|  If
you are thinking about buying a new
or used car from a car dealership, did
you know that there are ways that you
can shave tens – even hundreds
of pounds - off what you pay for it?
You
see, there really are ways you can get
a good deal when buying a new or used
car, says e-book Confessions of an Undercover
Car Salesman. This book is the story
of someone who posed as a car salesman
and went undercover at two car dealerships.
He found out what really goes on behind
the scenes at a car showroom and learnt
the tactics that salespeople use to
get a sale.
.
First of all, do your research before
even entering a showroom. Know what
type of car you need and for what purpose
- for example, are you looking for a
‘fun’ car? Or a car for
commuting? Or perhaps a family car?
By defining what your new car will be
used for will stop you being swayed
by the salesman.
Know
exactly how much you are prepared to
spend and never extend your budget.
When the car salesman asks you what
your budget is, give a figure at least
£500 under what you are really
prepared to spend.
Why?
Ask anyone who has bought a new or used
from a car dealership and 95% of them
would have been offered a deal that
comes in ‘just £500’
over the top of their budget. This is
because by the time you have seen the
type of car you like and have sat down
with the salesman to discuss figures,
you are already halfway to making a
purchase. The salesman knows that at
this point he can probably squeeze an
extra £500 out of you.
Also,
If you are looking to part exchange
your own car, then know how much it
is worth - the web is a good research
tool when looking at second hand car
values. While the car dealership will
not give you the full part exchange
value, by knowing how much your car
is worth will give you extra bargaining
power.
Chit
chat
When
with the salesman, avoid idle chit chat.
It may seem like he is just being friendly,
but this is all part of the sales process
as he is actually trying to extract
information on you before he launches
into his sales pitch, as well as come
across more ‘human’.
For
example, questions such as: What do
you do for a living? Where do you work?
Where do you live? etc gives him a feel
for how much money you are likely to
spend.
While
questions such as: How many kids do
you have? And What are their names?
makes him sound interested in you, so
you begin to bond with him.
Finance
If
you want to arrange car finance through
the car dealership, you should already
have researched the loan marketplace
even before setting foot in the car
showroom. By doing this, you will have
a good idea of the typical interest
rate banks and other loan providers
are currently charging.
Unless
they have a special 0% interest finance
deal on, most car dealerships will charge
you more interest than other loan companies.
This is because the car dealership is
actually taking a cut of the interest
you are paying too, which, on the upside,
means they can be open to negotiation.
If it is a case of knocking 1% interest
off a deal to retain you as a customer
and sell you a £10,000 car, for
example, then most car dealers will
do this (grudgingly of course!).
By
using these tactics and beating the
car salesman at his own game, you will
be well on your way towards getting
a great deal on a new or used car.
For
more tips and tricks on how to get a
good deal on a car, read Confessions
of an Undercover Car Salesman. This
downloadable e-book costs £10.95
from motoring website www.motorcarloans.com
and claims to give you the knowledge,
confidence and tools needed to save
money when making that special purchase.
|
If
you are going on holiday somewhere new,
you will no doubt want to research where
you are going – things to do,
things to see and places to eat etc!
However, don’t shell out on a
travel guide – simply contact
the Tourist Board for the country or/city
you are visiting and get them to send
you an information pack. 
When
taking out home insurance, many people
don’t see the point of paying
an extra £15-odd per year for
legal expenses, mainly for two reasons
- they don’t fully understand
what it covers and, those that do understand,
think that they’ll never need
to use it.