Dealing with truck salesmen

[pumamac]

Anyone else hate having to deal with salesmen when buying a new truck ? I'm going to be in the market for a new truck within a year and am dreading having to deal with the games that most car salesmen play .Let me quickly add that I don't want to insult anyone that works in auto sales. But I suck at negotiations when it comes to buying a new truck I always feel like I've been screwed anyone.I'm a easy going ,quiet honest guy and I feel that salesmen get over on me .anyone got any tips on negotiatING when buying a truck .any advice will be deeply appreciated

[Shuck Grass]

Do most of your shopping online. Have a maximum price you are willing to pay BEFORE you start dealing with the actual salesmen. It’s still a PITA.

[n2ratfishin]

Tell them if you're looking or buying. It's not personal so don't take it as such. Don't hesitate to walk. I have a few that are pretty good, I know they make money just like they know I make money. It's the take my keys hostage places to avoid like the plaque.

[Whiteboat]

My last truck I bought in 2017 and I did everything through the internet including handling the trade. The only time I stepped into the dealership was to close the agreed upon deal and pick up the truck. If the proposed deal is not acceptable, either counter or move on to the next dealer.

[JINXBASS]

Do what I do for my company vehicles. I call 3 dealerships and tell them what I want and the options I want. Tell them they have 1 chance. Cheapest man wins.

[SAL321]

My last truck I bought in 2017 and I did everything through the internet including handling the trade. The only time I stepped into the dealership was to close the agreed upon deal and pick up the truck. If the proposed deal is not acceptable, either counter or move on to the next dealer.

^THIS^
The last two cars (one used/one new) were done completely on-line. It was easier to haggle and did my homework and knew what I wanted to pay. Eventually they come back around if they really need or want to move a vehicle. I shut down the extra crap spewing from the Finance guy when signing all the papers. The basic statement has always been if I wanted extended protection on anything I would have already negotiated it.

[Dropdeadfred]

ask for out the door price on what you want. Let them know you will be checking at least 3 dealerships. Dont be afraid to look out of state. You'd be amazed at the difference.. I bought my 2007 F150,,, saved $7000 buying at a small dealership in NC vs large one in VA,,, and this was for a sub 30k truck... Granted NC guy already had a buyer lined up for my trade. But not my problem. 3500 more for my trade and 3500 less for the truck and extended warranty.
Was my last normal dealership buy. Now I only buy commercial, as I prefer a plain truck and will only own a flatbed. But I know your pain.
Took wife to buy a 2018 explorer. were only 3 in the state properly equipped. Of course she HAD TO HAVE the red one, drove to DC,,, I knew I was screwed before I walked in the place. But made her happy, with the colors, made me happy as I knew it could do what she wanted.
What got me was the lying scumbags at the local stealerships that lied to her constantly. I trained her well. When they lied, she asked ? oh yeh show me in the specs.

[bcreek]

Don't you hate walking into a business knowing up front, that the guy/gal is probably going to lie to you.

[Dropdeadfred]

yeh I hate the dealership game. Why cant they just put a price on it. like any other product

[jimsch]

Last truck I bought, I went in with a printout of the options I wanted. The salesman did the I'm your friend to we can't get that one but to they will look around. Two days later, they called and said to come in and have a look at what they have their hands on. Went in and looked at the three different truck invoices and told them I will take the most expensive one for the base model price. When they were done laughing I pointed out all three "factory" invoices had the same VIN and if I didn't get what I wanted I would report it to Toyota and others. Had my new Tundra 5.7 SR5 with a bunch of extras at the end of the week and paid just under 30,000 plus tax.

Pay attention to the paperwork they hand you.

[Fishysam]

Know all the current promotions /discounts via the manufacturer, know what your trade in is worth to you via NADA, find the difference, and that is the max, then take off say 8%-10% that be the minimum or starting point.

[BigSexyPhoenix]

Just remember that buying a vehicle is a business transaction and the sales person is not your friend. You both have an agenda. If they can’t or won’t meet you where you need to be don’t be afraid to walk out of the negotiation. They will do their best to wear you down until you get frustrated and make a bad move. They really don’t care about getting you in your dream vehicle. They care about their commission check. It’s strictly business on both ends and you have to be polite but firm. It’s an adversarial process.

