CaliCarSalesman
Los Angeles, CA
Male, 33
I sold luxury cars in Los Angeles, quickly learning all tricks of the trade … which I’m happy to share with you. Between the staff and the clientele, one can only imagine the range of personalities I encountered.
The best time of the year to get a discount is at the beginning of the new model year (usually end of summer or beginning of fall). Keep in mind that the discount will be on the old model year. The end of the month is the best time to buy a car because salespeople are trying to hit their bonus goals.
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Great question. If the salesperson is a male, he will most likely feel he has an advantage over you. But this is only true if you allow it. Prepare yourself with the tips listed above. Also, if you're married, he may assume that your husband is the decision maker and ask to negotiate with your husband. Make it clear that you're the decision maker (if you are). Remember, don't fall for scare tactics. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and say no. If you happen to be the type that would rather jab your left eye with a sharp stick before negotiating with a car salesperson, by all means, take someone with you and play "good cop, bad cop". Have fun with it!
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This is practically impossible. The best you can do is FEEL that you've been offered the best price possible. So it's up to you to figure out what price you're happy to pay. I personally feel that I've achieved the best price when I call as many dealers as possible within driving distance to me. Then I go to the dealer that quotes me the lowest price and further negotiate until they say no and are willing to let me walk.
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Always, always, always negotiate everything in your car purchase. That includes extended warranties, interest rates (if you're financing through the dealer), lo-jack etc. There's profit margin on all those options for the dealer. Still, I pass on rust proofing (I don't keep the car long enough for that), Scotchguard, Lo-jack etc. If you really want any of those, you can usually find it cheaper if you shop around. Just make sure any options, such as rims, etc don't affect the warranty, unless, of course, you gotta have your 22 inch spinners and just don't care.
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Edmunds.com is the best, in my opinion, for all models. You can also search for forums specific to the make/model. Bimmerfest.com is great for BMW. Lastly, I like leasecompare.com to get the lowdown on lease rates.
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Looks can be very deceiving on the dealership floor. If they look too slick, then maybe they are, but the most important quality in a good salesperson is the ability to really listen to the customer which enables them to help a customer make the most informed decision. But, if they're talking really fast and shifting their eyes around a lot, that guy is probably hopped up on Red Bull and in any case will have a hard time listening to you. If you're feeling really ambitious, go for the guy that looks nervous to engage with you (newbie) and show him how to really negotiate!
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Despite some light sales experience outside of the auto industry, I actually had no experience selling cars previous to my time at the dealership.
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