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Martian · 09-08-2005, 11:19 PM

Here's one for you.

I was taught growing up that cars on a dealer's lot are always listed with wiggle room and that the dealers give themselves enough space to lower the price and still make a profit. Therefore, goes the wisdom, one should always haggle to lower the price. It's expected within the industry (both for new and used cars) that some haggling will take place and that anyone who actually pays sticker price has more money than sense.

I've always found both in my own automotive purchases and those of friends/family that I've been along for that this is true, but the dealer generally puts on a show about how he's doing a favour and that he's making little/no money on this sale.

So since I've got the perspective of a salesman, I'm wondering if you find this to be true on your side of it? Do you approach a sale with the expectation that a potential customer is going to try to get a better deal on it, or is it more of a my way or the highway thing? Is there leeway in the sticker price for that?

09-08-2005, 11:19 PM	#15 (permalink)
Martian Young Crumudgeon Location: Canada	Here's one for you. I was taught growing up that cars on a dealer's lot are always listed with wiggle room and that the dealers give themselves enough space to lower the price and still make a profit. Therefore, goes the wisdom, one should always haggle to lower the price. It's expected within the industry (both for new and used cars) that some haggling will take place and that anyone who actually pays sticker price has more money than sense. I've always found both in my own automotive purchases and those of friends/family that I've been along for that this is true, but the dealer generally puts on a show about how he's doing a favour and that he's making little/no money on this sale. So since I've got the perspective of a salesman, I'm wondering if you find this to be true on your side of it? Do you approach a sale with the expectation that a potential customer is going to try to get a better deal on it, or is it more of a my way or the highway thing? Is there leeway in the sticker price for that? __________________ I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame