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Step 1
Email the dealership that has the vehicle you have chosen. Make sure you are dealing with the Internet manager because he is usually on a pay plan based on volume of vehicles sold instead of commission on the price. Simply ask in your email for the invoice of the vehicle you are interested in.
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Step 2
Research your vehicle using the Edmonds website (listed in References). Edmonds gives you the option to build the make and model of vehicle you are interested in. There is an error ratio, but it is very small--usually plus or minus a couple hundred dollars on the invoice. You can also double-check by looking at what Edmonds has listed for MSRP. If the MSRP is a match, then most likely the invoice is an exact match as well.
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Step 3
Visit the Consumer Reports website to find the "Bottom Line Price" for the car you are interested in (see Resources). You will also learn of any dealer incentives or special financing deals currently offered.
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Step 4
Just walk into the dealership. Test-drive the vehicle because most dealerships will not talk price until you have at least driven the vehicle. When the test drive is over, let the salesperson know you are interested and want to see the invoice on the vehicle. Depending on the dealership, some will be cooperative and some will not. If they are not cooperative, move on to the next dealership, especially one that sells a high volume of cars. These are the dealerships you want to target because they get bonuses on the amount of inventory they sell each month and are lest worried about selling a car for a high price.
