As the vast variety of used cars available online keeps growing, more people are tempted to buy their preferred vehicle from a used car dealership. Purchasing a pre-owned vehicle can be scary so here are 4 tips for negotiating the price of a used car that will you lead you to make a good and fair purchase.
1 – Do your research
Once you find a vehicle that you’re interested in, make sure to do as much research as you can to find out the average price of your targeted car using platforms such as ontariocars. Information about the vehicle such as the year, kilometers, transmission type, and interior details are all major factors that can influence the price dramatically. Figuring out the general asking price of the exact same vehicle in your area through a bit of research can be extremely beneficial when making an offer.
2 – Get the Vehicle History Report
Paying for the vehicle’s history report is a must when buying a used vehicle. To do so, just ask the dealer for the VIN number and then pay a company such as CarProof to get the report of the history of the vehicle you’re considering buying. The report will provide you with truly useful information, for example: previous accidents, collisions, and damages. Even when repaired and ready for normal use, cars lose value when they’ve been in accidents. The report will also give you the full history of the locations where the car has been registered or if it’s registered as a stolen vehicle. The lien status will also be provided. This will indicate if the previous owner has ever granted the car as collateral on a debt, which can follow the car to its next owner. Many advertising platforms such as OntarioCars.ca guarantee “Lien Free” used cars. The vehicle history report will give you a clear understanding of your targeted car’s past.
3 – Aim for add-ons
Salespeople are not likely to accept a lower offer than the asking price. But they do have the ability to give you add-ons, for example: warranties on parts, free oil changes, free tire change, membership to third party emergency roadside service, and annual undercoating. All of these add-ons can be negotiated into the purchase price, which can quickly bring extra value to the purchase. This could be a major turning point in the negotiations.
4 – Don’t let your emotions show, keep a poker face
When interacting with the salesperson before purchasing the vehicle, always stay calm and don’t show any signs of excitement. Most salespeople will be less flexible during negotiations if they recognize that you are determined to buy that particular vehicle. Once you have pointed out all the negative details of the vehicle in a respectful way, making an offer with confidence will show the salesperson that you’re a serious negotiator.