Langenderfer then negotiated the purchase with the dealer. Surveys show that car buyers often quickly regret the deal they made - not necessarily over the car they acquired but over the feeling that they paid too much for it. That's opened the door for a variety of new ways for shoppers to find and buy cars. Auto consultants like Langenderfer do the research on various models and then negotiate a purchase or lease for their clients. In addition, there are car brokers, who buy cars from dealers at volume rates and deliver them to the consumer.
Some dealers also tout fixed, no-haggle prices.
The Internet has become a key tool for car shoppers. He's owned nine cars in the past 12 years. The bulk of his business comes from referrals, word of mouth and network ing at Chamber of Commerce meetings and other business groups. For a fee, he helps clients determine what models best fit their needs, compares prices and options among similar cars, finds a purchase or lease program, negotiates a price and assists on a trade in. It lists wholesale pricing, breakdowns on sales invoices and retail pricing.