The reputable buying services online will direct your inquiry to a local dealership with the understanding that they'll offer you a good deal. The pricing still comes from the dealer not the service. The services that are not reputable don't work on anyone's behalf besides themselves. Beware.
You can do all the work of a buying service yourself by doing a little research and crunching some numbers.
Go to
http://www.edmunds.com and look up the invoice prices on the exact vehicle you're interested in, including the addition of any option equipment you want. Sometimes you have to buy option packages. Make sure you account for the total cost.
Then use the site to find out what percent of the manufacturer's advertising cost you pay for. Yes, you pay for it and it's non-negotiable. It's generally 2-4% depending on your region. Add that to your total.
Look for any rebates and/or incentives that may apply to the vehicle you're interested in. Take note of expiration dates. You have to take delivery of the vehicle before the rebate expires. Placing an order is not good enough.
Next, visit your dealership with that number in mind. See if they have the
exact vehicle you priced, including all the options as you selected them. If they do, great. If not, find out how the unit they have differs from what you figured on and go back home and recalculate based on the options in that vehicle. That gives you a baseline to go by when you figure what you can or can't afford. It also ensures that you don't make an emotional buying decision you might regret later.
When you've landed on the vehicle for you, offer the dealer $300 over the invoice price. Unless it's a high demand vehicle, they'll let go of it with this profit margin and you can be sure your getting a fair deal. If it's the end of the month, when dealers are more desperate to make quotas you might be able to go as low as $200 over invoice. But, that's tougher to pull off.
Make sure they apply any rebates you're entitled to. And, absolutely, positively watch what you say "yes" to when you meet with the Finance Manager. His/her job is to add on as much as possible to your bill. A pro will do this without you even realizing it. Read your contract carefully before you sign.
Sara
Who has learned a thing or two about auto retailing
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