Straight Talk: How Using it Can Get You the Best Deal When Car Shopping

Buying a car is not a fun process for some, especially because a car is an expensive purchase and many different things can go wrong after the transaction is complete. If you're buying a new car, you need to know how to protect your financial interests by getting a good deal at the dealership. You also need to know what your legal rights are and what remedies are available to you if your car turns out to be defective. A California car lemon lawyer can help you in these situations.

While the process of negotiating a deal on a car is always going to be challenging, there are steps you can take to try to maximize the chances of getting a good deal. For example, USA Today recently published an article suggesting that simply being straight with the dealer could help you to score a great price on the next car you buy.

How Straight Talk Could Help You Land a Good Deal and Avoid a Lemon

According to USA Today, there's an old saying that car dealers used: “buyers are liars.” The saying makes sense because many car shoppers think they need to withhold information or provide dishonest information to car dealers.

However, while being circumspect or less-than-forthcoming may have made sense back when dealers had all of the information and buyers had none, USA Today indicates that the information imbalance has been corrected. Buyers now know what cars are worth and can look up details about dealer pricing and incentives online so they know what to expect going in to the dealership.

Since car buyers now understand what they're looking for as far as price, being candid with dealers could help to lead to a successful transaction.  Car sellers typically know different ways that buyers can save and different incentives available and they are more likely to use that insider knowledge to help you score a better bargain if you're nice to them and they're on your side.

USA Today also recommends that car buyers be forthcoming about a key few pieces of information including whether they're ready to buy at the moment; the specific features in the vehicle that they want; whether their credit is good or bad; whether they like the car; and what it would take for a deal to be reached.

One of the surprising recommendations made by USA Today is that car buyers should tell dealers they love the car. This is counter-intuitive to the common advice that car buyers are told to act disinterested in the vehicle.

Since car dealers know that buyers don't purchase cars they don't like, car dealers are aware that this is just a tactic. Dealers also want to get positive reviews, so they may not be as eager to do business with you if you seem critical. If you let the dealer know you're excited, on the other hand, they'll expect you'll end up a happy customer who tells friends and family about the purchase – which could prompt more sales.

By going armed with information on a fair vehicle price and being honest with the dealer, hopefully you can get a new vehicle for a price you can afford. You'll also need to know your rights and take action if things go wrong with the car. A California car lemon law attorney can help, so contact an attorney if your new car develops defects.