1. Be prepared
When visiting the showroom for the first time its always a good idea to be fully prepared, make sure that you leave yourself enough time to have a good look at the model of interest, time for at least a thirty minute test drive as well as enough time for the salesman to answer any questions you may have afterwards. Remember to take your driving licence, both parts if it is the new style as salesmen will sometimes use any excuse to stop you from driving.
2. Confidence is key
Take control at the beginning of the process by letting the salesman know that although you are in the market for a new car and are close to making your final decision you will not be making that decision today and will need to consider all your options before finalising anything. This way the salesman will do his very best to help knowing that what he does today may help influence your decision his way. Be prepared to answer some of the salesman’s qualifying questions, at this stage they are pretty harmless and are a part of the process required before they let you out for a drive, be as honest at this point as you can as they may refer to your answers later….
3. it’s your test drive
Every salesman will have there own route which they prefer, the length of your test drive is normally determined by the salesman deciding how likely you are to purchase the car, let the salesman know that you would like to try the vehicle on a variation of roads to really make sure you get a good feel for the car and are comfortable behind the wheel. It’s your test drive make sure you are completely satisfied before returning to the dealership, remember it’s a big decision and costly one if you don’t get it right.
4. Closing the deal
It is at this point that the salesman will use all of his skills and sometimes “old tricks” to keep you in the showroom and try to get some commitment from you for the time he has spent so far, common tricks are offering hot cups of coffee knowing full well that you’ll have to let it cool down before drinking it!
Don’t feel at this point that you owe the salesman anything remember he is only doing the job he is paid to do, now is the time to expect the questioning to become more direct, they will do there best to pin you into a corner and make you believe you are getting the best deal right there and then and that it’s a one time offer never to be repeated. Reiterate what you said at the beginning about not making a decision then and having to consider all your options before making your final decision.
5. Just before you go
Just before they let you go most dealers will have one final attempt at keeping you by offering that little something extra they held back, this just goes to show that they weren’t offering you the very best deal in the first place.