Consumers: How to Negotiate Buying a Car

How to Negotiate Buying a Car (or Truck, Van, SUV, whatever). Information is power is money here.

Set your Goals:
#1. Pick a budget or top value for a car. Look at what the payments might be. Remember that the eventual sticker prices are not "out-the-door" which includes tax, license and lots of extras you might want, such as an extended warranty. Expect 10% overhead. So if you want a max of $30,000, your sticker price is about $26,995 (max).

#2. Unless you already know or have a financial rate, ensure one. Ask your bank what it can do for you for a new or used car (they are likely different rates). If you are willing to open an account at another bank in order to secure a much lower rate, check around. Credit unions usually provide good rates. (Example: OCTFCU provides 5.99% for new cars for all members).

Know your battlefield:
#3. If you can, decide on a car or few cars upfront. Do you want safety over size or performance over efficiency (gas savings)? If you need any help deciding, go to consumerreports.org (non-profit reviews) and buy the Car Buying Kit (about $40). This lets you plug in these values, and compare complete reports on your vehicles. You may find that two cars you thought were practically identical are very very different in ratings. On the used car side (cr has a used car buying kit also for less), you may find that one year is significantly cheaper than the next (or even the previous!). This car buying kit also prices your vehicle, showing all dealer kickbacks that actually would reduce your price, and even recommends a starting negotiation price.

#4. Prequalify your dealerships. Get the newspaper and check the ads. Since you may already know what you want, there's a good chance that some dealership somewhere in your area has a lost-leader they are advertising very low which happens to be the very vehicle you want. Call to see that they still have it or can make you the same exact deal. If not, see how the ads of the dealerships compare. If one is far over another, dismiss them from your first round of shopping. Keep the ads for the dealership.

#5. Shop by phone. Call up the dealerships and ask for the best salesman they have. He or she likely knows the best rates and all the options more than someone new. Then either specify the vehicle you already decided on or your budget (no secrets) on finding a car, even if that means deciding between a few vehicles. Then state that you are calling around different dealerships (and do, actually) and looking for best prices. Then state your findings from consumer reports. Finally, get a price or list of prices for vehicles that they have on site - so you can compare amongst dealerships.

** Many times, these top salesmen will say "I'll give that to you for (x) 'out-the-door.'" That means tax and license included (nothing else). So if that price, minus tax and license, is better than or near to your consumer reports starting negotiation value - you've just bypassed a lot of wasted time negotiating. Be happy - but still compare dealerships. AND, when you call other dealerships, tell them your best deal and ask if how they can compare.

#6. Compare the lists and choose a dealership and go. Test drive the vehicle if you haven't already (only need to do this once - not at every location) - it's just so you find that the vehicle isn't painful. But, don't get your heart set on it at all - and don't show that at all. This is the blood that the salesman-sharks feed upon. In fact, you might not even care what color the vehicle is since you can pay about $99 or $199 to repaint it. If they have a white car for $2500 less than a blue car due to alloy wheels you don't need or some other accessory, it doesn't matter - let them know so they don't get you sentimentally attached to a vehicle.

#7. Value-Compare cars on the lot that meet your description. Lets say you are comparing 3 used cars and you find that for every 25,000 miles used there is a $1,000 decrease. In other words, a car with 25,000 less than another is $1,000 more expensive than the other. Well, since cars generally last no more than 200,000 miles at the most, 25,000 is one eighth of the life of the vehicle. Unless the car is $7,000 vs $8,000, the less mileage is a much higher value than the cost.

Also consider accessories. If the difference between carA and carB is a DVD-player for $2,500, remember that there are after-market installations (such as from Best Buy or Good Guys) at a much less cost than from the dealership - and you get to pick your DVD player/viewer rather than the stock one.

What's most important about value-comparing is what you cannot get in the aftermarket, such as the extended warranty, or an automatic sliding door or seats that remember position. If these types of dealership-only items are valuable to you, then expect to pay the dealership for them - appropriately.

Special Note: Some dealerships really don't understand the concept of comparing cars. They want you to pick ONE car so they can "go to work for you," (which is like your boxing opponent saying that he'll be happy to hit himself for you). They want you to REALLY want a specific car so they can dangle it in front of you for more than the bottom-line.

#8. When you've selected your car, they bring out the 'let's make a deal' form so they can "go to work for you." They want you to make an offer. OK, start with the consumer reports starting negotiation value, minus $1000 (even if your budget is higher).

