Car Buying Tips - First Impressions

First impressions usually last.

Though not always true, in buying cars, you can gather a great deal of information by just observing how car salespersons deal with you. Usually, these non-verbal signals are fairly correct enough to give you a good idea of what to expect from the salesperson and your car purchasing experience.

If at any time you feel that the person selling you the car is not trustworthy or you simply do not like him or her, always remember that you have the option to leave.  And, time is precious, especially yours.  So do not waste it.  You are always free to politely walk away, anytime, anywhere, and in any way you like it.  

But if there are just a few car dealers in your area, you may want to linger for a few moments more and wait until the negotiations you have with your dealer breaks down and you simply have no option but to run off.

The Invoice Price

Another thing to consider when buying a car is the invoice price.  Make sure to ask that you see the invoice.  If dealers are working their tails off against it, you have enough reason to believe that the car being offered is an unpleasant deal.

Usually, the price on the invoice is the cost the dealer paid the manufacturer for buying the car. This is before any rebates or incentives were included.  Once this is known, only then will you have an idea as to how much the dealer could profit from each vehicle sold.  Knowing this information could enable you to feel more confident in negotiating the price.

You may also run across this occasionally when purchasing a “used car.”  This would occur primarily where you are buying a very late model used car with low mileage and still under the factory warranty.

The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price

In layman’s terms, this is commonly called the sticker price.  This is the price one usually sees in the window of the car that is being sold.

Never ever consider paying the amount stated on the sticker price.  This amount is just the starting point to your negotiations with the dealer.