Haggling Heaven: Your feedback on haggling for cars

I've been a flat rate fool. I went to a garage to take up a 0% interest deal but was guided away from that option because you have to wait for the car to be ordered and generally there as so many better deals available. I went for a Corsa and was quoted a flate rate of 4%. I thought this was good. After I passed a credit check I returned to the garage and met a colleague of the original sales person who told me everything was AOK and the paperwork was ready for me to sign which I did. They never gave me a copy. Anyway I took delivery of the car and a week or so later my GEMAC agreement arrived with an apr of 11% but by this time it had been signed. Is it not best practise to explain the apr figure as well to the customer or am I being unbelievably naive? Cheers

Bengeo

so did you sign a finance agreement at the garage then? Surely it must have had an APR on it? Have you asked for a copy of what you did sign at the garage?

Who quoted you the "flat rate of 4% - was that the same garage?

Have three prices - an 'amazing low low offer', a 'sensible deal for that car' and your 'limit'. Never ever offer your limit!

Show interest, make loads of notes in a notebook, ask if MOT, servicing, road tax, fuel, mats are included. Then say you have the whole day to find a car, and you will not be leaving this area without purchasing a car today. Thank the sales person for their time and say you need to keep looking. Even if you go and have a coffee somewhere for an hour. Then go back and ask to chat about the options.

Say you have 3 cars on your shortlist today and their car in particular is on the short list. The sales person will most likely say something like how do we get our cart to the top of your list. The the negotion begins.

Offer a low low price. The sales person will probably laugh and huff and puff and make noises about having to feed his kids! Don't say a thing!.. wait for him to come down on his price. wait wait, if with partner have partner make I'm really not sure faces/comments.

Come back with a little extra than you previously offered - say you're very keen to purchase today and if the salesman could come down to that, he could very well have a deal there and then.

When he comes back with his offer or acceptance, then start on the MOT, road tax, servicing, car mats etc.. Also always ask for a full tank of fuel!

He'll probably go out of the room to "talk to the boss" - he may be talking to the boss but this is a bit of an act on their behalf. I have heard some rumours that car rooms can be bugged or easy to hear what people are saying outside the room so if you've got your partner with you say 'well, if he can't come down to our price, we'll just have to leave and go and purchase that XXXX that is second on our list' to which your partner 'strongly agrees' with you.

He'll come back into the room - if he comes back with a response near the last figure you offered and also throws in some of the items above, say you're happy with that. If you are, he will start filling in the form for you.

If you are still holding out for one of the items mentioned above, once he has fully filled in the form, don't sign!!! Pick up the pen, pause and then put it down - say you want to have one last going over the car. Take your time. Then go outside - come back after 5 - 10 minutes and say, ok ready to sign if you'll throw in "insert whatever you're still holding out for".

He has done all the work, filled in the form and you're so so so close to signing! This should help you get exactly what you want.

Most of all keep it light, throw a few jokes in and be chatty. You don't want to be rude or insulting.

We did all of the above yesterday and received all of the above items plus only paid an extra £50 from betwen our 'amazing price' and 'good deal' figures we had.

Also do as much research on the car as possible beforehand.

Best of luck

Oh.. I also said at the very end they'll need to collect me from my work when the car is ready - to which they agreed!

GJ x

Some great deals managed by members here but no such joy here in n.ireland. All the discount car sites/brokers dont seem to do business in n.ireland which is a big shame. I am currently looking for a new car and have been shocked by the poor service so far at some of the big dealerships,seems they have not heard of the credit crunch here yet.Two dealers promised to ring me back the next day with "their best price" but never did.Some kept quoting finance and monthly payments even when i had told them i would be paying cash, seems some of the sales personnel are great at talking and not at listening,if anyone here does by some miracle find a broker that deals in n.ireland can they let me know.Just like to say well done to all the people here who bagged a great deal! some fantastic advice which i hope to use soon.

I was looking for a new car and was intending to buy it over the web. I went into a local Ford dealer, primarily to have another look at the model I was interested in (cheeky !)

Anyway, on the forecourt they had the model I was interested in, except it was in Vomit Yellow, base model and 1.4 elastic band. They were obviously trying to get rid of it from stock as they were also offering free servicing and MoTs for life on this car as well as an almost internet price. This offer didn't seem to available on other vehicles.

I went in and asked about the vehicle and the salesman's eyes lit up ! Then I said could they do me a similar deal/discount on a different colour, bigger engine and higher spec - and after a bit of "discussion", they did ! They got the car for me in less than a week. I left as a very satisfied customer.