What did they tell you about going to the Sales Manager- I feel that I trust my sales person until he comes back equipped with some feedback from the sales manager. He will start asking me directing if I thought his written offer was a good deal? He later acknowledged that they stayed after hours and that the manager was pacing.
This apparently has something to do with buying a car at a dealership, but unless “Grateful” rephrases his question, I really don’t know what he is asking. Much of this is incomprehensible.
Going To The Sales Manager Is The Equivalent Of Going To Ask One’s Dad. Dad Always Knows And Dad Is Always Right. It Is Intended To Make Your Deal Seem More Acceptable.
I think they’re blowing smoke. I don’t know how you can take this. I wouldn’t be able to.
CSA
As a former car salesperson, let me tell you, this is a game salespersons play with their customers. The salesperson and his/her manager may be discussing baseball scores or their plans for the weekend. You’ll never know.
Stop pretending the salesperson is your friend. He or she is just doing a job, and that job is getting as much of your money as possible. Trust him or her at your peril.
You have to take control of this deal or they’ll take you for too much money. Did you agree to buy a car? Is there a deal on paper? If so, then it’s done. If not, you can still salvage this.
After you decide on a SPECIFIC car with the equipment you want, you must figure out how much are you willing to pay for it. Don’t let them tell you the price. You tell them. Decide before you go back to the dealer (be realistic), then tell the salesperson how much you will pay for the car.
Again, be realistic.
Once you state your number, DO NOT budge one red cent, no matter what happens. Tell the salesperson you have made up your mind and that’s your number. Period. No more haggling, no more adjustments, no more changes. And then stick to it.
If you have done your homework and come up with a realistic number, you will get the car.
Sales managers don’t pace or worry about individual deals. If the salesman pretends to ask the sales manager and is gone for more than a minute, you can pretend to be leaving. You can walk to your car and open the door if you get that far. Usually a salesman will come running out to stop you. Then you ask him if he is serious about letting you buy the car. Option two: You could say you were just getting some air. He won’t believe it but you can see the relief that will show on his face. He will be the worried one.
Never buy from the dealer in your town right away. The one in the next town will go crazy to beat the dealer in your own town. Make sure he knows where you live by dropping the name of the town you live in. You can always check your hometown dealer to see if he will beat the other price. Make him beat the price by $500. No need to play for pocket change. Always have preapproval for the loan before you shop.
Thank you so much- I needed a good giggle! I just got off the phone with the sales person and he is pretty honest about the sales manager process- or embarassed enough.
He said he (the sales man) he is not very good in sales (he is actually the internet guy), but I told him he was good enough to get me in there.
Great ideas, anyway to communicate when it doesn’t seem like there are options!
“Always have preapproval for the loan before you shop.”
Or, if you really want to save money, pay for the car with cash.
If you don’t have the resources to pay for a car from your savings, a personal loan from a Credit Union will inevitably be cheaper than a car loan from anyone else–especially from a dealership.
Thank you for your direction. What will cash do for me- cash is the only way I am paying- they know it and it doesn’t seem to make a difference.
Actually, the local credit unions here had the 2nd highest interest rate I found.
It makes a difference. If you’re paying cash YOU have the upper hand. You’re just not using your advantage.
Stop letting them drag you through the mud. Assert yourself as the person in charge of this deal (who’s money it it?), and tell them what you want. Quit fooling around. THIS IS SERIOUS. You’re money’s on the line.
Why, oh why, are you letting them tell you what is possible and what is not?
Stop it.
YOU have the money. They want it. YOU should decide how much of your money you’re willing to part with for a Versa.
This is not rocket science.
You’re laughing about the salesperson. This is foolish. You have to stop thinking this person is on your side. It’s all a game. He, or she, is playing you, and you’re allowing it.
If you keep this up you will lose. Money. MONEY. And afterward the salesperson you were so enamored with won’t remember you. Get a grip on yourself.
It’s your money. If you don’t care, keep playing their game. If you care, make it your game.
I mentioned in another post that cash is king. If you want to pay in cash, they want to make that sale NOW. If the MSRP is $18,000 and they won’t give you $2,000 or more off, you want a different dealer or a less popular car. If you are buying a $30,000 car, try for $4,000 off. They should still make money.
Stop looking for a car until you subscribe to Consumer Reports and understand the buying guide that you will get for free. Then look for the ad which tells you about the New Car Price Report which they will sell you. My advice about car buying is trash compared to that.
I question the logic about “cash being king”. If you mention up front that you’re paying cash for the car, it may make it a little more difficult for you to negotiate a low purchase price.
Dealers often make a tidy profit when you finance the car with them. If you pay cash, they lose that chunk of profit.
On my present car, the salesperson knew “upfront” that I was paying cash, and I was quoted a price of $67 over invoice. I had already done my due diligence by visiting many dealers and by doing pricing over the 'net, so I knew how good a deal this was right away. The sales contract was quickly signed, and I paid the deposit with a credit card.
The car arrived at the dealership about 2 weeks earlier than originally expected, so the salesperson had to wait about a week as I transferred monies and waited for checks to clear in my account. About a week after the car arrived at the dealership, I walked in with my cashier’s check and drove out with my new car.
