O/T HELP NAVIGATING CAR PURCHASE NIGHTMARE

I have no business answering this, I'm the worst car buyer, but I've learned at this age, buy a used vehicle, so much of a new car is lost in value just leaving the lot. Check the blue book at the Library for additional info on used vehicles. Last thing, no leasing. JMHO, like I said, it's all I can contribute. Do you have a relative or someone you trust with some knowledge on car buying to go with you?

kellu bue book is available on line KBB.com I think, for now just get online and research "how to negotiate buying a car" they will always try to sell you on the monthly payment no the actual price of the car. Know what the price of the car is going in.

Maybe a car just off lease that is 2 years old or so

http://autos.aol.com/article/five-critical-rules-for-negotiating-new-vehicle/ I just found this but type in the phrase above that I wrote and you will get tons of hits.

Good luck

I have bought my last 3 cars (Camrys) used from Carmax and financed through my credit union for .99% interest. Carmax has new and used cars and is easy peasy. I figured out the one I wanted online, test drove it and signed the papers in 30 minutes.

There is no way around the wheeling & dealing. Be prepared for it, and shop around- a lot. Start now, when you know you are no under pressure to buy immediately. Get prices and don't be afraid to let each dealer know the better price someone else if offering you. The more time you have to compare cars, the better deal you will get. DO NOT BE IN A RUSH.

I always recommend purchasing a "brand new" used car. One with maybe 500-2000 miles on it. You will save thousands of dollars, and still get the warranty and all of the bells & whistles of a brand new car.

Also, car dealerships drop their prices at the end of each month. They have monthly sales quotas, and pay commissions to their dealers monthly, and the beginning of each month will be the highest asking prices. Prices drop the closer they get to the end of the month so they can meet their monthly quotas.

I do my banking through a credit union. They offer help negotiating the deal if you get a loan through them. The rates are 2.9%. It would only be a good deal if you couldn't get a lower rate through the dealer. You give them the model and extras and they talk with the dealers and bring you back the best deal. Can't hurt asking the bank.

My late husband was 'an investor'. He loaned cash to many different businesses. One was dealerships. They were called 'bridge loans'.

Because of that he also had a dealer license. He could go to the very large car auction in Manheim, Pennsylvania and another in Florida.

Anyway, he'd get brand new cars very inexpensive (from what others paid for them). I'd drive them for a few months and we'd sell them mainly to move on. It allowed me to drive many different cars.

Here's the most important thing you should know. Do your homework. If you are serious about getting a good deal, do your homework.

Dealerships get incentives from the manufacturers. If you dig deep enough you can find out how much money they are given. A car salesman is 'allowed' a certain amount of money he can cut the car (it is more than most people think).

If you are female you are considered by dumb car salesmen to be a soft touch (just my observation). However, a smart salesman will direct his salesmanship abilities to you because a smart salesman knows (for the most part) the woman has final say on which and what kind of car is purchased.

When we would go to look at cars (when my husband was too busy to go to Pennsylvania), he would have me go, pick out the car I wanted then either stay in the car (ours) or stay home! Ha!

Most women can't stand the kind of back and forth (you know....the salesman goes to the back to ask his boss about the price) that goes on.

I have said, in the presence of my late husband and the salesman, "Can you please stop going to the back. Can you please tell me the bottom line so we can either buy the car or leave".

Now you see why he didn't like it when I was sitting next to him.

The truth was he knew exactly how much he was going to pay for the car and what it was worth.

So, I have decided to buy a new car soon. When I go in I will say to the salesman, "I know what the car is worth. I know what I am going to pay for it. One way or another I am going to buy a new car. I can either buy it from you or from someone else. Are you ready to give me your bottom line?"

Cars aren't selling in this economy. Always remember (this is true of EVERYTHING) you have the upper hand in this.

You are the buyer. They are the salespeople. You decide what you can and want to pay.

Good luck. Please let us know how you did.

Oh! This is GREAT info...I'm getting excited! Don't feel so "alone" in dealing with these barracuda salespeople! Also, I have USAA in my life and qualify for a 0$ loan so I might give them a call. I'm on my own on this...no one to help me (except you guys...)

First thing I'd suggest is to do research before speaking to a dealer. Edmunds.com is a god place to start. It will let you price out the car so you'll have a clue if they try to overcharge you. You can also find out about any finance or manufacturer's incentives there. Toyota seems to offer 0% financing a couple of times a year, but I guess you have to be lucky as to when your current lease ends. You might also want to check with your bank to see what rates they offer.

Once you start to negotiate, don't fall into they typical salesman's trap - they will always ask you how much you want your payment to be. This allows them to play games with the actual price of the car to get to that number. Tell them you haven't decided about financing yet and get a price on the car based on a cash deal. Once you have an actual number, you can talk about financing and get a fairer idea of your monthly payment. Don't let them add any extras into the payment like extended warranty, paint protection or things like that. You don't need them.

Don't be afraid to walk out if you're feeling bullied or taken advantage of, or even if you don't feel comfortable for some reason. Don't hesitate to tell a salesperson why....or that you'll be shopping other dealerships. Sometimes they'll drop the price when they hear that or at least offer to match the lowest offer. Oh - and try to shop at the very end of a month. They make better deals because they're trying to make their quota.

If you feel like you're going to be wimpy in dealing with the situation, try to take someone with a big mouth and more nerve! Another option would be to negotiate the entire thing online if you're 100% sure of the make and model you want - many dealers have internet departments just for that.

You're certainly not alone in feeling as you do. I worked in the business office of dealerships for 30 years and absolutely dread shopping for a car since I know what goes on there. If you're lucky, you'll be able to find a good dealer with an honest salesman...there are actually a few out there. Just make sure you are oozing self-confidence and have all your information on hand when you go in because otherwise they'll walk all over you!

Good luck with your search!