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Confidence is King of the
Road
by: Mark Sawyer
Confidence is more than just sexy. It can
save you a ton of money on your next car or truck.
Lots of people hate buying cars. When you
get right down to it, the root causes of this fear and loathing aren't hard to
pin down.
- Fear of the unknown.
- Buying a car is a confrontational
situation.
- It's a huge commitment of time and
money.
Well, okay, that's great, but how does that
help you? Patience, grasshopper.
While there's no magical silver bullet to
cure all of the above ills, a little confidence can go a long way. If you act
uncertain and unsure, chances are you will get taken for a ride. This applies to
every step of the process, not just when you're checking out cars on the
showroom floor.
So what do you do? I mean, great, be
confident. But what does that mean?
Be decisive. Know exactly what kind of car
you want and exactly what you want to pay. Do your homework first and research
everything you can find. The Internet is the most powerful research tool ever
devised by man. Use it.
Show, don't tell. Print copies of
everything you find. Don't just tell a dealer that you got a better price quote
online. Show them. Don't just say that you thought your credit was good enough
to qualify for a better rate. Show them.
Know thyself. Not everyone handles every
situation well. If you know you're going to have a hard time negotiating and
haggling over the price (which you will) then find someone who can. Even if you
don't have a friend or loved one skilled in the art of car buying, you can
usually find car buying services listed in the Yellow Pages major cities than
can help you out for a small fee.
A little confidence does indeed go a long,
long way.
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