Car buying negotiations

How to get a good deal when you hate to haggle

Car buying is tough on those who hate haggle. But a few simple, nonconfrontational negotiating tactics can help nearly everyone get the best deal possible.

1 Know your numbers

If you have a good idea of what you should pay for a car, you can resist a high opening offer.

Research pricing information online to help guide you through negotiations. This helps depersonalize the interaction since you’re relying on data — rather than opinion or emotion — to establish the sales price.

Look at the current market value of the car you want to buy, which you can research on sites like Edmunds, Kelley Blue Book or TrueCar. Also, look up any incentives you might qualify for, such as customer cash back or low-interest financing. And find the trade-in value of your current car, as well as estimated fees and sales tax.

2 Negotiate remotely

You can do most everything, outside of test driving the car, from home.

To use this approach, call the dealership and ask for the internet department. Or email the internet manager through the company’s website. Often the response to a remote query is “Come on down! We’ll take care of you!” but a safe reply is: “I already test drove the car and I know what I want. Now, I’m shopping for my best price.”

3 Shop your price

Once you get a price from one dealership you can “shop” it by contacting other dealers for a quote. Tell the other dealers that you already have an offer in hand.

If you do go in, where salespeople will be putting on added pressure, don’t be afraid to leave if you aren’t happy with an offer.

4 Before you say 'yes'

Before you agree to any deal, ask for a breakdown of fees to see the total, or the “out the door,” price. In some cases, dealerships insert bogus charges or inflate the documentation fee to try to take back some profit they gave away. Once you know the total price, and if it still looks good, you can buy with the confidence of knowing that you’re a savvy negotiator.