As mentioned before, salespeople are trained in scores of techniques and have spent many months and even years applying them. So it is helpful if you also have a chance to learn these schemes that the dealerships use. And if you know when a method is being tested on you, it becomes easier to ignore it and move on with your business – buying the car of your choice at the lowest possible price. Below is a list of tricks used by professional salespeople.

• Take it or leave it. This is the standard marketing policy all Americans are familiar with. When you visit a restaurant or clothing store, you "take it or leave it" according to the price marked on the item. In the car business, however, you don’t have to "take it or leave it." You can bargain for it. You can easily leave it now and come back later and take it. In fact, it is good practice to leave it before taking it. "Take it or leave it" is usually a ploy to force you into to make an early decision.
• Guilt. The salesperson may attempt to make you feel guilty to force you into a purchase. He may tell you how desperately he needs the sale, or that he may lose his job if he doesn’t make a sale this week. He may play with your emotions by revealing that he considers you his "friend," or he may question your motives by asking if you are truly serious about purchasing a vehicle. Do not yield to these tactics. If a salesperson has issues with his sales records, this is his problem; don’t make it yours. You are not there to make friends or solve the world’s social problems. If you show any kind of sympathy, you will only encourage more of these guilt trips. Keep a businesslike distance between you and the salesperson.
• The written word. We are not as apt to question a deal that is in writing. The written word has a certain power of legitimacy. Car dealers are armed with loads of written facts, figures, forms and rules that they claim are etched in stone. Always assume that anything written is negotiable, that prices are meant to be tested and that any item can be adjusted. From your homework you will know what all items cost, what costs are fixed and what costs are not. The fact that a dealer has something written down doesn’t mean it is true. Question everything.
• The direct approach. Chances are, at some point you will hear the dealer ask, "What must I do to get you into a car today?" His goal here is for you to list objections that he can work out, so you will be further committed to buying a car. In this situation, you can ask the salesperson to stop pressuring you, and tell him that you know what a good deal is and that you will ask for it.
• Good guy/Bad guy. The dealer acts as though he is your ally and escorts you through several roadblocks, until you depend on his guidance and his opinion. Behind the scenes, his sales manager may create phony obstacles for your friendly salesperson to solve, all to gain your confidence. Remember to maintain a proper distance between yourself and the salesperson.
• The team approach. In some dealerships there are groups of salespeople, and each group has a different responsibility. One greets you, another takes you for the test drive, another opens the sale, and another closes it. It may feel as though several salespeople are ganging up on you in a quasi-tag-team fight. There is only one of you, but, it seems, an infinite amount of them. The best way to handle this situation is to insist that only one salesperson work with you. It also helps to arrive late to the dealership, when most salespeople have already gone home. Don’t allow them to double-team. Leave if you can’t control this situation.
• Delay. Sales staff can drag out negotiations in many ways – by sending in other salespeople, losing the keys, or forcing you to wait around so long that you grow anxious or tired and care only about finishing the deal as quickly as possible. Dealers will only use this tactic if they think you will accept this type of treatment. So while you wait for the salesperson to return with a counteroffer, make him uneasy. Tap your fingers, get up, walk around, go outside. The customer who can successfully control the pace of negotiations is more likely to steer the bargaining his way.
• Going, going, gone. It is quite common to hear a dealer claim that the dealership only has one car left like the one you like. This "limited supply" claim is another maneuver to force you to make a rash decision. To counteract and if you are feeling pressured, you should be willing to let the car you like go. Another version of this strategy is, “This deal is good for one day only – today.” You should reply that you will have to miss the deal. Stick to your own agenda, not the salesperson’s.
• Only the monthly payments are important. This cannot be further from the truth. Occasionally, the accurate cost of the vehicle can be hidden when the salesperson tries to give you the lowest monthly payment possible. Beware of this trick. You may gain a lower monthly payment, but you may also have a significantly longer payment plan and a higher down payment. If you are not careful, you may lose track of how much the car actually costs. Dealers use this method only when the buyer stalls on a high price. Never worry about your payments until you speak with the financing department. Always know what your final cost will be, and always fight for the lowest car price.
• Only the cost difference is important. Not true. The salesperson will aim to convince you that all that really matters in your negotiation is the difference between the new car price and the trade-in price. Your salesperson is deliberately trying to confuse you. If you are not careful, every time you convince the dealer to lower the cost of your new car, somehow the agreed price for your train in suddenly drops as well. It is critical to get the price for each separately, and keep track of each separately. This will prevent unnecessary confusion. It may also prevent you from losing money on your trade-in. Beware of "allowances." Always demand fixed prices for each item in the negotiation. The price of your new car should not be dependent on the allowance for your trade-in. Allowances never work in your favor.
• Low-balling. To enhance their profits, car dealers usually quote a severely lower price for trade-in vehicles than they are worth, because their profits on new cars are sometimes limited by the amount of money banks will lend toward new car transactions. There are several elements of a car deal, and even though you attain a low price for the new car, you still must get a reasonable price for your used car. Low-balling is used when the salesperson determines that you are concerned about new car prices, but not as worried about what you get for your trade-in. He will try to focus your attention on a reasonable price for the new car and yet underestimate the price for your trade-in. While you are dazzled by the incredible, $500 savings on your new vehicle, you may be losing thousands on your trade-in. The reverse can also be true. If the salesperson feels you are mainly concerned with getting a good price for your trade-in (t use for the down payment on your new car, for example), he may quote you an unbelievable price for your trade-in, but charge you above list price for the new car and tie both prices together as a package deal. To counter this, first make the salesperson believe that your main concern only lies with your trade-in. Once this is settled, switch gears and then make him think that the only important issue is a low new-car price – but don’t give back the great trade-in price. It is helpful to write down the agreed trade-in price, especially if you required the salesperson acknowledge it in writing at some point in the deal.
