I was a car salesman for 40 years – three things you should never say to a dealer if you don’t want to be charged more
A former car salesman is speaking out online to share his haggling tips and tricks that could help people save money when selling cars.
Zach Shefska is a TikToker whose content helps people find good deals on cars and offers tips on haggling.
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Part of Zach’s claim to fame is his father, who used to be a car salesman and provides him with a lot of content among his followers and viewers.
This time, his father, with 40 years of sales experience, reveals the three things you should never say to a salesperson if you want a good deal on a new car.
First of all, you should never show any interest in the car you are test driving, whether it is new or used.
“Because, well, the purchase price just went up a lot,” his father explains as the reason.
If a seller knows that a potential buyer is interested in the car, they are more likely to put a rental price tag on the vehicle or bet that you won’t be a hard negotiator because you want the car.
The next topic of conversation that is off-limits is payment plans.
“Another thing you should never say to car dealers is, ‘I don’t really care what my pay is. The pay is irrelevant to me. As long as you can keep me under $800 a month, I’m good to go,'” says the ex-trader.
Further: “You know what, they’ll put you somewhere that’s $850 and you’ll love it,” he finished sarcastically.
Finally, he shares that car shortages are a fraud and marketing tool and one should not fall for it, especially as it relates to the MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price).
Some dealers charge above-market prices, citing an alleged shortage of cars as the reason for the price increase.
“And the third thing you never say to a dealer is, ‘You know what, I think I would drive this car home today if you didn’t, I don’t know, three or four thousand dollars more than the MSRP demand.’ , because I understand that there is a shortage of cars at the moment,” he recites a short sketch.
Viewers of the video have made a habit of adding some of their own tricks for going to the car dealership.
“Best tip: take a notepad and write down all the numbers you are told because they will throw lots of different numbers to see what sticks,” one user wrote, and many agreed with her.
Another said timing was key: “Wait until the end of the month!!!!! Been doing this for a year.”
But not all viewers agreed with the father’s advice.
“As someone who works in a car factory, I can assure you that there is definitely a shortage of cars right now. Thank you Covid and supply chains,” one commenter exclaimed.
Another cited the man’s retirement because of his perceived lack of knowledge.
“The first two, yes. No defect? They have been off the market for about two years,” said a factory worker.