[C130]

I actually kinda like it, its a game and I'm competitive so like the challenge. I do my research ahead of time and if they BS me I go to another salesman or dealership. I bought my son a new Mustang last December. We went and test drove the car and I emailed the sales guy a couple of days later and wanted their bottom dollar. Guy told me they wouldn't negotiate unless in person and I even made an offer, didn't matter. I told them fine I'd buy somewhere else. Bought the car at another dealership a few hours later.

[geodebasser]

I actually insured Franchised Auto Dealers for many years. The salesman can smell weakness a mile away. The best way to get a good deal is to be prepared and know what you want with what options and a good idea of the price of the vehicle you are interested in. Use online tools. It is a much tricker to buy a used vehicle than a new one as a used vehicle has many variables such as condition, options and mileage. NADA and Kelly Blue book is a good start to know what your vehicle or a used vehicle is worth. With new vehicles you can easily compare with like options. Franchise dealers generally make more in used vehicles than new ones.
Don’t fall for the de horsing routine where they get you out of your vehicle and try to wear you down while taking hours to evaluate your trade vehicle. Give them a deadline to evaluate your vehicle or the deal is off. In fact you don’t even need to let them know you are trading at first. Wait until you get an acceptable price for their vehicle before negotiating a price for your trade in. Lots of people get burned by trying to negotiate a trade and a new vehicle price at the same time. . It’s much easier to keep up with if you make their vehicle and your vehicle two separate negotiations.
Another thing a salesman licks his chops at is the buyer who is only concerned about the monthly payment and not the price of the vehicle. He is sure to overpay. Stick to the price of the vehicle and don’t let the salesman make it about the payment. I usually say, I am not worried about the payment, only the out the door price for the vehicle.
its best to be prequalified through your own bank or credit union so you can compare your finance terms with the ones they offer. A Dealer sometimes gets a commission from the finance company .
Last advice is to avoid the add on like the plague . This includes extended warranties, upholstery protection treatment etc. The finance guy typical tries to get you to include these in your payments to get your mind off of the couple of thousand you are overpaying for these services . Huge profits for the dealer and little value to you in the long run. Just say I am not interested and I am only paying the out the door price the salesman quoted. Always get an out the door price from the salesman.
In short the salesman are great negotiators and know that the more balls they throw in the air at one time, the more likely they are to confuse you and get the most out of you, Your best defense is to take the three major aspects of the deal separately. Get an out the door price on the vehicle you are buying. Get a price on your trade. Be prepared to negotiate finance with them by being prequalified with a loan of your own. If you don’t like the deal don’t hesitate to walk out the door.
One last tip , dealers pay floor plan interest for their vehicles. By September they are anxious to start unloading current model years to make room for the new models. I generally buy between September and December and get a better deal on a current model.

[Mark Perry]

We are lucky. I have a friend that is a sales manager at a big dealership. I call him and tell him what model I want, what color and when I want to pick it up. He shoots me a no BS price and its done. Between myself, my wife and 3 of my kids he has sold us 13-15 vehicles. Would no go anywhere else.

[Roddy]

I bought my last three over then internet and phone. Best buying experiences I ever had. I used to sell cars and know the games they try. When they do try, I get pissed and leave.

[Bassman Ia.]

When we bought my wife’s SUV I was a returning customer to the dealership. We knew our prices, we knew what we wanted. The dealership balked on a couple hundred dollars worth of things that were a must. The owner of the dealership got involved and said “ I don’t want to lose a customer that has bought from us before”. that extra couple hundred dollars must have been really important. Walked out of that dealership and called the other dealer in town, set up a meeting for the next morning. We got the three items, got the price we wanted, in 20 minutes it was a done deal

[thebassoutlaw]

yeh I hate the dealership game. Why cant they just put a price on it. like any other product

[dodgeman9]

The last two trucks I bought I was the salesman's first sale ever...That was fun....The first time was over 20 years ago...I wonder if that kid is still selling cars...I made it tough on him. We went and looked at a dealership a fair piece away and had to get back to pick up my kid. We did the test drive and agreed on a price and had a deal but I had to go and couldn't do the paper work that night. He didn't want me to leave of course but I told him I would be back, we had made a deal. He was squirming. The look on his face when we showed back up the next day was pure relief.

Otherwise I really despise buying cars..

[Fishysam]

yeh I hate the dealership game. Why cant they just put a price on it. like any other product

They can it's call a "best price dealership " but the wholesale price on the window also equals whole sale trade in, so basically it's all about the cash difference.

knowing what you want exactly and not letting them show you something is important