Buying a car doesn't have to be a miserable experience. It has been for me however I learned how to deal with lying, duplicitous and soulless car dealers and offer the following as a public service to those with little or no credit who must purchase a vehicle.
The first obvious thing to be aware of is how much can you afford per month and what type of car, (new or used) , do you think you want. New/used is a category I'll assign to vehicles with very little mileage on them that are 1 -2 years old or even less than a year old.
Begin your search based solely on price and mileage. Don't even consider what type of car it is - it doesn't matter. Allow yourself a price range say $3500 - $12000. This will bring you a lot of options from autotrader.com, craigslist or the like. Look only at vehicles from a dealer, they retain a shred of liability when you drive it of the lot. Start realizing what body styles and features you are comfortable with and find a new/used vehicle that might suit your needs. Remember that this is a process takes 1-2 weeks, if you're lucky.
When you find the new/used vehicle with acceptable pricing print out the 'deal' that you saw on the internet and take it to the dealer. Walk in and portray fake enthusiasm about the vehicle. Take it for a test drive. Sit down with the sales rep and let them run your credit. Play up the trade in value of your car. Let them get excited at the prospect of a 'sale'. Your intention here is to bait them into thinking that you are buying today, you just gotta get financed. You have no intention of buying anything today. They will eagerly scurry around and get you over to the finance manager to review your 'options'. The finance manager will act as you are a steak dinner to be consumed. Play along. His first 'offer' will be the most insulting thing to your intelligence you will probably ever see. Steady yourself. Tell him that the $454 or the $380 payment just won't do and you were thinking more along the lines of $325. He will hem and haw and show you more insulting, bogus, interest rate rape numbers. Now, you sit back, put your hands behind your head and tell him"..you know I really like that car..I just have to get my payment lower, whats my interest rate on these scenarios?" He will stare at you like you have three eyes. When the finance raper reluctantly shows you 14.25%, 13.9% and 12.9% - tell him - no way...can you do it near at least 7 or 8%? Remember- he thinks he has a sale! He will furrow his brow and act like a spoiled little bitch however he is now working hard to get the 'deal'. He might even get up and walk back to his little desk...let him, he's probably 100 lbs overweight and needs the exercise. He will eventually come back and say , Ok, I think we can do 8.9%. You then say "..wait a minute- let me call my wife.." Of course the wife's response is "no way, no how, not for that car". You then feign embarrassment and ask him to put the contingent 8.9% in writing, or at least get a copy of it and leave. You now have evidence of what percentage rate these shifty, greedy scum of the earth dealers will be able to give you when pressed.
Now its time to find the car you want. Going with a Japanese or Korean model will probably give you the highest dollar value. Look for dealers that are at least 50 miles from your home- you'll see why later.
Try to find a same year as present or one year old vehicle, under warranty that they have not yet sold and will need to get rid of because the new models arrive. If you live on a coast, look at dealers that are further inland - they are usually in economically depressed areas and will negotiate better with you. Plus, they are less stressed and more relaxed. You will probably find a car that is the only one on the lot that is a 'loss leader' at $3-4000 under MSRP. Go for that car if you're OK with the features, body style, etc. Print out the deal from the internet and go to look at that car only. The best case scenario is that it is new, under warranty yet discounted to move and attract people to the dealership. It can also be new and a year old, its still 'new'. Test drive the car. Complain about it. Ask why upgraded features are not in it. Set a tone of general disagreement with everything they say. Never agree with them about anything. Refer back to the internet 'deal' that you have now presented to them. Look for a similar car with upgrades already on it for near the same price. Keep quoting the price you have in your hand. Stick to it and don't waver. Watch them scramble like rats in a sewer. Eventually you will settle either on the original car or something similar.
Now the fun begins! Set aside at least a half a day or more for the dealership circus from hell. The 'sales agent', i.e. lying son of a bitch, will do his little dance for you then hand you off to the finance thief. The finance thief will repeat the scenario from above and you will sign off on a high interest loan with little or no reservation, (all part of the plan). Take the car home. Remember - 'home' is at least 50 miles away. You just drove a 'new' car off the lot. Instant 20% decrease in value. Now that new car will have over 100 miles on it when you bring it back. It aint 'new' anymore!! Hold the car overnight , then call the scum bag dealer the next morning at 9am sharp. Tell him there is no way you can own this car at the rate you signed on, sound pissed and tell him you are bringing it back RIGHT NOW, unless you give me 8.9%. Tell him "Ford was going to finance me for $1200 more than this amount at 8.9% and I will just go over there..." Listen for the stuttering, stammering crook throw up objections like his life depended on it. He will say"...just give me till lunch and I'll make some calls.." Hang up forcibly. The finance grifter will call you back in less than an hour and match that percentage rate. He will now be kissing your ass seven ways from Sunday and will promise you it will only take five minutes to change the paperwork.
When you arrive at the gates of hell dealership look upset. Make them get you coffee. Tell them you haven't slept all night, your wife threw the keys at you and you might get divorced over it. Let there be no room for these cockroaches to squirm through. Watch them sweat, they deserve it. Go over the new contract in painstaking detail. Make the hapless fool re-explain everything to you. Ask for a better rate, make them show you the credit denials and explain to you further why you have to be killed with interest. Finally, reluctantly sign the new contract. Walk out of the pit of hell slowly and look angered. Watch them get out of your way. Count the number of times they call you 'sir' and look down upon them. They deserve every insulting leer and every haughty eyed stare you can give them - they know they are in the nether regions of human existence - treat them as such. If they offer a post buyer satisfaction survey - take it and shred them beyond recognition. Let them know your pain and how cruel they are to humanity at large..Let them know what a negative impact they have on society and how deeply wrong their business practices are. Take the next step and accuse them of financial terrorism and let them know that you will be reporting them to the State and the Better Business Bureau for the miserable experience that you had to endure. It's the right thing to do. They deserve nothing less...
Car dealerships, used car lots, bad car deals, dishonest dealerships, high interest rate auto loans, auto loans, dealer problems, bait and switch, bogus rebates, illegal car selling activities
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