HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-23, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2008.Getting the best price on your next car(MS) -- With the days of afford-
able fuel a thing of the past, more
and more people are looking to
downgrade the size of their current
vehicles.
While the turn of the century saw a
boom in SUV sales, the current eco-
nomic and even social climate is
changing the way we look at auto-
mobiles.
Nowadays, gas mileage and the
environment are playing a significant
role in just what we’re looking for
when we buy a car.
While you might have a good idea
of your vehicle preferences (good
gas mileage, environmentally friend-
ly, etc.) as you head to the dealer-
ship, you might be less confident in
how to negotiate once the time to
buy arrives. The following negotiat-
ing tips should help regardless of the
type of car you want to buy.
* Be open to negotiation. Many
people see auto dealerships in a neg-
ative light, and that can draw out the
negotiation process. In truth, you’re
there to buy a car, and the salesper-
son is there to sell you a car.
Rare is the instance where you
arrive at a dealership, tell the sales-
person how much you want to spend
and leave spending exactly that. The
process is a negotiation, and buyers
should be open to that.
Of course, if the dealership won’t
budge, you don’t have to buy a car
from them. But you should be will-
ing to bend somewhat. Of course,
when making an initial offer, it’s best
to offer less than you can afford, and
that’s your built-in leeway.
* Separate trade-in and new car
price negotiations. Your trade-in
should have zero impact on the price
of the new car. How much your
trade-in is worth (or how much the
dealership is willing to give) is irrel-
evant to the price of the new car.
Once a price for the new car has been
established and agreed upon, then
you can begin negotiating for your
trade-in.
* Ask to see the invoice on any
new car. Each car has its own
invoice, and the dealerships have
invoices on every new car they own.
Cars such as Honda Civics or
Chevrolet Cobalts are probably
going to be sold by the dealership at
the invoice price because dealerships
often have more of those cars on the
lot and they’re typically exactly the
same except for their colour.
However, invoice price can vary
greatly for higher-end models such
as BMWs and Lexuses.
Ask to see the individual invoice
for each car you’re considering.
Upon seeing the invoice, you can
then negotiate a fair price.
* Don’t mislead dealers about
what other dealers are offering for
your trade-in. Lying to the dealer by
saying another dealership is offering
more for your trade-in or the cost of
a new vehicle will only drag out the
negotiation process.
Dealerships don’t fluctuate much
on their trade-in offers, so if your 5-
year-old car has 80,000 miles on it,
you’re likely to get a similar dollar
offer from one dealer as you are
from another. Along those same
lines, dealerships don’t make huge
profits off of new cars, so how low
they’re willing to go on the selling
price doesn’t fluctuate much from
dealership to dealership either.
By misleading the salesperson on
other offers, you’re only drawing out
the process, and you’re probably not
earning yourself any favours either.
If you want honesty from them, you
must be honest as well.
FFaallll oonn tthhee RRooaadd
Now doing car cleaning
Call for appointment
519-357-4305
597 Cedar St., Wingham
CUSTOM EXHAUST SYSTEMS
& GENERAL REPAIRS
• Auto, light truck & agricultural
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• Custom bent exhaust systems
made with precision & pride
• Aluminized & stainless tubing
• Bending up to 3"
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Bob Jamieson ~ Class A Mechanic
519-482-pipe (7473)
41477 Winthrop Rd.
Londesboro, ON
“Specializing in on-the-farm-service”
Good Selection of Snow Tires!
Bruce Willits
456 Ross Street, Lucknow
519-528-2103
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As they make the rounds to select
their new vehicle, many shoppers
recoil at the sticker prices. With cars
now averaging well above $25,000,
some buyers reevaluate their needs
and desires, reluctantly settling for
the no-frills, “plain vanilla” model.
With time, however, these same
motorists may find themselves with
a few extra dollars they can invest in
their vehicle. Is it time to buy anoth-
er car, even though there still are
payments to make?
Car Care Canada says instead of
replacing your vehicle, consider
repairing and upgrading what you
already have.
The accompanying list includes
some of the accessories that can add
new personality to your basic vehi-
cle. Most of the products are totally
functional; some combine function
with cosmetic improvement.
The cost of these components
ranges from a few dollars to a few
thousand. Still you could have most
of them installed for much less than
the price of a new vehicle. A classi-
fied phone directory is the best way
to find your local sources.
Performing a search on the internet
is also helpful.
So if you’re considering trading,
crunch the numbers first. You might
find you'd be just as happy, and
many dollars richer, with a few
selected enhancements.
Vehicle Personality
Enhancement List
➯Air dams and spoilers
➯Anti-theft devices
➯Bug deflectors
➯Camper caps
➯Car phones
➯Carrier racks
➯Custom seats
➯Custom wheels
➯Grille guards
➯Instrumentation
➯Keyless entry systems
➯Neon trim lighting
➯Personal breath alcohol testers
➯Pick-up bed mats
➯RV and towing accessories
➯Radar Detectors
➯Remote engine starting systems
➯Running boards
➯Special shock absorbers
➯Stereo systems
➯Striping and/or decals
➯Sun roofs
➯Upgraded headlights
➯Vehicle navigation systems
➯Wheels and tires
➯Window tinting
Brussels 519-887-6856 or 888-351-9193
www.mccutcheonmotors.ca
Off
J.L.
McCUTCHEON
CHEV
10 POINT WINTERIZE
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• Check All Lights
• Check Exhaust
• Silicone Door Rubbers
$1295
2002 Oldsmobile Alero - $5,000
2001 Oldsmobile Alero - $4,000
1999 Chrysler Intrepid - $3,000
1998 Chevrolet Malibu - $4,000
1998 Ford Focus - $4,000
1997 Buick LeSabre - $4,000
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Accessorizing your vehicle