SAVE TIME AND MONEY!
If you’re like most people you hate to haggle with car salesman for hours on end. We have helped over 184,000 car buyers save thousands of dollars when buying a new or used car.
By following our FREE car buying technique below. You will never have to deal with pushy front line car salesman ever again. You will not even step inside a dealership until you’re ready to test drive the vehicle with an agreed upon purchase price, in writing.
INFORMATION IS POWER
One of the best kept car buying secrets in the world! Our goal for 2019 is to help car buyers across the Nation save $2,000,000 off the sticker price. The whole process only takes a few minutes and can save you thousands of dollars off your next vehicle purchase. When you are done, we would love to add your savings to our totals below.
New Car Savings Off MSRP
Since January 1, 2019. We have saved consumers almost $670,000 off MSRP. The average saving per vehicle purchased using our service is $2,865. We update this figure at the beginning of every month. Last update: June 1, 2019.
Used Car Savings Off MSRP
Buying a used car can be a little more difficult than buying a new car. Year-to-date, our used car buyers have saved over $425,000 off sticker price. We would love to hear your story and add your savings to our total.
PICK A CAR ANY CAR
Are you shopping for a new car or used car?
NEW CARS
STEP 1: GATHER NEW CAR PRICE QUOTES FIRST
Go to both of the trusted partner sites below and enter in the EXACT vehicle you want. Select all the dealers in your area (within a 50 mile radius). Even if you see a duplicate dealer select it again. This shows your intent to buy a car (even if your just price shopping) and the dealer will be under more pressure to quote you a great price knowing they are competing with other dealers in your area.
GET A MINIMUM OF 7 FREE QUOTES
STEP 2: LOCATE ALL THE DEALERS IN YOUR AREA
While the two online companies above are excellent services and may provide you with the lowest price you can buy the car for. All the dealers in your local area may not be participating within their programs. You will want to get at least 7 dealers to provide you with a quote.
2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid
If you do not have 7 price offers from Edmunds and TrueCar, you will want to contact a few other dealers. Depending on where you live, you may have to cast your net far and wide. Some dealers may be a few hundred miles away, however you will want to get their price offer to use as leverage against your primary dealers in your local area.
We have listed all of the manufacturer’s web sites for you below. Click on the brand of new car you want and find the links that say “Dealers” “Locate Dealership” or “Find a Dealer.” They are usually located on the homepage, towards the top or bottom of the page and easy to find. Everything else is self explanatory.
The three pieces of information you are after is the dealership’s name, phone number and internet manager’s email address. If you can only find the dealership’s name and phone number, that’s okay.
GET REMAINING BIDS
STEP 3: GET REMAINING BIDS FROM DEALERS
If you are comfortable with one of the discounted prices you received through TrueCar or Edmunds. You can go ahead and contact the dealer and buy the car. However, if you want to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible and maximizing your savings. You may have to do a little bit of work.
2020 Ford Explorer
Using the contact information you printed from the above dealers. Mark off the ones you already have price offers from. You will now begin to get price offers the old fashion way until you have a minimum of 7 solid new car price quotes.
Begin with the dealers closest to you and work your way out. I would recommend only calling the dealer’s with the largest inventories and located closer to large areas of population. For people located in rural areas, you may have to stretch your search out to 200 miles or more. You will be able to use these long distance bids to level the playing field with dealers in your area.
Call the main number and ask for the internet sales manager. They deal more in volume pricing and do not typically work on a commission basis. This is why they can offer the best deals. If there is no internet manager at the dealer, ask for the fleet manager.
Your only goal during this call is to get the internet manager’s email address and letting them know you will be sending them a bid proposal (see email template below). These calls are quick, short, and easy. Don’t get sucked in by talking about price over the phone. Here’s how the phone call should play out:
Basic Call to Dealership
You: “Hello, May I please speak with the internet sales manager?”
Receptionist: “Please hold…”
Internet Manager: “This is Mr. Internet Manager, How may I help you?”
