4 Jedi Mind Tricks Used by Car Salespeople

When it comes to car-buying negotiations, the car salesperson has you at a disadvantage. Day in and day out, these people deal with customers just like you. Meanwhile, you only ever talk to them on the rare occasion that you decide to buy a car. This can be a major drawback on your part, especially when the salesperson starts using sales tactics to persuade you to spend your hard-earned money. Let us share with you four of the most common car sales techniques to help you gain the upper hand when buying a car.

"This discount/car will be gone tomorrow"

Whether it's the deal or the car itself, they'll tell you that unless you buy the car today, you'll be sorry. Just so you know, dealerships always have some kind of sale going on, so unless you're buying an end-of-model-year car, that sweet deal will still be there tomorrow, next week, and even the following month.

"Let me talk to my manager"

In this technique, the salesperson will excuse himself or herself, telling you that they'll try to get your requests approved. They'll make you wait until your resolve weakens, your kids get cranky, you can't wait to leave, and you're willing to sign the dotted line with whatever deal they show you. So how do you fight this? Tell them that you only have a few minutes to spare and unless they can come back with a good deal, that you're going to walk away.

"Your monthly payments will be extremely low"

Savvy salespeople will shift your focus on how much you will pay monthly instead of the overall price that you're going to pay. Unless you're careful, you could end up with a long-term loan that makes you pay more than the car is worth. The way around this is to focus on the price of the car, strive to bring it down to as low as you can, and make sure your monthly payments are affordable and well within the car's original value.

"This car comes with plenty of extras"

As your purchase comes to a close, you'll notice your salesperson trying to sell you additional items such as an extended warranty, more maintenance services, and 'freebies' that are anything but. It can be very hard to say no to these additions, since you're near the end of the transaction, and that's exactly why they do it. A common approach to avoid spending too much is to remind yourself of your budget, and think about the usefulness of what they're offering you. If you don't need it, just say no.