special year-end deals.
Don’t rely on dealer invoice: There are ways to see exactly what your car dealer paid for a car, but this might not show everything. The automaker may offer kickbacks for each car sold or other incentives.
Stay strong: No matter what the dealer says, don’t fall for, “Is there anything I can do to put you in a new car today?” Leave the checkbook at home and make sure to ask lots of questions. Get the salesperson’s card and tell him you need a new car in the next week. Like with canceling cell service, AOL says, this encourages the dealer to roll out all his deals to get your business.
WTOP’s Veronica Robinson contributed to this report. Follow @VRobWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
