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Lincoln Certified Pre-Owned Pro Review
Lincoln is one of the top names in the luxury vehicle market. If you’re looking at getting into a Lincoln, you should consider looking into their certified pre-owned (CPO) program. You’ll be looking at cars that have been inspected and come with a warranty. It’s a nice compromise between buying a new car and buying a used car.
We’re about to look at the Lincoln certified pre-owned program, including the warranty offering, the inspection process, and the included perks.
TLDR; We’re pleased with the Lincoln CPO program. Although an extended warranty or separate powertrain warranty (like General Motors) would be appreciated, the existing warranty offering is sufficient. They have a thorough inspection process that gives us faith in the quality of the cars they’re selling.
Lincoln’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Information
Every Lincoln certified pre-owned vehicle must meet the following requirements:
- Passed a 200-point inspection
- 60,000 miles or fewer
- Clean Carfax report
Once these conditions are met, the car will be warrantied and sold as a Lincoln certified pre-owned vehicle.
What does Lincoln’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?
Every Lincoln certified pre-owned vehicle includes a Comprehensive Limited Warranty. While they direct you to contact the dealership for the warranty manual, they do provide a list of the significant areas that are covered:
- Brakes
- Steering components
- Front-wheel drive system
- Rear-wheel drive system
- Transmission
- Engine
- Front and rear suspension
- Electrical systems
- Air conditioning and heating
- Technology components
- Emissions
- Factory audio system
- Safety system
Overall, they say that their warranty protects more than 1,000 components. Lincoln says you’re protected against failure of all covered components due to abnormal wear resulting from defective materials or workmanship, in addition to mechanical breakdowns.
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We want to dive deeper into what this coverage means, but they don’t make a comprehensive warranty manual available on their website. You’ll need to clarify what this phraseology means when you visit the dealership. Does it mean they’ll buy you new tires if the wheel alignment is off due to poor workmanship, resulting in uneven wear on your tires? It’s an important distinction to make. They state that the warranty excludes ‘wear-and-tear’ items, but what if a part is worn down faster due to their workmanship?
Lincoln does not discuss if they have a deductible on warrantied repairs. If they had made a warranty manual available online, we’d be able to tell if there was a deductible. Instead, you’ll need to ask the dealership if there is a deductible on covered repairs.
How long does Lincoln’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Last?
Lincoln’s Comprehensive Limited Warranty lasts for six years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. The clock started when the car was initially purchased, however, not when you bought the vehicle.
When compared to the mileage requirements to be included in the CPO program, you’ll at least have 40,000 miles left on the warranty, possibly more. We believe that this is a perfect amount of time for any manufacturer’s defects to become apparent.
However, we would like to see Lincoln add another warranty to the end of the Comprehensive Limited Warranty. Another alternative would be adding a powertrain warranty to the overall warranty offering.
The warranty is completely transferable to a new party if you decide to sell your car while it’s still covered. We love to see this policy, as it significantly increases your resale value if you choose to sell your vehicle.
Lincoln’s Certified Pre-Owned Inspection
Lincoln performs a 200-point inspection of all cars before they are sold as certified pre-owned vehicles. You can view the complete list online at the Lincoln website, but we’ll cover the main points below:
- Vehicle history report, including VIN inspection and a clean title
- Road test, including engine idle functionality and cruise control functionality
- Vehicle exterior, including body panel condition and bumper condition
- Vehicle interior, including airbag functionality and interior amenities condition
- Vehicle diagnostics, including checking for any current or historical trouble codes
- Underhood, including fluid levels and timing belt condition
- Underbody, including checking for frame damage and emissions control test
- For hybrids, check the hybrid cooling system and the 110V power outlet functionality
Once a vehicle has scored a perfect 100% on Lincoln’s inspection, it will be warrantied and sold as a CPO car.
Lincoln inspects more points on their cars than many other automakers (Volkswagen only inspects 112 points). We’re happy to see that they’re conducting a thorough inspection, as we believe the inspection is a vital element of the overall CPO program.
Other Lincoln Certified Pre-Owned Perks
Like other automakers, Lincoln has decided to offer a few bonuses to go along with all their certified pre-owned vehicles. These perks are:
- Carfax Vehicle History Report
- 24/7 Roadside Assistance, covering emergency tows, flat tire replacement, lockout services, and battery jump starts
Surprisingly, those are the only perks listed on their certified pre-owned website. It’s a minimal perk offering. It’s possible that they think the same way we do, that perks should not persuade you into buying a car.
