Buying a car is, as we know, can be overwhelming. Especially during that inevitable moment the salesperson goes away for 15 minutes (which feels more like an hour) and comes back with, supposedly, the best deal available.

When in reality, that “best deal” includes all kinds of sneaky charges that most customers don’t know they can counter. So by the end of the draining process, they leave exhausted and paying more than they technically should.

And even those that do know dealerships aren’t upfront with their cheapest prices might not always have the confidence to negotiate for themselves. Which makes this bit of advice so helpful for car buyers everywhere.

Earlier this year, Roxy Stylez (@roxystylezz26), who claims to be a former car dealership employee, was asked by a viewer how they could “avoid” the notorious 15 minute waiting game.

Rather than trying to avoid it, Stylez suggests to “play the game right back.”

“Here’s how this is gonna play out, “ she says in a clip posted to her TikTok. “The salesman is gonna come out with the first pencil price. Never sign on this.”

Instead, this is when you should offer your first rebuttal. That’s when, most likely, according to Stylez, that the salesperson will go into the back office and “just sit there” with the manager doing nothing (other than betting on how fast they’ll get you to sign) simply to make you feel uncomfortable.

After the 15 minutes are up, the salesperson will come back with a new price saying they “went to war” and “fought really hard” for you and that they are “on your team.”

None of which is true, Stylez says. The more money he gets out of you, the more money he makes.” Plain and simple.

@roxystylezz26 Replying to @user8479429849108 ♬ original sound – Roxy Stylez

Stylez also assures that salespeople receive a daily flat rate of around $300 even without any sales (although this differs from the listed $16.69/hr on Ziprecruiter).

But if the $300 is true, that’s certainly more than what the average person makes. So in her opinion, there’s no reason to feel bad for offering them less money.

A few more strategies to, as Styles, puts it make the salesperson “squeam”:

One, call another dealership in front of them, repeat the offer given by them, and say “if you beat it I’ll come to you.” Odds are, the original salesperson isn’t going to waste the time and energy they’ve already spent on you over a “$1000 dollar difference” and will agree to a cheaper price.

Second, don’t express desperation or excitement for the car. “You don’t want to give them more leverage to be able to use against you.”

Lastly, Stylez says you shouldn’t be paying a docking fee on a car that’s already docked and wasn’t especially ordered, nor should you pay extra for any extra features like special coatings, when those can be purchased for far less at a local auto repair shop.

Around 345,000 people saw Stylez’s video. And after watching it felt a) grateful that she made things so transparent and b) frustrated that buying a car had to be this daunting.

“The dealership model needs to get scrapped,” one person wrote

Honestly this could be a job. I’d hire someone to go to dealership with me to save thousands of dollars,” added another.

Some even shared their own personal negotiation tactics.

“Once my dad picked the make and model he wanted and just cc’d every dealership in a 100 mile radius so they’d try to beat each other and not him,” commented one viewer

Another joked “have a friend call an act like another dealership.”

Of course, nowadays people might opt to avoid a dealership entirely and instead purchase completely online—either out of convenience, or to avoid the awkward mental chess games. Regardless, it’s a good reminder that when it comes to staying within your budget, you might have to stand up for yourself from time to time.

Source: https://www.upworthy.com/former-car-dealership-employee-reveals-the-best-way-to-get-a-cheaper-price-on-your-vehicle