when I bought a car recently I did the haggling with the dealer via live chat. Just told them what I could afford for the car I was after and asked if they could they meet it. Much easier to keep your nerve when not face to face.
Of course I kept it friendly but straight to the point. When they got close enough I went to the dealer, checked the car over and shook on it. It just felt easier to do it that way so that I didn’t waste their time or mine.

Oh, number 10, don’t, just please don’t try & get brave via email, or “live chat”, just don’t, did you get that OK?

You will end up splitting the difference , the dealer will drop a few quid. thing is you have to play the game.
People who buy things off me get short shrift if they start to tell me about things that are wrong the short and sharp answer is “I know that, that’s why its so cheap”. Ask them if something is perfect and then find it isn’t to get money off that way.
Important thing is that there will be another.

worked for me!

11. Ignore the bleatings of a car salesman. :0)

There’s lots of good advice above but from the other side of the fence to 2unfit one of my roles is buying vehicles – new and second hand. Don’t go for the unrealistic haggle and don’t try to second guess. Fuel and mats are not what you are after so secure the car first then go for a cheeky little what about xyz. But to get there you need to make the other party feel like they have gained something.

Haggling, nah. When asked what have you got to spend tell them what you would like to spend, and then silently look at the car. The salesperson will feel compelled to talk and most likely refuse your non
too generous musings. So tell them what the absolute maximum is you are willing to spend and be willing to walk away – though I find a hanging silence after money is mentioned works really well particularly if you are all matey prior to it.

Well i bought one!

They had 4 all same spec same age etc
So had a look round and one was clearly looked after more than the others, 3 years old, 3 main dealer services 30k miles, test drive was fine, so going to pick it up Friday:)

Was 8400 with 12 months tax, 11 months mot.

Well done, did you get your deal?
🙂

How much did you pay in the end?

😀

£8400 but wasn’t the one I originally went looking for

nm that what was the window price?

Your being coy now, did you get a deal?

PS, just say yes & it was marked up at £10k, every one will be a winner 🙂

paid the window price but with the tax, service etc chucked in

Couldn’t really argue much as couldn’t find one anywhere else cheaper

Please say you gave it a go, dealers like sport too 😉

I “gave it a go” buying the S Max last month.

The salesman said “It is priced to sell. This is the best deal you’ll get.

It will be gone by this time next week.

Take it or leave it.”

Eventually I managed to get 6 months tax.

He had a point though, It was a good price to begin with.

Gave it a go, but like harry they basically said you won’t find one this cheap anywhere else, which was pretty much true so happy with the price I paid even if there was a lot less haggling than I expected

Fair enough, TBF the way people buy things, & indeed the way people sell things these days has moved on, as a seller if you price high then you won’t get any calls, so you price accordingly but that means you don’t have room to give discounts. When people realise this then we will have less threads like this, but I guess it will be a few years before this filters through, just as it took retailers a few years to realise that you have to be competitive to be in the market.

Cheers & enjoy the purchase.