How to Save Money on a New Car

By PJWilliams, eHow Member Rating

I save $2000 on my new car.

Rate: (4 Ratings)

Saving cash on a new car is easier than you think. It does not involve driving from car dealership to dealership, getting your poker face on, or even sitting across the desk from the car salesman using your debating skills. All it takes is two days' worth of emails or calls and visiting a couple websites and you'll be saving cash and impressing your friends!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Don't share much information with the car salesmen. While you are trying to decide which car and options you like, you will inevitably want to take a test drive. When you do, don't talk too much to the car salesmen. Don't reveal whether you have a trade in, will need to finance, or what you need the monthly payments to be. They can use this information later when they negotiate the price with you. Also, when you take the test drive, beware of some dealerships who will take your driver's license and do an unauthorized credit check while you are test driving. This will hurt your credit when you go to get a car loan. Try to avoid giving your license, or if you must, give them a copy instead and write on the copy that they do not have permission to run a credit check.
Step 2

Saving cash is easy when you order a report from fightingchance.com. It costs $40 for the first car and $15 for an additional car. It is well worth the money. I used it and saved $2,000. They provide information on the true invoice price and hidden fees. They give a script and advice for negotiating and tell you how well others have saved on the same car.
Step 3

Start shopping a week before the end of the month. Each dealership has their own sales goals they must meet by month's end to earn bonuses. They are more willing to sell for less on the last weekend of the month if one or two more cars will help them meet their goal.
Step 4

Call or email several car dealerships asking them to contact you with their best price. Fightingchance.com provides a terrific script for doing this as part of their package.
Step 5

Once you get all the offers, choose the best one and call the other car dealerships to thank them for their offer and inform them of the offer you are taking. (You do not have to tell them which dealership, just the offer. Be SURE not to LIE.) Some dealerships will then revise their offer to be even lower.