Overall, we are pleased with the Lincoln certified pre-owned program. They have a thorough inspection and reasonable warranty offering, which are the two most essential parts of any CPO program. While they could stand to offer more perks, that’s not a mark against them in our eyes.
Even though Lincoln has a thorough inspection process, you should still have a third-party mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection before making your purchase.
The Lincoln certified pre-owned program is a perfect way for Lincoln fans to get into one without breaking the bank on a new car.
Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned Review
Mercedes-Benz is the ultimate name in luxury cars. If you want a smooth ride with an impeccably designed interior, you want a Mercedes-Benz. However, the new car price is often a deterrent. Luckily, a certified pre-owned (CPO) program is available that allows you to buy a Mercedes-Benz that has been inspected and comes with a warranty.
We’re about to go over the Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned program, including the warranty, inspection process, and any included perks.
TLDR; We like what we see about the Mercedes-Benz CPO program, but there simply isn’t enough verifiable information available about the program to make a firm call. Their website does not discuss warranty coverage, nor do they disclose the official inspection checklist. We might be able to let the lack of a checklist slide, but not letting us know what is and is not covered by the warranty is disappointing.
Mercedes-Benz’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Information
To be considered for the Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned program, a vehicle must meet the following criteria:
- Clean Carfax vehicle history report
- Six model years old or newer
- 75,000 miles or fewer
- Serviced according to the maintenance schedule
Something that jumps out about their eligibility requirements is the maintenance schedule adherence. Other programs make sure that vehicles have had oil changes, but Mercedes-Benz ensures that the owner’s manual maintenance schedule has been followed.
What does Mercedes-Benz’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?
Every Mercedes-Benz will be covered by either the New Vehicle Limited Warranty or the CPO Limited Warranty when purchased. Mercedes-Benz does not make any warranty literature available on their website, and we don’t want to rely on third-party reports about what’s covered.
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The fine print on their CPO page says that you’ll need to talk to the dealer about exclusions and details about the warranties. You should make this the first thing you talk about when you arrive at the dealership: what is covered in the warranty.
Since there is no separate powertrain warranty discussed, you’ll also need to ensure that the provided warranty covers the powertrain.
It’s not clear if the warranty is transferable to a new party. You’ll need to clarify with the dealer if this warranty is transferable, as this will significantly impact resale value should you decide to sell your car.
How long does Mercedes-Benz’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Last?
The Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned warranty lasts for one year with no mileage cap. The year begins when you purchase the vehicle or the date that the New Vehicle Limited Warranty has expired.
The New Vehicle Limited Warranty covers the vehicle for four years and 50,000 miles, which means that not every CPO vehicle sold will have this coverage. However, every CPO car will at least have the CPO Limited Warranty for at least one year.
We think one year is a bit too short for a CPO warranty. We’d like to see it doubled or even tripled since one year might not be enough time for manufacturer defects to show themselves.
The CPO warranty may be extended by up to two additional years. The cost for doing this is not disclosed, so this is something you’ll have to discuss with the dealership.
Mercedes-Benz’s Certified Pre-Owned Inspection
Every vehicle that’s sold as a Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned vehicle has passed a 165-point inspection. Unlike other automakers, Mercedes-Benz does not make the full checklist available online. However, they do go over what is inspected in the online CPO manual, but we’ll cover the main highlights below:
- Appearance, including any scuffs or scratches
- Chassis, including steering and suspension
- Electrical, including headlamps and fuses
- Engine, including transmission and brake clutch
- Materials, including the owner’s manual and spare keys
We do not like that they have not made their exact checklist available online. Almost every automaker with a CPO program has posted their inspection checklist in plain sight. However, we’re supposed to take Mercedes-Benz’s word that there are 165 points being inspected, even though we don’t know what those points are.
Other Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned Perks
Every Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned vehicle comes with a selection of bonuses, just like other automakers. The perks provided by Mercedes-Benz are:
- Special financing options for specific CPO models
- 24/7 Personal Assistance that helps route trips and includes roadside assistance that covers jump-starts, refueling, and tire changes
- Vehicle Exchange Privilege, which allows you seven days and 500 miles to exchange your vehicle for another CPO vehicle if you are not satisfied
- Carfax Vehicle History Report (but are those reliable?)
