Never Get Tricked by Used Car Dealers Again - (part 5)

Here are more car dealer tactics to watch out for when you're buying your new or used car. Remember, you are in control of the situation, you have the say in the final decision. After all, you're the one with the money, and you intend to spend it as wisely as possible.

Car Dealer Tactic #7

Some car dealers pursue a potential customer until they wear them down to buy.

Now if you don’t want to be pursued by a car dealer, just don’t give a phone number. Say ‘it's a silent number’, ‘...don’t have a mobile’, ‘can't leave a work number’, or at the test drive ‘accidentally’ give the wrong phone number.

Even after continual phoning, and when you end up buying from a different dealer, the sales person (who has missed out on the deal) will then give you the bad news. When you tell them you bought elsewhere (at a very good price of $34,550) they will say, ‘Oh no, you shouldn’t have paid any more than $32,000 for it!’ This is designed to make you feel as bad as the salesperson, who lost out too.

Car Dealer Tactic #7

The End-of-the-Month trick

This trick deserves serious consideration. It is the most elaborate trick of this type. Manufacturers know that companies often buy around this time of year for accounting purposes. They therefore rarely offer any factory discounts, and they sometimes increase their retail prices to take advantage.

No matter when, where or which car dealership you may stroll into, there is always a reason to feel ‘lucky’, according to the keen sales person. Early in the month, they might say they missed their target last month and are desperate to make it up. During the middle of the month, ‘the boss has told me to push out more cars or I'll never reach my target this month either’.

The time of month may matter to some dealers sometimes, though; it never matters to a car broker. Beware of this because you may end up paying more than you expected. Don't fall for tactics like this that appeal to your feelings, such as compassion and guilt or regret. Remember when buying a car, you have to keep a steady head and not let your emotions rule over.

Where to look for good used cars with good prices? Go online to consumer.vic.gov.au and find out the information you need before rushing headlong into the ‘big end of financial year deal’. Or log on to OzFreeOnline.com, Australia’s largest car classifieds site, offering people a good venue to transact any business related to cars.