Auto Pricing Guide

Buying a car is not the most pleasurable or fun activity we go to. There are plenty of other purchases that are more fun, but finding the car is probably more important than most, if not all, other purchases. Unlike other goods and services, auto pricing is highly variable, and this can work in your favor. In fact, understanding that auto pricing is not fixed is the key to getting the deal you want on your next car or truck.

Auto pricing can change, and this is clearly in the favor of you, the consumer. The easiest way to get the best auto pricing is through research. With the Internet, it has never been easier to compare different sale prices. Just as you might with appliances, you can now "shop around" for the best auto pricing. Check with other dealerships for their most recent pricing. The more informed that you are about the cars you are looking for, the more likely that you'll get a great deal.

From here, you'd take your information about auto pricing to a dealership and bargain. Now, you'll have to be comfortable and confident to do this. Odds are, the dealer that you are dealing with negotiates auto pricing more often than you do. After all, that is his or her job. If you can keep your composure, stay focused and firm, you can knock off some serious dollars on your next car purchase.

A more advanced move when dealing with dealerships in regards to auto pricing is to exploit the "match any offer" promotion that invariably all dealerships offer. In other words, have the dealerships bid against each other. Here is how you would go through this process. Find two or more dealerships that offer the car you are interested in purchasing and have them both submit a price. Take the lowest offer to the other dealership, whether physically, or, if you're more comfortable, with a fax or e-mail. Ask them if they can beat that. When they do, take that bid to the first dealership. Repeat. This process allowed my cousin to take nearly $7000 off the sticker price of a brand new car last spring. Auto pricing can be controlled by you, the customer.

Buying a car is a stressful activity, but it doesn't have to be. Remember that you are in control of auto pricing, not the manufacturers or the dealerships. With a little work, research, and manipulation, you can get the car you've always wanted.