If they don't give you want you want (price or comparisons) or if you are getting uncomfortable, say thank you and simply walk away. If it is specifically about price, they may very well call you (IF they have your phone number) with your last offer as the final price. And even if not, there are LOTS of other dealerships - and your previous research shows that the next one was likely close in price to the starting value. And, if you REALLY have to, you can come back.

#9. (Bonus). Ask someone else who doesn't have a motivation to sell you something (like a previous customer who is in for servicing) what he or she paid. Let them know what the salesman is offering. You'll get an idea of how good the deal is in comparison. Oh, and ask why he or she is in for servicing to get an idea of the quality (should consumer reports not already provide that).

Finally, remember that you are the customer and you really can get what you want. You must be very happy with the process because that is the feeling you'll have for the life of the vehicle. If you start to feel that you're going to pay too much - you likely won't appreciate driving it later as much.

And always remember that you can walk away (even if you signed the "if you meet my offer, I'll definitely buy today" commitment area of the offer page. There is absolutely nothing binding about that at all - it's just there so they have a feeling that you are serious in wanted to buy a car and not just car-window shopping. But again, they cannot know that because there's nothing binding about that commitment on the offer page).

Once you have your vehicle, feeling like you've got a good deal goes a long way in your happiness and appreciation of the vehicle, certainly a lot longer than the new car smell (which by the way is toxic). Might want to test the windows on that test drive.

Good negotiating.

Relationships: Basic Respect, Communication (+Truth), Empathy and Commitment

Include each one of these ingredients into your daily routine - or a troubled argument - and a positive outcome you will have (even if it isn't apparent immediately).

Written twice so you aren't bombarded and distracted by the "he or she":

Read this section if your partner is female:
commitment: Is first. You must want to improve the relationship, daily or immediately. This means not giving up during apparent failure. And it also means backing off when necessary (this is not giving up... this is allowing healing or not trying to overpush your own agenda). For anything else to work, you've got to really want to improve. (And there's lots of studies that show that truly giving up does no more than reinvite the same exact issues (that you thought were not yours) later with someone else - and half of those improvements you've already succeeded in - you would have to repeat to reachieve).

Respect: You are each individuals - one is not greater than another. If she disagrees with you, she has a right to. And, you've got to believe that she truly believes what she is saying - not matter how "wrong" you think it is. You would spend far more time trying to convince her that's she's wrong than accept her view (as her own) and improve from there. *If* magically later she discovers that she was wrong, she'll likely appreciate your respect more than your correction.

Communication: It's hard to overdo this one. If it's important to you - and even if it's not - it worth sharing. Plus, it may affect even indirectly your partner. And, truth is a big deal here. Any form of lying or even hiding the truth not only always comes back to bite or eat away at you, but directly hurts all the other points in this article. The challenge comes down to when to say what... and how. Well, there are many sides of truth.

Imagine truth is a ball in the middle of the room. She sees one side and you see another. They are both correct, from your perspectives - but they may look (or in this case look) different based on lighting. If and when you can, always represent the best view of the truth, described in the best way possible. If you have both rosy and blue viewpoints of the same truth - share the rosy. Maybe she can already see the blue and the rosy side would make her feel at ease and happier.

Empathy: You likely have no idea how far a simple, and heartfelt "I'm sorry," goes - having nothing to do with you, your actions or your influence (in other words, whether something was your fault or not). If she is feeling bad (physical, emotional, spiritual, any-al) for anything, you likely wouldn't want to feel bad yourself, and since you care you wouldn't want her to feel bad either. So, say that. Say you are sorry that she feels bad. Perhaps there's something you can do (or not do) to help her feelings - and maybe even the issue itself.

Commitment, Respect, Communication (truth) and Empathy are the cornerstones in growing a relationship as well as helping relieve a difficult moment, even if it is not immediately apparent.

Read this section if your partner is male:
commitment: Is first. You must want to improve the relationship, daily or immediately. This means not giving up during apparent failure. And it also means backing off when necessary (this is not giving up... this is allowing healing or not trying to overpush your own agenda). For anything else to work, you've got to really want to improve. (And there's lots of studies that show that truly giving up does no more than reinvite the same exact issues (that you thought were not yours) later with someone else - and half of those improvements you've already succeeded in - you would have to repeat to reachieve).

