Purchase Tip # 1 - To get the best deal get dealers to compete for your business!

If you haven't already read the Auto Pricing, Sell my Car or Auto Loan pages I would suggest reading them before you read this page. You won't be completely prepared to move ahead with your purchase until you have the vital information contained in these pages.

On the Auto Pricing page you'll learn what to do on your first trip to the dealership and how to start your own bidding war!

On the Auto Loan page you'll learn how to figure out how much you can afford to spend on your new car purchase and where to find the best source for an auto loan.

On the Sell my Car page you'll learn how to shop your used car around to insure you get a fair price for it. If you've read these pages then you're ready for: Step 4 - new car purchase!

OK, young Jedi you've completed your homework and now you're ready to go in for the kill. On this page you'll learn:

• How to decide where to purchase your new vehicle and sell your used vehicle.
  
  
• What to do on your second trip to the dealership that will complete to complete your purchase.
  
  
• What sales tactics and paper work to expect from the dealership.
  
  
• How to seal the deal on your new car purchase and get away with a great price!

You're first trip to the dealership.

On your first trip to the dealership you confirmed the dealer's best offer, including all prices and fees,(which you negotiated by email), test drove the car and got the dealership to appraise your used car. By now you've also shopped your used car around and know what is a fair price is for it.

Close in on your best deal.

Email the other auto dealerships one more time (I know, you've emailed them a billion times already.) Let them know the purchase price and trade-in price the auto dealer who is first on your list is offering. Ask them if they think they can beat this deal. Wait for responses.

If one of the dealers replies that they think they can beat your current deal by a significant amount then go into see them and have them appraise your used car. If it's a really good deal you can either buy your car from them or give your first dealer a chance to beat the second dealer's offer.

That's all you have to do. You've negotiated a great price for your vehicle and used car trade-in. Now, it's time to fill out the paper work and close the deal on your purchase.

If you decide that you're not happy with the price either of the auto dealerships are offering for your used car, then you can retail it yourself or sell it to one of the used car lots you've gotten a price quote from. See the Sell my Car page for the best way to retail your car.

Hot Tip!

Before going back to the dealership to sign the papers and complete your new car purchase, get familiar with the paperwork. Find a friend or relative who has recently bought a car and look over the forms they filled out.

These are pretty standard and will not vary that much from dealership to dealership. Doing this will help you greatly when it comes time to sit down and sign for your new car purchase. There a many documents to go through and it can be a bit disorienting if you're unfamiliar with them.

Completing your new car purchase.

Contact your sales person to let them know you're going to purchase a car from them. Make an appointment to come in and sign the paper work.

Watch Out!

At the point where you've agreed on the purchase price and are ready to fill out the forms the games begin at some dealerships. They have a wide array of sales tactics in their arsenal to try to make you pay more.

The most common tactic is the T.O. (turn over.) Your salesperson excuses them-self and then comes back with another sales person. The second salesperson then thoughtfully explains why they can't give you the deal they originally offered for your new car purchase.

If the dealership tries anything remotely similar to this, tell them you're going to leave immediately if they don't honor the offer you've agreed upon for your new car purchase.

If you're talking with a non-commissioned fleet manager you shouldn't have to deal with any of this monkey business. When you go into the dealership everything should be very straight forward. All the figures should be the same ones you've already agreed on. To learn more about dealer tricks see our Top 10 Car Dealer Scams page.

Filling out the paper work

• The buyer's order. The first thing your salesperson should give you is the buyer's order which is a conditional sales contract between you and the dealership.
  
  Don't put down a deposit of any kind until the manager of the dealership has signed off on the buyers order!
  
  Some dealerships will try to get you to put down a deposit before the manager has signed off on the buyer's order. This way you're pinned down, and they can work on you and try to raise you. Make sure the buyer's order lists the date, vin number #, color, and options on the car you're buying. Also, if the car has any defects or needed repairs have the dealership make a list of them and put in writing the date by which they'll be fixed.
  
  Have them sign the list of defects before you sign off on the buyer's order. The buyer's order should also list the amount they are going to give you for your used car and any additional fees they plan to charge you, including taxes.
  
  Once a manager has signed the buyer's order, you can safely put down a deposit and move onto the next step of your new car purchase.
  
  
• Mileage statement. If you're trading in a car you have to sign a statement that certifies the mileage on your car when you release it to the dealership. Make sure your mileage statement is completely filled out when you sign it. This is an important protection for you. If the dealership doesn't fill out the numbers and later someone rolls back your odometer and fills in false numbers you could be found liable because your signature is on the document.
  
  
• Power of attorney. You'll have to sign one of these when it is time to transfer the title at the dealership. If you're doing a trade-in you'll have to sign two powers of attorney - one for your trade-in and one for your new car title. This gives the dealer legal power to execute the transfer of titles.
  
  
• Financing. Let the dealer know about the financing you intend to use. The dealership will try to convert you to their financing (if you haven't arranged your financing yet see the Auto Loan page.
  
  If the dealership insists that their financing is lower then the offers you've previously arranged, ask them to give you a finance contract that is completely filled out. This way you can compare it to the financing you have already arranged and choose the one that is truly better.
  
  Don't settle for a quote or someone's word. Make them give you the actual finance contract with everything filled in. If it doesn't beat your pre-arranged terms than forget it.
  
  
• Closing the deal. Before your new car purchase is complete you may have to talk to the dealership's finance manager. This may occur even if you're dealing with the dealership's fleet manager.
  
  The finance manager is a specialized salesman who will try to sell you extras like warranties or other additions. Don't let the finance manager talk you into buying anything on the spot. If something they offer sounds really good make a note of it. You can probably find it much cheaper somewhere else.
  
  Before you sign off on your paper work make sure all the blank spaces are filled in correctly, including the date. Review all the charges and the final sales price. Make sure that the dealership didn't add any unexpected miscellaneous fees to your total new car purchase price. See the page on Dealer Fees for more information. If you see a fee in the paper work that you did not agree to, ask about it. If the salespersons explanation is not acceptable then refuse to pay it or break off the negotiation and ask for your deposit back.

Picking up your car

Arrange a time to pick up your new car and turn in your old one. Don't take delivery of your new car at the same time you complete your new car purchase! Make the delivery time at least 24 hours later. Go home, look over the paper work you've completed and make sure you feel comfortable with every aspect of your new car purchase.

When you go to the dealership to pickup your new car they may make a few last ditch efforts to sell you something additional. Just be polite and don't buy anything. If something sounds really good (like an extended warranty or undercoating,) get all the information, then shop around for that service. You may be able to get the service or product much cheaper somewhere else.

Congratulations you got a great deal !

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