How to buy a car for thousands less than the sticker price
- 1). Research the dealer cost on the model or models of cars in which you are interested. A dealer has an invoice cost on each car and will base her negotiations and profit margin from the invoice cost. Invoice values for different car models can be found on the websites of Kelly Blue Book, Edmunds, Cars.com and other online sources. Remember to include the optional equipment you want in your invoice price calculations.
- 2). Find the current incentives for the models you are researching. The manufacturer's website for the specific car types will show what cash incentives and rebates are currently available. The dealer invoice cost less the current rebate is your base negotiating price for a car.
- 3). Go to the dealer, select the car you want to buy and verify the sticker price is in line with the car for which you determined the invoice cost. Also, ask the salesperson about current rebates and make sure the numbers match your research.
- 4). Negotiate the price of car, starting your offer at or just below the invoice price minus the rebates. The goal is to buy the car $$300 to $500 over the net cost. For example, you want a car with a sticker price of $25,000. The dealer invoice cost is $22,500 and the car has a $1,500 rebate, producing a net cost of $21,000. You would like to buy the car for $21,500 or less, a savings of $3,500 off sticker.
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