RandomTask

Your first car purchase so I'm assuming you're young and really don't have established credit.If you have no credit and no long term display of (stable) income, buying a beater may be your only option for a couple of years.

Richmond

Unfortunately, a bank will jump at the opportunity to give someone young an auto loan.

Computer_Nerd

Car salesmen work on commission. This is very important to understand from their perspective. They often operate on a "round robin" type of thing where the salesmen get the opportunity to approach new customers like taxicabs at an airport. If there is a referral or returning customer, the salesman has the chance to get that commission, which is why they are so eager to "register" you as one of their clients in case you do come back.

Be upfront and honest with them. Don't waste their time, they won't waste yours. They are trying to earn a living, too.

Do your research ahead of time about the type of vehicle that you want, and ask a sales assoc. to do a search for vehicles in the options you want as there is generally a transfer fee involved to get the specific vehicle you want into your lot and they will still earn that commission. Also an incentive to lower the price of a vehicle that is on their lot but not having all of the items you are looking for to make the sale.

Also understand that there are "pressure point" times at dealerships. Generally after monthly meetings, nearing the end of monthly sales goals, and varying incentives. I'd recommend going in the afternoon early in the week during the middle of the month. That's when there will likely be the least amount of sales and you are more likely to get one of the full-time career salesmen instead of the part-time lot filler trying to make some extra on the side.

Never talk about price or financing until you pick out the car. Don't discuss trade-in value until you get a price.

xdreamxz

thx for the insight.

Yardjass

Well, you can either buy a piece of shit for 2k or finance something that might actually be half decent for 5k.

Yep4doors

I bought my 2012 civic si for 1250 under msrp at one of the end of the year sales. I told them I wasn't messing around with offers, and already had another two cars lined up. Wrote a price down they bumped it up a couple hundred dollars, deal was struck. Now I'm the owner of a Honda.

eXploited

Blown

Carmax typically overpriced their cars. And they'll do anything they can to hide that their car has been wrecked before.

I've had multiple trade in their car that they purchased at Carmax, only to flip shit when I show them the Carfax (undisclosed previous wrecks, etc)

slogsr@sage

This x 1,000,000. They also get people with their no haggle BS. Also, their trade in values are very low.

When the guy goes to talk to the sales manager, he is. The sales manager gives the salesman the price. You either want to find a very experienced sales man that the manager trusts and allows him to give his own pricing, typically a very senior sales man. Or deal with the sales manager direct. Keep in mind, they work off commission and that's their living. Usually you can work out a deal that's better than what it originally is, sometimes you can't. You have to find a dealership that has a good reputation.

I Sold cars for a year at Honda of Tysons corner. Dealerships aren't as bad as most people view them, like I said you have to find the right one. Some are bad some aren't.

92_SR20

Meh, I've had nothing but pleasant experiences with Carmax ( aside from maybe our Elantra, which we found out was in accident, may or may not have known about it at purchase time ). Every car we've bought from them ( 2011 Hyundai Elantra, 2011 Ford Edge, 2004 Ford Excursion, 2007 Shelby GT500 ) was below KBB/NADA, was clean and wasn't a pressured sale. We ended up selling the Excursion back to them 6-8 months later and we took a negligible loss ( < $1000 ). Compared to the few dealerships we've gone to where:

You pull on to the lot, within 15s someone is in your face. They lurk behind you the entire time you're there. They try to push you up a model even if you have no desire to.

Obviously, there are going to be exceptions. Joe ( Blown ) was a nice guy, answered questions, didn't pressure anyone into anything, etc and gave lots of good general information. But most people are going to try and push you into something nicer/newer so they can make that extra commission. Carmax they all make a flat commission ( $300 according to the last girl that helped us there ), so no matter what you pick Corolla to Corvette - they have no incentive to push you into something you're not looking to go into.