- A three-month trial to SiriusXM
Most of these perks are standard. However, one jumps out as unique to Mercedes-Benz: Vehicle Exchange Privilege. Having the ability to exchange your car for a different CPO car is incredible. It’s unlikely that you’ll suddenly discover any major issues within the timeframe, but you may drive it enough to realize that it’s just not the right fit. Instead of driving it for years, you can trade it in and find a better fit.
Overall, we simply don’t have enough information to make a firm call on the Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned program. The Vehicle Exchange Privilege is fantastic, but the lack of public information about warranty coverage and their inspection process leaves us worried. We do like how the CPO Limited Warranty is added on to the end of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty if one is still active.
Please make sure that you have an independent mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection before making your purchase. The mechanic will let you know if there are any current or potential issues with the car before signing the contract.
Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Review
Cadillac has a long-held reputation for providing a luxurious ride. Depending on who you ask, they’re also the epitome of class. Anyone looking to drive a Cadillac should consider the Cadillac certified pre-owned (CPO) program. It’s a way to buy a slightly used, inspected, and warrantied Cadillac, which is better than buying used and cheaper than buying new.
We’re about to go through the Cadillac CPO program, including the warranty, inspection process, and any provided perks.
TLDR; We’re displeased by the Cadillac CPO program. The warranty they offer for their CPO vehicle isn’t long enough. While their inspection is thorough, we would like Cadillac to extend their warranty and bring back the powertrain warranty that came with all Cadillacs for five years.
Cadillac’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Information
Cadillac won’t allow any used car to become a CPO vehicle. To become a Cadillac certified pre-owned vehicle, the following criteria must be met:
- Pass a 172-point inspection
- Have 50,000 miles or fewer
Once these conditions are met, the car will be warrantied and sold as a Cadillac CPO vehicle.
What does Cadillac’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Cover?
Every Cadillac certified pre-owned vehicle includes a Limited Warranty, which is an extension of the Bumper-to-Bumper warranty that’s sold with every new car. This warranty covers most components of the vehicle. However, Cadillac does not include a specific exclusions list, unlike other automakers (Audi has a public exclusion list).
To be covered by this warranty, the issue must stem from a manufacturer’s defect. If the problem is related to misuse, neglect, abuse, or modification, the repairs will not be covered.
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All repairs must be completed at a Cadillac dealer. This policy is standard for all CPO programs. There is no deductible for warrantied repairs, which is something that we greatly appreciate.
Third-party sources say that the warranty is transferable, but we’re unable to find any information on the warranty transferability on the official Cadillac certified pre-owned website. You’ll need to ask the dealer about transferability.
How long does Cadillac’s Certified Pre-Owned Warranty Last?
Every Cadillac certified pre-owned vehicle comes with a one-year Limited Warranty with no mileage cap. This warranty is active either after the expiration of the new vehicle Bumper-to-Bumper warranty or when you buy the CPO vehicle.
The original Bumper-to-Bumper warranty is good for four years or 50,000 miles. Compared to the requirements to participate in the CPO program, it’s entirely possible that you buy a car that doesn’t have a new vehicle Bumper-to-Bumper warranty. Fortunately, you’ll still be covered for one year with the CPO warranty.
It’s worth mentioning that model years 2012-2017 included a six-year and 100,000 miles powertrain warranty. If you purchase a vehicle within these years, you’ll retain the remainder of the powertrain warranty.
We don’t think a one-year warranty is sufficient for a CPO vehicle. Cadillac should lengthen the warranty and bring back their powertrain warranty. Offering a one-year warranty means that you have the equivalent of a few oil changes to discover any of the manufacturer’s defects. Considering it can take years for issues to show up, even when related to a defect, you could end up with repairs that would otherwise be covered.
General Motors offers a one-year warranty as well, but they also include a powertrain warranty to make up for it. Cadillac should follow suit.
