10 Things You Never Say to A Car Dealer

California lemon law lawyers provide help to individuals who purchased new cars that turn out to have serious problems.  The purchase of a new car can be fraught with risk, both because of the uncertainty regarding how the car will perform and also because of the potential to overpay for a vehicle due to issues during negotiations or due to dishonest dealers marking up add-ons.

Shopping carefully for a vehicle is important to try to protect yourself from overpaying, and recently MSN Money published an article with some key tips on what you should not say to a dealer when you go car shopping.

Ten Things Not to Say to a Car Dealer

Some of the key things that you don't want to say to a car dealer when you are shopping for a car include the following:

• I don't know much about cars: This is an indicator to the salesperson that they hold all the cards and that you aren't an informed consumer. You should ideally research the vehicle you're thinking about buying so you'll know enough to negotiate intelligently. Even if you don't do your research in advance, you still don't want to advertise your lack of knowledge.
• I'm just looking: If you signal you're just looking, car dealers also get the idea that you haven't done your research and they may think they can convince you to buy – often at a higher price. Instead of indicating you're just looking, open up with questions about the car that show you have done your research.
• I'm paying cash: If you save this information for late in the discussion, you may be able to convince the dealer to offer you a slightly lower price than if you were financing the vehicle.
• I really need a new car: While you may be desperate for a new vehicle because your car died, you don't want to indicate to the salesperson that you're desperate as this takes away your negotiating leverage.
• I really love that car: This can also take away the leverage that you have to negotiate because the dealer will think they can charge you more if you have become emotionally attached to the vehicle.
• My trade-in isn't worth much: Saying this up front can hurt your efforts to negotiate the value of your trade-in. You should research in advance what you think your trade in will be worth, but don't let the dealer know you think it's not valuable.
• This is my first new car: This can also make the dealer feel like they've got more leverage over you since you aren't an experienced negotiator.
• I don't want to be ripped off: You don't want to start off with the attitude that all car dealers are dishonest as this can poison your interaction and make it hard for you to get the best deal.
• I need a maximum monthly payment of X: This is likely to lead to the dealer offering you an expensive vehicle with a long loan term which will cost you more money in the long-run.
• My credit isn't good: Letting the dealer know this up front also puts you at a disadvantage.

Unfortunately, no matter how careful you are about negotiating for a good deal when car shopping, you could still end up with a car that is not worth what you pay for it if the vehicle turns out to be defective after purchase. If you find yourself with a defective vehicle that you've purchased, it is a good idea to contact California lemon law lawyers so you can better understand your rights.