You: “Hello, I am ready to purchase a vehicle within the next couple days. I am calling around to see will offer me the best deal. I am interested in a (Year/Make?Model) and would like to send you a bid proposal outlining the features I’d like along with a few additional questions. May I please have your email address.”
Internet Manager: “Absolutely, it is [email protected].”
You: “Thank you, you will be hearing from me shortly.”
2020 Toyota Camry
It really is that easy. Most internet managers will give you their email addresses without any hassle. There might be a couple out there that will try to get you to come into the dealership or ask you questions about your research. Just tell them you are running late and you will explain everything in the email.
The following information is what you’re after when making contact with the dealership:
- Internet Manager’s Name
- Name of Dealership
- Email Address
- Phone Number
To keep from getting confused with all the information you’re gathering about pricing, colors, vehicle options, etc. Make use of index cards (one for each dealership). Or, if you’re computer savvy, an excel spreadsheet.
From my experience, there’s no need to be nervous or anxious. Most internet manager’s are very professional and understand you are an educated consumer and realize you will not tolerate high-pressure sales tactics. Every once in a while you may come across an unethical one. So here are some solutions to the most common problems that may come up:
Possible Call Problems & Solutions (Click Here)
Vehicle Not Available: Ask the manager what the closest match to the vehicle you’re interested in. If you would like to own it, send the email to them. If you’re not, just move on to the dealer.
No Internet Manager: Ask if you can speak with the FLEET manager. If they don’t have one of them also, ask to speak with the new car sales manager.
Phone/Email No Price Policy: Some unethical dealerships will tell you it is against their policy to give prices over the phone or email. This is a pressure tactic. Tell them up front you are only taking bids by phone/email. If they still will not give you an email address, just say, “If you can’t give me a bid, you will not be able to participate. Thank you.”
Email Does Not Work: Sometimes unethical dealers will pull this trick also. If you’re comfortable, go over the options and fees in the email template below. Make sure they answer all the questions you have when giving you their bid. Also you want to make sure you get it in writing somehow, someway. If you’re not comfortable talking on the phone, just move on to the next dealer.
You Get Voicemail: Let them know you’re interested in buying a car and you would like them to call you back at their earliest convenience. Don’t forget to leave your name and number. When they call back, just go over the basic dealership call script above.
CAR BUYING TIP: The best time to make these calls is during the middle of the week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Dealerships are not as busy during the week and actively seeking out ways to get a car sold. You also want to make your as close to the end of the month as possible. This is when dealers and their managers are tying to hit their sales quotas. You don’t want to wait too long, this technique takes a few days to to complete.REQUEST INFORMATION
STEP 4: SEND EMAIL PROPOSALS TO DEALERSHIPS
Below is the email you will send to each dealership you made contact with. Feel free to copy and paste it to your email client.
Don’t forget to input the correct information between the open and closed brackets [xxxx].
Hello [ INSERT INTERNET MANAGER’S NAME ],
I will be purchasing a [ YEAR / MAKE / MODEL / TRIM ] within the next couple days. I have already fully researched and test-driven the vehicle. I know exactly what I want. I have reached out to several local dealerships and will purchase from the dealer who offers me the best deal. For a fair comparison, please provide a price bid on the amount over and under factory invoice you are willing to sell the vehicle for.
If you win the bid and I buy from your dealership, I’m expecting you will show me a copy of the factory invoice. I am also assuming I can choose from any vehicle you have on your lot of this certain trim. If you do not currently have the above vehicle in your current inventory. Please provide a bid on the closest match to this car.
I am a little flexible with colors and options. However, I would prefer [ PROVIDE 2 OR 3 COLORS CHOICES ]. I would also prefer the vehicle I purchase be equipped with [ LIST ANY OPTIONS AND PACKAGES YOU WANT ]. I know I do not want [ ADD ANY OPTIONS OR PACKAGES YOU DON’T WANT ]. (((Erase the last line if you don’t have any “don’t wants.”)))