Cadillac’s Certified Pre-Owned Inspection
Before being sold as a Cadillac certified pre-owned vehicle, the car must pass a 172-point inspection. You can view the entire checklist online, but we’ll cover the major sections below:
- Investigate vehicle history, including a vehicle history report and checking for trouble codes
- Maintenance, including load testing the battery and changing the oil
- Check tires and brake pads, including measuring the remaining depth on treads and thickness on pads
- Detailing, including washing the carpet and waxing the exterior
- Road test, including checking acceleration and steering wheel alignment
- Functional tests, including checking airbag functionality and convertible top functionality (if applicable)
- Engine compartment, including checking the AC compressor and the power steering functionality
- Interior, including lighting and seating condition
- Exterior, including headlamp functionality and body panel condition
- For hybrid vehicles, inspect battery air intake and confirm the auto stop
Cadillac’s inspection seems thorough and touches on all the crucial parts of a vehicle. Their inspection process boasts 172 points, which is slightly above the average amount of inspection points.
Other Cadillac Certified Pre-Owned Perks
Every automaker provides some perks to go with your new certified pre-owned vehicle. Cadillac offers the following bonuses:
- 24/7 Roadside Assistance for the length of the warranty, including coverage for lockouts, dead batteries, flat tires, and emergency tows
- Cadillac provides courtesy transportation if your vehicle requires repairs that are covered under the warranty
- A three-month trial of SiriusXM
- My Cadillac Rewards, which is Cadillac’s loyalty reward system
The above rewards are standard for a CPO program. Providing a courtesy vehicle if you need warrantied repairs is a nice perk, but many automakers include a similar bonus. While we’ve seen some CPO programs with fewer perks, we’ve also seen plenty of programs that offer more perks. Either way, we don’t think bonuses should play an essential role in helping you make a car purchasing decision.
Overall, we are not impressed by the Cadillac certified pre-owned program. The main reason is that they offer a CPO warranty that is far too short. One year is not long enough. Although other automakers offer similar warranties, we think this is too short to discover the manufacturer’s defects.
If you buy a Cadillac certified pre-owned vehicle, make sure to have a third-party mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection before signing any paperwork. They’ll double-check the inspection and make sure it’s in prime condition.
Anyone who dreams of driving a Cadillac should consider their CPO program. However, if you’re only looking for a reliable CPO vehicle with a good warranty, there are other programs out there to explore.
How to Piss Off A Car Salesperson: 5 Things Customers Do That Frustrate Car Salespeople
Anyone who has ever held a job can tell you a few things that were annoying about it, even if it was their absolute dream job. Selling cars is no different; there are several things customers do that simply annoy car salespeople. It’s almost as if some people are trying to learn how to piss off a car salesperson!
If you want a smooth, pleasant car buying experience, it pays to know what customers do that gets under a car salesperson’s skin. If you want to know how to piss off a car salesperson so you can avoid doing those things, you’re in the right place. It’s time to take a look at five things customers do that frustrate car salespeople.
Come in Right Before Closing
If you’ve ever held a job that interacts with the public, having a customer come in right before you close is likely pretty high on your list of annoyances. Car salespeople are the same.
Your average car dealership is open from 9 AM to 9 PM, otherwise known as half a day. Most salespeople are scheduled to work for a fair amount of these hours.
So when you come in looking to buy a car at 8:45 PM, the salesperson greeting you will be at least a little annoyed, even if they hide it under a smile. That salesperson was about to leave the dealership and enjoy their free time, but now they might be staying until midnight to sell you a car.
Don’t get us wrong, coming in right before closing and saying you want to buy a car will make a car salesperson and sales manager happy; they’re there to sell cars. They just won’t be as happy about the lack of sleep before the next workday.
If you want to know how to piss off a car salesperson, coming in right before closing is probably the easiest way to do it. If you can, try to go into a car dealership three to four hours before the dealership closes. That gives you time to go through the sales process without making a salesperson stay at work later than they’d prefer.
Kids Running Wild Through the Dealership
The car salesperson is there to work with you to sell you a car you love at a great price. They aren’t there to babysit your kids, and they certainly aren’t there to remind you to keep your kids under control.
All too often, parents bring their kids with them into a car dealership to buy cars. There is nothing wrong with that inherently, but once the kids start climbing through showroom cars, honking horns, and spilling drinks in vehicles, it’s time for the parents to step up. Yet, parents often act like there’s nothing wrong with what’s happening.
As a reminder, most car dealerships will have cars ranging from $15,000 to well over $100,000. It’s inconsiderate for parents to let kids use these expensive vehicles for their kid’s entertainment.
