My horrible Jeep gladiator dealership experience

[smlobx]

I love the buying experience. Maybe it was growing up with a dad that was constantly trading vehicles. I do follow a few simple rules though and I'm sure they are repetitive to what's already been discussed.

Be informed. I do all my research in advance. Trade values, prices that other consumers have gotten, dealership reviews, referrals, etc...

Be realistic. You may think your car is exceptional and "you know what you have". But in reality it's going to pull wholesale. You may also believe a huge discount is available, when in reality it just isn't. And that dealer that sells a lot of inventory at below invoice is guaranteed to wholesale your trade. You won't get retail for your car and buy at wholesale. That's not a model that works for them.

Be patient. I'm never in a hurry to buy. Ever. It took me almost two years to find my GT4 at the price I was willing to pay. It has taken me almost two years to commit to a truck.

Be willing to walk away. Don't let emotion dictate decision. Sales people want you to emotionally connect with what you're buying. If you find yourself in that state, walk away and revisit it later.

And never base your decision on monthly pricing. Just because you can afford the monthly payment doesn't mean it's a good deal. Negotiate vehicle price and trade value as separate transactions.

There are some great dealers out there. Some good ones. Some awful ones. If they have a second sticker with nonsense like tint and nitrogen, I already know I'm not engaging.

It is almost important to remember the consumer is always in control. We have so many choices. It's nothing to get annoyed over. I honestly explain up front what I want, what I'm willing to pay, and if we can make that work, deal. If not, no worries. I'll keep shopping.

I agree with all of this and because of the wholesale trade in that most will receive I always sell our vehicles privately.
If you have a little patience you can get 2 to 5 K more than the dealer will give you.

I sold my wife’s last two vehicles ( BMW & MB ) in less than 48 hours for thousands more than a dealer would give us. Of course I take meticulous care of our vehicles and document all the services and do a very nice detail before listing it.

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[Phatjoe]

I agree with all of this and because of the wholesale trade in that most will receive I always sell our vehicles privately.
If you have a little patience you can get 2 to 5 K more than the dealer will give you.

There is one significant financial advantage with trading in a car. You only pay sales tax on the difference between the new car and what was traded in (this may vary by state). In some cases this could amount to thousands of dollars saved.

The majority of time it has been more advantageous for me to sell a car on my own. But, I've had a few cases when trading in was actually better.