In the same way that I give you tips, tactics and strategies to save you money by outsmarting the car dealers, they have their own set of tactics and tricks that they use to separate you from your hard earned money!

Keep in mind that the salesperson you deal with in a car dealership is just one "cog" in the "sales machinery."

Backing up the salesperson are the Sales Manager, the Used Car Manager, the Finance Manager and often the Floor Manager or the "Closer!" When you walk into a car dealership you're going up against a whole Team of Sales Professionals!

For the most part the salesperson is the only person you interact with during a car deal. They will however, bring out the "Big Guns" if the deal is falling apart and you're ready to leave.

Nevertheless, behind the scenes this entire team puts their heads together, and brings enormous expertise and creativity to bear on the process of getting you to buy a car from them. . . "TODAY!"

Don't be intimidated....just be prepared! Make them conform to the way YOU want to deal. Not visa versa! Explore this website for all the information you'll ever need to stay one step ahead of them!

• BEWARE OF THE LIES!

  Of course, you must always be on guard against the salesperson flat out lying to you. I'm not saying that they all do it, but some will tell you anything you want to hear in order to close the deal.

  Here's an example as written by the person it happened to:

  "In April of this year, I needed a new car. I went and found something I liked...2001 Explorer Sport Trac. So I decided to get it . . . LEASED it for 4 years.

  "The Business Manager rushed us through paperwork, because there were many people waiting in the lobby. He told us that they were new with this financial company, but that if we ever wanted out of the lease, just pay $375 and walk away.

  "My husband said 'That's it? Just pay $375 and walk away?' The Business Manager said 'yes . . . that is it!'

  "He said we would get a payment book in the mail, and just wait until that happens to start making payments. Two months later the bank calls wanting to know why we have not paid. So we ended up putting 2 months on a credit card to get caught up.

  "Well 4 months into this lease, I lost my job. (You know what's coming huh?) I called the dealer and told him I wanted to pay the $375 and get out of the lease...come to find out, I would have a repossession on my credit if I did that!

  "I am so angry that they did this. Yes, I guess I should have asked more questions or something, but I trusted him to do the right thing. I had never leased before, and thought that it sounded good. And he basically lied to us. The whole experience just seems to keep getting worse and worse. Help!"

  ---

  Listen To Me, Please. . . before you sign anything, read it, in order to verify the truth of everything you were told and promised.

  The Finance Manager that this poor unfortunate person dealt with should be tarred and feathered and hung upside down by his ankles from the dealership sign!

• GUARD AGAINST THEM TAKING CONTROL!

  It's important for the salesperson to gain some control over you when you are dealing on a car, so that you can't just get up and leave when they "tick" you off! And trust me, they will "tick" you off!

  So, to that end they will keep your keys to your trade after appraising it, or they will try hard to get a deposit out of you before you make a deal, and then use it as leverage to keep you from leaving.

  They know that you're not leaving without your deposit, and you can't leave as long as your keys are in the manager's drawer!

  This gives them more chances to close you . . . which is the sole purpose for them wanting control.

  I once worked for a sales manager who wouldn't even talk to me until I brought in a deposit. Even if I got the customer to sign a deal stating that he or she would buy the car at a set price, this manager would throw me out of his office until I got a deposit! Very frustrating!

  Then if I came back in with $50 or $100 I would get yelled at for being too weak! He wanted thousands not hundreds! The theory is the bigger the deposit the more serious the customer is, and the more control the dealer has over you!

  The bottom line here is don't give a salesperson any deposit until after you have a firm deal signed by the Sales Manager. And if they appraise your trade get your keys back before you continue with the deal! If they won't cooperate tell them you're "gone!" Go somewhere else, and eventually you will find an honest and decent salesperson to deal with...or at least an inexperienced one!

• BEWARE OF BEING TURNED INTO A "TODAY BUYER!"

  Car salespeople know they have to get you when you're "HOT," or when you're all worked up emotionally. Their goal is to get you to this "fever pitch" the first time you're in the dealership. Have you ever heard a car salesperson say "What's it going to take to get you in this car TODAY?"

  They will go to great lengths - as we car people call it - to turn you into a "Today Buyer!" And if they can get you to agree to buy your first time in, they are going to do everything they can to get you down the road in your new vehicle "Right Now!" Everything is Now, Now, Now! In the car business there's No Tomorrow!

  They don't want to give you a night to think it over. You may start having second thoughts after the euphoria wears off. This is called "Buyer's Remorse"...the car salesperson's worst nightmare!

• BEWARE OF THE "SPOT DELIVERY!"

  Now, they have this thing they do called a "Spot Delivery." Once you agree to buy they're going to cram you into the Finance Office and rush you through all the paperwork. While this is going on, the salesperson is scrambling around trying to get the car cleaned up and ready to go!

  As far as they are concerned you are going down the road in your new or used car NOW! They're not going to give you the chance to think about it!

  From my own experience, I have noted that no matter how apprehensive the customer gets when you rush them into their new car, they clearly sigh in relief once the paperwork is signed and they are about to leave in their new vehicle. In their own mind the deal is done, so there is no reason to give it any more thought!

  SO BEWARE. . . the Psychology Works!

  Often, if you are allowing the dealer to handle the financing (Bad Idea), the Finance Manager will throw together some bank papers for you to sign, and then, usually, after you're down the road, he'll get the deal approved at the bank, and hope they go along with the rate and terms that he signed you up for!

  If for some reason they can't get the deal put together with the bank whose paperwork you signed, they have to go to another bank then get you back in to sign new paperwork!

  If this happens Watch Out! I guarantee you the payment is going up, or the term is going to be longer. If they can't get the loan bought anywhere then they have to get the car back from you! Not a pleasant situation for them or you!

It's a crazy, high pressure system and you don't want to get caught up in it. This is why it is so important for you to be fully prepared before you ever step foot on the car lot!