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Do you want to know how to piss off a car salesperson? Bring your kids in and let them run wild. In which case, you’ll be forcing the car salesperson to remind you to parent your kids. This could lead to an awkward conversation with you about needing to come back without your kids to continue the deal. Nobody wants that.
If you want to bring your kids with you to buy a car, that’s fine. Just be prepared to parent your children when they get bored.
Bringing a Check for The Wrong Amount or Ditching the Deal
This annoyance isn’t as prevalent as it used to be, but it still happens.
You see, back in the ’70s and ’80s, people weren’t able to walk into a dealership and drive off the lot with a new car on the same day. Instead, they’d do all their negotiations and then fill out a credit application. The salesperson would call the bank and give them all of the buyer’s information, and then they’d reach a decision about a loan.
To hold the car, the buyer would leave a small deposit, usually around $100.
After the salesperson painstakingly went line by line with the bank rep to get them approved, people simply wouldn’t show up the next day to finalize the sale. That means that the salesperson missed out on a commission, and they wasted their valuable time processing a credit application.
Back then, if the buyer didn’t need a credit application and were going to pay by check, they’d often come back the next day with a check that was $50 cheaper. It seems, they figured they could save a little bit of money right at the end.
Looking to find out how to piss off a car salesperson? Put down a deposit on a vehicle and then never come back. When you put down the deposit, that salesperson cannot sell that car to anyone else. If it’s an expensive car or an in-demand car, they could miss out on other sales while your deposit is holding the vehicle. If you don’t come back to finish the deal, you better believe you’ll have a pissed off car salesperson.
This one is easy to avoid; come back to finish the deal.
Not Bringing a Driver’s License
This one is simple: you need a driver’s license to test drive a car. The number of people who show up to a car dealership and ask to test drive a car without bringing their driver’s license would astound you. It seems like common sense, yet it still happens all the time.
Wanting to know how to piss off a car salesperson? Get to the point where it’s time for a test drive and then say you don’t have your license with you.
Avoid this annoyance by bringing your driver’s license with you when you go to the dealership.
Be Confident and Honest When Saying “No”
Honesty is always the best policy, even when dealing with car sales. Being honest with the car salesperson is respectful and persuades them to continue being honest with you.
If you don’t like a car or an offer, confidently say no. Don’t start talking about needing to talk it over with your spouse. Just look the salesperson in the eye and say that the car isn’t the right fit for you or that you don’t like the deal.
Don’t be worried about hurting the car salesperson’s feelings. They hear no all the time. They heard it before you arrived, and they’ll hear it again when you leave. Just be confident and honest with your “no.”
Now You Can Start Off on the Right Foot
Every car salesperson wants to make a sale, but an annoyed salesperson is less willing to work with you. Learning how to avoid frustrating them will go far in creating a pleasant, straightforward transaction. Plus, it shows you respect the car salesperson even when you’re on opposite sides of the negotiating table.
Now that you know how to piss off a car salesperson, you’re in a good position to start things off on the right foot. Show up well before closing, parent your children if they act up, bring your ID, complete your deals, and be confident if you say no.
Car Dealer Won’t Negotiate with You? Here’s How to Negotiate Car Prices.
Buying a car in 2020 is a bit surreal. As a car buyer, you have many (and varied) options for where you can go to purchase a vehicle. Your options range from digital dealerships with “car vending machines” to traditional dealerships that still fill out credit applications by hand. It’s crazy to think that you could go to two car dealerships in one day and have two completely different experiences.
That being said, regardless of where you go to buy your next car, the odds are you’ll be negotiating the price of it. Even as more upstart digital car dealerships make their way into the market (Carvana, Vroom, Shift, et al), the majority of cars are still sold either via private party (on Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc.) or at a dealership (franchised new car dealerships and independent local car dealerships). For you, as a car buyer, that most likely means you’ll be negotiating the price of the vehicle you’re interested in.
Many car buyers experience an awkward and uncomfortable situation when a car dealer is unwilling to negotiate. What do you do in this circumstance? After spending 43 years in the retail automotive industry, I’ve seen nearly every “sales” technique used on any unsuspecting customer, and I can assure you that even a car dealer who won’t negotiate on price, will bend even a bit to make a car deal.
What do you need to know when a car dealer won’t negotiate? Let’s dive in.
Know the current market conditions
After 43 years of selling cars for a living, I now coach, counsel, and provide recommendations to car buyers for how they should navigate their car deals. The first piece of advice I give every single person who wants to buy a car is to check their local market conditions before contacting any dealership.