Respect: You are each individuals - one is not greater than another. If he disagrees with you, he has a right to. And, you've got to believe that he truly believes what he is saying - not matter how "wrong" you think it is. You would spend far more time trying to convince him that's he's wrong than accept his view (as his own) and improve from there. *If* magically later he discovers that he was wrong, he'll likely appreciate your respect more than your correction.

Communication: It's hard to overdo this one. If it's important to you - and even if it's not - it worth sharing. Plus, it may affect even indirectly your partner. And, truth is a big deal here. Any form of lying or even hiding the truth not only always comes back to bite or eat away at you, but directly hurts all the other points in this article. The challenge comes down to when to say what... and how. Well, there are many sides of truth.

Imagine truth is a ball in the middle of the room. He sees one side and you see another. They are both correct, from your perspectives - but they may look (or in this case look) different based on lighting. If and when you can, always represent the best view of the truth, described in the best way possible. If you have both rosy and blue viewpoints of the same truth - share the rosy. Maybe he can already see the blue and the rosy side would make him feel at ease and happier.

Empathy: You likely have no idea how far a simple, and heartfelt "I'm sorry," goes - having nothing to do with you, your actions or your influence (in other words, whether something was your fault or not). If he is feeling bad (physical, emotional, spiritual, any-al) for anything, you likely wouldn't want to feel bad yourself, and since you care you wouldn't want him to feel bad either. So, say that. Say you are sorry that he feels bad. Perhaps there's something you can do (or not do) to help his feelings - and maybe even the issue itself.

Commitment, Respect, Communication (truth) and Empathy are the cornerstones in growing a relationship as well as helping relieve a difficult moment, even if it is not immediately apparent.

And, one other important point... It is infinitely easier to describe the right path than to walk on it yourself at the moment of truth.

Education: Speed is Irrelevant

Think about all the areas in which you get better, faster and more efficient with experience. The student becomes the teacher. When you are familiar with a process or procedure, you skip the incorrect paths, then you skip the wondering and wandering thoughts and simply repeat the mundane while focusing more time on your true goal. This is much like driving a car. You likely no longer concentrate on what the gear shift does or what the pedals do, you simply use them all the while wondering what traffic is like or what will happen once you get to work. Everything else is autopilot.

However, with a computer, far more often than not, that cycle of learning, mastering and depending and ignoring is dramatically faster. Why?

The computer is always able to go as fast or as slow as you need. Once you can depend upon your path to your goal, you go there faster and with less wasted thought each time. Plus, the computer provides an interactive multimedia experience. Simply clicking and seeing your results employs kinetic and visual stimuli.

This is Education and does not have to be restricted to a computer. If our education system were highly dependable, such as generally the same type of activities daily with far less surprises or changes to the structure of learning, we could learn at a much accelerated pace.
And if multimedia presentations were employed regularly, students would learn not only at a magnitude faster, but also in a more familiar environment (MTV style).

Health: Removing Warts with your Immune System

A recent study dismisses a popular theory of duct tape as a remedy for warts.

However, it is not the duct tape that removes warts. It is the action that duct tape, and other like materials, sometimes cause (not enough, apparently, for the study's participants).

The body's immune system will fight and fix anything foreign that it is (aware) of, or more specifically, begins a reaction against. What begins the reaction? A systematic introduction to the growth part of the wart... or, bleeding into or inside the wart. How? Crush or crunch the wart, or step on it if on the feet. Find the least painful way of connecting the bloodstream and the base of the wart, which is otherwise protected by layers and layers of califlowered skin. And, you only need to do this one time.

As this is a systematic introduction, the body produces a systematic response, rather than localized. For warts this means that if there are more than one wart, only one needs to be affected for all to be slowly removed by the body over a few weeks.

Concept: God and Science

Often God and science are at odds. Not from each other, for, based on the majority's beliefs, God accepts everything that He created, including science. And science can do no more than continually uncover hidden truths that eventually would (if it could) identify God.

But for many, one threatens another. Obviously, this is an issue of a motivated perspective. Why? Well, as with all motivated perspectives, the internal is represented externally.

Therefore, the subjective perspector feels threatened by the other, due to his or her belief in his or her values. This may be backwardly represented by a virtual parental statement of approval or disapproval. Or, this may threaten the viewer's value of self-worth, such as in losing a number of followers where the viewer believes that their own value is made up of the quantity of followers, rather than the quality.