When submitting your price bid, please include the following:
- Please provide me a list of any additional fees with amount, not listed on the invoice, that I will be responsible to pay. (ex. dealer prep, doc fee, etc.)
- The vehicle’s price in relation to the new car factory invoice.
- Any factory, manufacturer or dealer incentives offered on the above vehicle including any loyalty, conquest, etc. bonus available. (please list separately and do not include in price of bid)
- List any dealer add-ons on the vehicle I will have to pay for. (floor mats, pinstripes, locking lug nuts, etc.)
- Please provide the “Out-the-Door” price including TT&L (tax, title and license), all fees, and incentives.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response.
Yours Truly,
[ YOUR NAME ]
FOLLOW UP WORKS, NOBODY DOES IT
Sometimes the best follow up is a simple phone call
You should start receiving email bids as early as the same day from the dealers who have a excellent follow-up policy in place. However, there are some instances where internet departments are swamped with leads, make mistakes, or are just slow and lazy. Some dealers may forget to send you a price or send you all the included information. You may not get a response at all.
If you have not received an email bid within 24 hours from the dealers you manually contacted. Send them a follow up email. Even though you didn’t get a bid, doesn’t mean they won’t still give you a good deal.
More likely than not, they simply got sidetracked, forgot to send it, or thought you were just a window shopper fishing for prices.
Send the email below if you did not receive a bid within 24 hours from a dealer you manually contacted earlier:
Again, feel free to copy and paste and don’t forget to personalize the information within the brackets [ xxxx ].
My name is [ YOUR NAME ], I talked to you on the phone the other day and sent you an email requesting a price on a [ YEAR / MAKE / MODEL / TRIM ]. I apologize for the rush. I would like to purchase this vehicle ASAP and haven’t received a bid from you.
As stated in my previous email, please provide me the following information:
- Please provide me a list of any additional fees with amount, not listed on the invoice, that I will be responsible to pay. (ex. dealer prep, doc fee, etc.)
- The vehicle’s price in relation to the new car factory invoice.
- Any factory, manufacturer or dealer incentives offered on the above vehicle including any loyalty, conquest, etc. bonus available. (please list separately and do not include in price of bid)
- List any dealer add-ons on the vehicle I will have to pay for. (floor mats, pinstripes, locking lug nuts, etc.)
- Please provide the “Out-the-Door” price including TT&L (tax, title and license), all fees, and incentives.
Thank you for your time.
[ YOUR NAME ]
You may also receive some bids with incomplete or missing information. You my be missing the price above or below factory invoice, additional fees you’re responsible to pay, or the bid may be on the wrong vehicle altogether. Sometimes the internet may send you the “out-the-door” price without any other information.
You want to make sure the bids are fair and standardized. This will keep it fair and help you compare apples-to-apples. Follow up with the dealer and let them know, “They are one of your lowest bids. However, you need a little more clarification.” They will normally respond immediately, it may just take a little nudging on your side.
GIVE DEALERS A CHANCE TO WIN
STEP 5: GIVE DEALERS A CHANCE TO BEAT THE LOWEST BID
This is the final step in the process and the most exciting! You will be giving each dealer you’ve contacted a chance to beat the lowest price you’ve received. By the time this step is over, you are guaranteed to buy the new car you want at the absolute lowest price available in your area.
Once you’ve received a total of 7 new car price bids, including the free quotes through Edmunds and TrueCar. Make sure all the information is correct and it is on the exact vehicle you want to buy.
Give Dealers a Chance to Compete
The first thing you want to do is check to see which one is the lowest price related to factory invoice. Second, look at the total charges of additional fees (doc fee, dealer prep, etc.) Add it all up and determine which dealer offered you the lowest price.
