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plusaf · #33 (**permalink**) 04-19-2006, 11:55 AM

oh, fer shure! do whatever's most comfortable and what works best for you. i overpaid on the leather for mine [see spreadsheet on my site!] and folks have ragged on me for getting ripped off. but to get the car i'd been waiting a LONG time [for me] for, and getting leather too, it was not a problem. luckily, paying the extra didn't change our lifestyle, either [knock wood or whatever.]

now, if you don't do this too much and end up with a city-wide reputation for it, you might try this: go to several dealers and look interested.... when you're not in the market for a car. this can help you learn their "patter" and acting style if there is one, and alleviate some of the "stage fright" of worrying if you're going to get a good deal: you're not really there to buy, so you can't get a bad deal, but the personal education and pseudo-"buying experience" can help you when you're really in the market.

if you know about what you're willing to pay and know even better what your "i ain't gonna pay that much "walkaway price" is" you'll also feel lots better if a saleman starts trying to tack on extras. not everyone may have the chance of finding a no-haggle dealer. education and experience are invaluable, and in the long run, will save you lots of money.

an old, very good friend of mine once told me, "i never pay list price." when i asked him, what happens if you want to go into Circuit City and buy a camera or something, what do you do, he answered, "i'll ask the salesperson if the camera is on special. if it's not, i'll ask what the last sale price was or when they think it'll be on sale in the next few weeks or months. if i get any answer to those questions, i'll offer the "sale price" on the spot. many times, in order to make a sale today and not a month from now, they can get special dispensation from their manager to sell at a lower price. even big chain stores.

and if you don't really need the item, it's a free way to test their system and gain experience.

also, in some of my "world travels" i've discovered that Americans, on average, hate to haggle or negotiate. in some other cultures, the seller is insulted if you buy for the offering price. try that in the MidEast or Central- or South-America. buying at full price is an affront to the seller and a waste of your money.

and it can be fun.

and if your company offers a "Negotiating Skills Class", run, do not walk, to sign up for it! i never thought of negotiating before i took a class like that; after that class, i probably saved several thousand dollars in the first year as a "graduate", and in one recent business transaction, i probably cost myself a few extra thousand by forgetting to ask a few key negotiating questions: i had some trees removed from my property. the company that removed the trees probably sold some of them to lumber mills, and one or two might have fetched them quite a bit of money. i should have asked for a lower price, to split some of that profit with them. i hope to never forget that lesson again!