Sitting at a car dealership's negotiating table is brutal. By the time you're ready to have the money talk, you've done test drives, explored your options, talked trim levels and packages, and then undoubtedly sat through a long diatribe about how this is the one car dealership that actually values its customers. Then the first offer comes, and it's insulting. Over the next few hours, you haggle over pricing. Then you haggle over accessories. Then you haggle over financing.
Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up For more information, read ourPrivacy Policy and Terms of Use. That's another key point of advice: Don't be afraid of a drive, McParland says. Over his career he's even found situations where shipping a car from a far-flung dealer was cheaper than buying locally. When you have a full pricing picture that includes all fees, it's easier to know where to go.