Fullerton, California: A Few Tips For Negotiating When Buying a Car With Bad Credit

It can feel like the world is against you when you have credit problems and are going through the process of applying for a car loan at a dealership. Once you're approved, it's almost like you feel the dealer has the attitude that you should just be grateful for being able to get a loan. Negotiating price is something that is reserved for people that have good credit, right?

Wrong...

Just because you have credit problems, does not mean that the dealership doesn't want to sell you a car just as bad as the next guy with a high credit score. Money all spends the same and if you've been approved for a car loan, even if it's only by a "string" that the dealer pulled to get you approved, you are still the buyer.

Being the buyer means that you still have control over what you buy and what you don't. You also have control over what you spend, regardless of how the salesman acts. You see, too many times people that have bad credit are treated differently in car dealerships. It's almost like an unspoken discrimination.

Here's a few tips...

1) Act disinterested. There is nothing that drops the price quicker than a customer that isn't "sold" on a particular make and model.

2) A low counter-offer. Dealers always hit you with a price that is higher than they anticipate you will agree to so that when they do lower the price, it's only lowered down to what they expected to sell it for anyway. You can do this in reverse. When you make your counter-offer on the price of the car, make it about $1000.00 less than what YOU truly want to pay. You may be surprised at just how much more the price comes down.

3) Have another offer waiting. "Well, another dealer called me and told me that they had my application approved and I would like to see what they'll offer me first." Dealers know that the last dealer that you visit is usually the one that you will end up buying from. They'll do whatever they can to keep you in your seat until they've "earned your business". Beat 'em at their own game and win.

4) Online options. There are companies that are willing to help you to buy a car, even with bad credit and their services are available online.