NOTE: Some dealers have different amounts for fees. They may offer you a $300 under invoice, but their additional fees add up to $600. This would add up to $300 over invoice price. When another dealer may offer you $300 under invoice also and only have $300 in fees. The first dealer will need to lower their bid $300 to match the second dealer’s bid even though they both gave you an initial bid of $300 under factory invoice. Keep in mind, dealer added options will also determine the overall price you pay for the vehicle. Some may be removed, but if they can’t, you need to make a decision if you want to pay the additional charge.
Once you determine the overall price, you will contact each internet manager and give them a chance to beat your lowest bid. You can do this by email or by phone (recommended). I recommend you start with your worst bid and work your way down. Each contact will need to be personalized, since each dealer has different fees and pricing structures.
There are two main incentives you want to make sure you state in your email or phone call to get the dealer to lower their bid:
INCENTIVE #1: 100% Customer Satisfaction Index Score – You are prepared to give the dealer you buy the car from a 5 Star 100% score on the Customer Satisfaction Index Survey you will receive after purchasing the vehicle. A CSS or CSI is a survey sent from the manufacturer to the buyer. This survey is how manufacturer’s determine how dealerships are treating their customers (A dealership’s report card). The higher the overall Customer Satisfaction Index Score a dealer has, the larger bonuses they qualify for. A high CSI score also gives them better access to certain inventory allowances (new car models, incentives, etc.)
2020 Toyota Supra
INCENTIVE #2: The Promise of Servicing Your New Car at the Dealership You Buy From – Contrary to popular belief, dealers do not make a huge profit when selling new cars. They make a large amount of their profit through servicing the vehicles they sell. Promising to service your new car at the dealer you buy from is a great incentive. They understand they will continue making money from you as long as you own the vehicle. Remember, to keep things fair. If you don’t intend to service your vehicle at the dealer, don’t lie and if you live to far away from the dealer, they will not believe you anyway.
The most effective way to do this is to call each dealer, starting with the one with the highest bid. If the internet manager ends up giving you a lower bid, his bid will become the lowest bid and you can move on to the next one in line. If they fail to give you a lower bid, you can remove them from the running. (If you dislike talking on the phone, you can do this by email (see below). It is still very effective but the process may take a little longer.)
There is no reason to be nervous or anxious, dealers get these calls all the time. This is how your conversation should go:
Call: Chance to Beat Lowest Price Bid (Click Here)
You: “Hello, this is [ YOUR NAME ], thanks for emailing me a bid on the [ YEAR / MAKE / MODEL / TRIM ]. You quoted me [ PRICE ]? [ UNDER / OVER ] invoice. The best offer I’ve received so far is [ PRICE ] [ UNDER / OVER ] invoice. I would like you to know that I am prepared to give a 100% score on the Customer Satisfaction Index Survey and I will also be servicing my vehicle at the dealer I buy the car from. With that in mind, what’s the best price you can offer if I come down and purchase the vehicle today?”
Internet Manager: I can do “[ LOWER PRICE QUOTE ].”
You: “Thank you. That’s great news, I still have a few more calls to make. I will call you back as soon as possible with my final decision. (If the dealer does not beat your lowest price bid, politely thank them for their time and move on to the next one.)
I’ve included an email template below if you would rather email the dealers instead of call them:
Feel free to copy and paste. Again, don’t forget to change the info within the brackets [ xxxx ].
Although I thank you for your quote on the [ YEAR / MAKE / MODEL / TRIM ] and I’d really like to buy the car from you. Your quote of [ PRICE ] [ UNDER / OVER ] invoice takes you out of the race. The best price I have received is [ PRICE ] UNDER / OVER] invoice.
I’m sure your Customer Satisfaction Index Survey is important to you and I’m prepared to give a 100% score to whomever I buy my next new vehicle from.
I would also like to mention that I’ll be servicing my vehicle at the same facility that I purchase from.
If you’d like to submit another quote today, I’d consider it. I will be buying a car within the next 24 hours.