What does it mean to “know the current market conditions?” It’s simple; it means you know how many vehicles in your area would satisfy your needs. My son and I built the free Market Price Report back at CarEdge to help with this.
Car dealers use a piece of software called vAuto to track local market conditions. What vAuto provides a dealership with is a snapshot in time of all comparable inventory within a 100-mile radius of them. Dealers look at this snapshot to determine what price they should list their inventory for sale. Feel free to ask a dealer to see their vAuto report, most will oblige and share it with you.
What does this mean for you as the car buyer? It means you need to have your equivalent report in hand before you contact any dealership. The Market Price Report from CarEdge shows you all of the comparable year, make, model, trim (YMMT) options within a 100-mile radius of your location. Best of all it shows you the negotiability score of each vehicle in that area as well.
If you run a Market Price Report and you find there are no similar vehicles in your area, that’s a good sign that you won’t have much (if any) leverage during your negotiations. However, if you run a Market Price Report and find that there are 100+ similar vehicles in your area then you know now you can walk away from any deal and go find another one. The best part is, the car dealer knows that too, since they’re looking at their vAuto report.
Knowing your local market conditions puts you on a level playing field with the dealer, and that’s of the utmost importance when it comes to negotiations. It’s one of your best tools to make a car dealer budge when a car dealer won’t negotiate with you.
Know how long the car you’re interested in has been on the dealer’s lot
Once you have confirmed the local market conditions, I highly recommend you get a sense for how long each dealer has had their inventory in stock. You’ll hear me call this the “time on lot,” and it’s of the utmost importance.
Why? Because car dealers do not buy their inventory in cash, instead they finance their purchase (just like you or I would). This means that for every day a piece of inventory is sitting on their lot they are paying interest on that loan. You’ll hear this referred to as “floor plan” from dealers.
If you know how long a dealer has held a vehicle on their lot, you can begin to get a sense for what their floor plan cost is on that unit. With that information, you can then negotiate more effectively. You can also pair this knowledge with the local market conditions to target your negotiation efforts on the vehicle that has been sitting on a dealer’s lot longest.
If a car dealer won’t negotiate, one of the first things you should bring up is that you know how long the car has been on their lot. This gives you tremendous leverage in the negotiation.
It’s worth noting that the Negotiability Score we provide in the CarEdge dashboard reflects this (i.e., higher scores are for vehicles that have been on dealer’s lots longer than lower scores).
Be prepared to walk and go to another dealership
With your research out of the way, you’re now ready to engage with a dealership about the particular vehicle you’re interested in. I recommend you use one of our tried and tested email templates for your initial outreach to a dealer.
If you come across a situation in which a car dealer won’t negotiate, my recommendation would be to bring up the vehicle’s time on lot and remind the dealer (politely) that it is costing them money to have the vehicle sit there, when you would gladly take it off of their hands for the right price.
If this tactic does not work, my recommendation would be to show them the similar vehicles you have identified in the area, along with their time on the lot, and let the dealer know you have many options for where you can go to purchase your next car. If this doesn’t persuade them to negotiate and make a car deal, then it’s time to send your email introduction to the next dealer on the list.
Obviously, this strategy will not work if there are no similar vehicles in your area. If that’s the case, then I’d suggest you read this guide on how to buy a car long distance from a dealer.
When it comes to negotiating tactics, whoever is in command of the conversation has the leverage during the negotiation. Car salespeople are trained to always be in control of the conversation. You need to keep them on their toes by using the above tips to gain control of the conversation.
Ultimately, the power the customer has is that they can simply say “no” and walk away. The salesperson can say no, but then they lose out on commission and a chance to make a car deal. When you say no, all you’ve lost is a little bit of time. This is the ultimate upper hand that you have when a car dealer won’t negotiate.
By following the advice in this article (and in our free cheat sheet), you’ll know how to negotiate car prices like a pro. Don’t be afraid to say no and walk away if a salesperson refuses to work with you on the price.
Would a car buying coach make this whole process easier for you? What about exclusive savings on financing, insurance, maintenance and more? Consider joining CarEdge+! We’ve got plans to suit your needs! From free basic membership, 1:1 consultations, or the whole CarEdge+ experience, let us know how we can help YOU buy your next car with confidence.
