WHY IS CAR BUYING SO DIFFERENT?

• Most people when they set out to buy a car don't really know what they want to buy. They are vague as to the kind of car they want. And they don't know if they can afford a car or not. Therefore, it is easy for a dealer to confuse and manipulate such buyers.

• Most people don't know what their trade-in is worth - and most dealers are depending on that factor to get the most money from your old car - money which they put toward buying more new and used cars to sell.

• Most buyers don't know which model and which extras they want. So, evaluating and deciding can take a very long time.

• All salespersons have more patience than buyers, so they can easily wait the customer out.

• Getting financing is not always easy, even with good credit. Calculating the amount of down payment, cash back, etc. takes time even under the best of circumstances.

• Doing all the paperwork and explaining all the legalities takes a long time.

The average buyer has to go through all six of these steps before he ends up with a new set of wheels. And he has to make sure these steps go really well so he gets what he wants, with the minimum of grief. This is where you need to be a good negotiator.