Yours Truly,
[ YOUR NAME ]
SOMETHING FOR NOTHING BONUS
BONUS STEP 6: GO FOR ONE LAST DISCOUNT
Once you’ve completed the above step. You now have the lowest price you can pay for the vehicle you want to buy, within your local area, in your hand. However, I’m going to show you one more tip on how to get a little bit more of a discount, or maybe even something thrown in, from the dealer.
You will want to call (recommended) or email the dealer that offered you the lowest price and pick one of the following:
- “I’ve narrowed my car buying decision down to just you and one other dealer. Although your prices are very close, I’d rather buy the car from your dealership if you will throw in something like [window tint], in writing, at no cost to me.”
- “I am very close to making a purchase and I would prefer to buy the car from your dealership. However, I have a bid that beats you by $289. If you will match it, I will come by the car from you today.”
For the first one above. I would ask for something small from the dealer like cargo mats, pinstripe, window tint, locking lugs, floor mats, free oil changes for a year, etc. These items are common “give-away items” and dealers give them away frequently to close a deal.
The reason I focus on $289 in the second scenario is because it falls right in that “magic-number” area when negotiating. It’s not an even number and it sounds believable. Some dealers may try and split the difference with you by only discounting it $150 or less. If they won’t discount the price at all, ask them for free window tint or something named in the first scenario above. If they won’t budge at all, tell them the other dealer was just too far away and it wasn’t worth the time or drive for the small savings.
At this point, you don’t want to go for too much more money. The dealer knows how much all dealers paid for the vehicle you’re trying to buy. Anything over the $300 mark and they will not believe you and you won’t even have a chance for more of a discount.
If you would rather email the dealer than call, pick the template below that best fits your needs.
Hi [ INTERNET MANAGER’S NAME ],
I’ve narrowed my car buying decision down to just you and one other dealer. Although your prices are very close, I’m prepared to buy the car from you if you will throw in [ ADDITIONAL ACCESSORY ], in writing, at no cost to me and I will buy the car today.
Please reply as soon as possible.
Yours Truly,
[ YOUR NAME ]
OR
Hi [ INTERNET MANAGER’S NAME ],
I am very close to making a purchase and I would prefer to buy the car from your dealership. However, I have a bid that beats you by $289. If you will match it, I will come by the car from you today.
Please reply as soon as possible.
Yours Truly,
[ YOUR NAME ]
FINALIZE THE DEAL
GET IT IN WRITING AND PICK UP YOUR NEW CAR
2020 Jeep Gladiator
Now that you have the lowest price. You will want to get it in writing before actually going to the dealership. The reason you do this is so you don’t run into a dealer that gave you a “low price” to get you to come to the dealership. If you don’t get it in writing, you may go to the dealership and they’ll tell you something like, “Oh, that car is no longer available.” or “We just sold that one, but we have this more expensive car available.” With you being at the dealership already, they believe they have a better chance of selling you a car.
What you are looking for (requesting) is to have the dealer send you a signed purchase order breaking down all the charges you’ve agree to pay. The purchase order will include the year, make, model, and trim of the car. It will also include the vehicle identification number (VIN), MSRP, tax, title, license (TT&L), registration, all additional dealer, state, and government fees, plus the final total (out the door price).
Print out the purchase order and take it with you to the dealership. Meet with your contact, match the VIN with the vehicle they present to you. Test drive the car, sign the paperwork and drive your new car home with confidence that you got a great deal. Some dealers will even bring the car and paperwork to you if you don’t live to far from the dealership.
If for any reason the dealer tries to get out of selling you the car, even after putting it in writing. Let them know you are not the type to play games. Be willing to walk away if they are not willing to give you the deal they promised to you. You should also let them know you will be posting your experience with their dealership online and though all of your social media channels. Google Reviews, Yelp, DealerRater, etc. You will also be filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General.
If this doesn’t make them come to their senses and honor the deal, don’t be afraid to walk away. Make contact with the dealer with the next lowest bid.
CONGRATULATIONS! You now know how to get the lowest price on any new car available on the market.