• Bait and switch. If you are not cautious, you can walk into a dealership to purchase the car you thoroughly researched, and drive out instead with one that merely caught your eye. If you find yourself tempted this way, leave the dealership until you can think your way through the situation and do the necessary homework.
• Verbal promises. During your buy, the dealer may verbally make an abundant amount of promises. Each time something is offered – write it down and keep a list. Even better, have the salesperson or his manager initial the items you agree on. Save this list for later. They will most likely attempt to take back some of the items they conceded to earlier.
• Limited authority. Lacking authority would appear to weaken one's position in negotiations, but in fact the best stance is to have no authority at all. A salesperson can back out of any agreement he makes by merely stating that he is not authorized to make it. Verify with the salesperson at the outset of the discussion if he has the authority to make a deal. His usual response will be not to answer or be evasive. At this point, you should say that if he as no authority, you would rather deal with someone who has.
• Persuading the customer to say, “yes.” This theory is that if you say "yes" to a line of successive questions, it will then become easier for you to say to say "yes" to a less than adequate deal. Do not concede to everything the dealer suggests. Say “no”, or “maybe” to a few of his offers. Other options are to change the subject or to get the salesperson to agree to one of your own demands.
• Bartering. Car dealers are excel at asking for a line of concessions. Before you know it, you have relinquished the entire deal. If you notice this happening, start asking for small concessions of your own. Don’t give away anything without asking for something in return. For example, if the salesperson wants you to agree to a higher price before he presents the offer to his manager, use your concession as an opportunity to ask for free air-conditioning and an upholstery upgrade. Don't be afraid to barter. No one will give you anything unless you ask for it.
• Temporary concessions. You may find that concessions granted at earlier stages of the deal have disappeared in financing. All of those compromises you fought so hard for are sometimes forgotten the minute you open your checkbook. The salesperson may have promised you free leather seats but may have failed to mention that to the financing department. To prevent this from happening, write down all points agreed on in your discussions, and don’t sign any documents until you have everything you were promised. Refuse to move any farther in the deal if promises don’t materialize.
• Refusing to negotiate. Some car companies claim they don’t negotiate. While they may not be flexible on new car prices, they may still give you a higher trade-in price, throw in extra accessories, or allow you a lower financing rate. Regardless of what the dealership claims to be its policy, keep digging for concessions or shop elsewhere for a better deal.
• Quoting averages and statistics. If lengthy lists of figures, facts and statistics confuse you, simply block them out. Move the conversation to something you feel more comfortable with.
• Appealing to your sense of fairness. Sellers may be the only people who ever demand that you recognize their need to make money and get what they consider their due is. It is the car manufacturer’s responsibility to correctly price vehicles so that the dealer makes his fair profit – not yours. Don’t get dragged into this debate. This is merely another version of a guilt trip.
• The silent treatment. If you notice the salesperson has stopped talking, you are experiencing the silent treatment. Though it's normal to fee awkward, restart the conversation with comments on any topic - sports, politics, gardening. If that doesn’t work, go elsewhere.
• "I’m new here." Any good salesperson will try to gain your sympathy. Even if he is a brand-new employee and is naïve about sales tactics, he certainly is backed by an experienced, competent sales manager. Who will back you up if you make a costly mistake based on his false information? Opt for a more experienced salesperson; thank the new dealer for his time and ask for someone with more sales expertise.
• The good-faith deposit. Offering a deposit is perhaps one of the strongest signs of commitment. Don’t do it unless you are prepared to go through with the deal. If the salesperson will not take an offer to his boss without a credit check or deposit, demand that he do so. Tell him that until a firm price is agreed on, you will not commit to the sale. If he refuses, threaten to walk.
• Taking your keys and registration. It's a nightmare to have the dealer “lose” the keys to your car, so that you are forced to stay and negotiate. Always bring an extra set of keys, and don’t negotiate until you get your keys and registration back.
• "If I can do ______for you, will you do________?" This is another technique used often to make customers commit to the purchase. Salespeople use this strategy to see if you are a serious buyer. The best way to counteract this technique is to keep saying that you will indeed purchase the car immediately, but only if you get the deal you want. You are always free to change your position later
• Stonewalling. This is a classic negotiating tool, in which concessions are granted slowly and reluctantly. The average customer quickly grows impatient and discouraged and compromises to move the discussion forward. You must be willing to wait out the salesperson or to come in at a time that is inconvenient for him, so he will be more willing to concede to rush the process.

Upcoming price increase. This scheme is not used much and is designed to push you to make a quick decision. To do this, the dealer may threaten that there will be a large price increase soon. Buy now, he pleads, because the price will increase by 10 percent by the weekend. Ask the salesperson to prove this price hike. If he has a flyer mentioning the increase, make note of it, and check if it applies to the car you are interested in. If he can’t document his statement, then you can probably assume the prices will remain, and keep negotiating at your own speed.