I Negotiated My Entire Car Purchase Online and Saved Thousands — Here’s How
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Amber Barkley
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Laurel D. saved $4,200 on her new SUV without ever stepping foot in a dealership. Here’s her clever strategy for online car buying that worked like magic.
Step One: Do Your Homework
“Everyone told me I was crazy for not going to dealerships,” Laurel said. “But I did my research first. I test drove the model I wanted on a Saturday morning — didn’t talk numbers, just made sure I loved the car. Then the real work began at home.”
The Email Strategy That Worked
“Here’s what blew my mind,” she said. “I emailed the internet sales managers at five dealerships within 100 miles. Really direct: ‘I want this exact model, these features, in any of these three colors. What’s your best out-the-door price?’ Suddenly I had dealers competing against each other without any awkward back-and-forth.”
Playing the Numbers Game
The responses were eye-opening.
“First quote was $37,800,” Laurel said. “I took that number and emailed everyone back: ‘Dealer X offered me this price — can you beat it?’ Within hours, I had two better offers. Used those to nudge my favorite dealer down even further.”
The Trade-In Twist
“I was sneaky about my trade-in,” Laurel added. “Didn’t mention it until I had my new car price locked in writing.”
She planned ahead and had quotes from CarMax and Carvana ready, and when a dealer lowballed her, she “just forwarded them the CarMax offer.”
Closing the Deal
The final step was surprisingly smooth.
“Everything was settled by email — price, trade-in, even the extended warranty they tried to sell me,” Laurel said. “When I walked into the dealership, it was just to sign papers and drive home. No pressure, no games, just exactly what we’d agreed to online.”
Her best tip: “Be willing to walk away. When I told the last dealer I was heading to their competitor, suddenly they ‘found’ another $800 in savings. Magic, right?”
Laurel’s strategy netted her a final price well below market value. “The best part? I did most of it from my couch in my pajamas. Never going back to the old way of car shopping again.”
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