The bigger the sale, the better their slice of the action. Therefore, it s essential that you plan your purchase and polish your haggling skills before you go anywhere near a showroom. Remember that salespeople are very good at making customers fall for cars even before they reveal their cost.
Timing can have a marked effect on prices.
For example, you might obtain a lower price if you go shopping at the end of the month, when dealers are trying to meet their sales targets and will probably be willing to negotiate to a greater extent. It also pays to know whether cars have been in stock for a long time. If you know a certain vehicle has been languishing in the showroom for three months or more, tying up the dealer s money, you are in a strong position to bargain. Exercise your scepticism. Dealers do not enjoy discounting, and will invariably try to recoup this lost profit by selling you add-on items such as extended warranties, protective coatings for the paint, and any number of unnecessary accessories.