I really doubt that I could have gotten a better deal than $67 over invoice by financing the car, and of course, then I would have paid hundreds (or is it thousands?) of dollars in finance charges. Paying in cash has always worked out very well for me.
I am also not sure exactly what you are describing, but keep in mind they are trying to play mind games with you. The sales manager may be the salesman earlier in the day. Just ignore all that stuff. You want a car and you are willing to pay no more than X dollars. Insist that they discuss only one number, the total out the door number. Don’t talk price until you have decided on a specific car and make them stick to a specific price with zero add ons. All add ons must be part of that one price.
Ignore the sticker. It is meaningless.
I you are not 100% happy with the deal they are offering, go to another dealer, even if you have to go out of town.
Remember they must sell cars. You don’t have to buy one from them. YOU ARE THE BOSS.
Hint, never ever give them a key to test drive your car before all other factors are settled and then give them a maximum time to get your car and key back to you. Keep the deal on your terms not their's.The trips to the sales manager is a game. They want you to think your salesperson is on your side and the sales manager is the “bad” guy. You and your salesman buddy GOOD, sales manager BAD. This way the dealership can tell you “no” to your offer and maintain a good relationship with you via the salesman who you perceive is on your side.
Non of this is true, but it is what they want you to feel during the negotiation process. Your salesperson also wants you to see him as a novice, a rookie, a nice guy that can’t deal with a sophisticated buyer like yourself. The internet sales people are usually more experienced car sales people rather than less experienced.
It is OK to let them “play you” as long as their little tricks amd games don’t work. In this case it seems you could be taken in by their tactics. You need to shop for the same car at another dealer where you can start fresh. Be very specific on your car needs and on the price you are willing to pay. If you get a better deal at dealer #2 you can go back to dealer #1 and give them another shot at your business if they can give you the same deal as dealer #2.
This is why dealers don’t want you to walk out the door. You might go to another dealer and do better, you might buy a different car. As long as you are in their shop they have a chance. This is why your most powerful statement when you hear “no” is to stand up. As soon as you stand you are indicating you are ready to walk out the door.
So, the nice inexperienced rookie sales guy comes back from the nasty bad sales manager’s office and say’s “I’m sorry, but he won’t go for it”. You next move is ------ stand up with saying a word. Then, say “that’s too bad, I was hoping we could do business, I guess that isn’t going to happen”. As you say this take a step back and toward the door while maintaining eye contact. Move deliberately as you watch the response. If you bolt for the door the salesperson can’t react, so be slow and deliberate. Most likely you’ll hear something from the salesperson to keep the deal alive. Your response is “that’s not enough, you can call me if your sales manager changes his mind”. Then turn and start walking away. Again don’t bolt, take your time moving to your car. In your car you can take a “pretend” cell phone call. Hang out for a bit playing games yourself. If the salesperson comes to your car, roll down the window to hear his story. Only open to door to get out of the car if they are giving you the deal on your terms. If not, say thanks and start the motor. All this gives them a chance to get you back into the office. It is your money, you have the power, your most powerful move is to “walk”. Whenever you need to shift the “power” from the dealer back to you stand up and move towards the exit.
The sales manager was probably even on vacation. The guy you saw him with was probably the janitor.
The salesmen know exactly what their range is when they begin the discussion. But remember that they’re trying to take your money. The more they take, the higher their commission. Never trust anybody whose sole objective is to take as much of your money as possible.
Back in '92, when I was trading in my '86 Taurus and buying a new Accord, I prepared myself for the typical “back and forth to the sales manager” games that I anticipated. I had already done my homework with a pricing service and with visits to other dealerships, so I knew what was a good price for the new car and what was a fair trade-in value for the Taurus, and I knew how much I was willing to pay as the bottom line for the Accord purchase with the trade-in of the Taurus.
Sure enough, I was quoted a price that was far more than I was willing to pay–and of course, I got the usual, “But, we are throwing in the floor mats, free-of-charge!”.
At that point, I pulled a piece of paper out of my pocket that I had prepared at home. On that paper I had written the exact amount that I was willing to pay. I told the salesman, “Let’s save each other a lot of time and effort. This is my bottom-line price. I don’t care how you juggle the price of the new car vs the value of the trade-in, but this is my price. Show this to your sales manager and tell him that I will buy the car right now if he meets my price”.
It took about 15 minutes, but the saleman did return with his sales manager (or at least someone who claimed to be the sales manager). The SM asked me if I was serious about buying right then and there if they met that price and I confirmed that I was serious. He extended his hand and announced that we had a deal.
Nice work. I applaud your purchasing prowess. I’m surprised he even bothered to go through the act of bringing the sales manager out…and it is truely an act.
I do pretty much the same thing. I know ahead exactly what I’'m willing to pay. If they want to throw in any trinkets, they’re welcome to, but at their cost. My bottom line price is firm.
In the old days before all-season tires became common I used to do one final thing…I’d always get them to throw in a pair of snowtires on rims.
A matter of training. The last thing we wanted was to have somebody “with the money” leave the lot. It means that the next dealer he goes to will make the sale. There is no “Be back” bus. “If there is one, it doesn’t stop here.”