I Negotiated My Entire Car Purchase Online and Saved Thousands — Here’s How
Laurel D. saved $4,200 on her new SUV without ever stepping foot in a dealership. Here’s her clever strategy for online car buying that worked like magic.
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Step One: Do Your Homework
“Everyone told me I was crazy for not going to dealerships,” Laurel said. “But I did my research first. I test drove the model I wanted on a Saturday morning — didn’t talk numbers, just made sure I loved the car. Then the real work began at home.”
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The Email Strategy That Worked
“Here’s what blew my mind,” she said. “I emailed the internet sales managers at five dealerships within 100 miles. Really direct: ‘I want this exact model, these features, in any of these three colors. What’s your best out-the-door price?’ Suddenly I had dealers competing against each other without any awkward back-and-forth.”
Playing the Numbers Game
The responses were eye-opening.
“First quote was $37,800,” Laurel said. “I took that number and emailed everyone back: ‘Dealer X offered me this price — can you beat it?’ Within hours, I had two better offers. Used those to nudge my favorite dealer down even further.”
The Trade-In Twist
“I was sneaky about my trade-in,” Laurel added. “Didn’t mention it until I had my new car price locked in writing.”
She planned ahead and had quotes from CarMax and Carvana ready, and when a dealer lowballed her, she “just forwarded them the CarMax offer.”
Closing the Deal
The final step was surprisingly smooth.
“Everything was settled by email — price, trade-in, even the extended warranty they tried to sell me,” Laurel said. “When I walked into the dealership, it was just to sign papers and drive home. No pressure, no games, just exactly what we’d agreed to online.”
Her best tip: “Be willing to walk away. When I told the last dealer I was heading to their competitor, suddenly they ‘found’ another $800 in savings. Magic, right?”
Laurel’s strategy netted her a final price well below market value. “The best part? I did most of it from my couch in my pajamas. Never going back to the old way of car shopping again.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: I Negotiated My Entire Car Purchase Online and Saved Thousands — Here’s How
