40 Tricks Car Salesmen Use To Try And Outsmart Customers

Don’t get us wrong: many salespeople are honorable guys and gals. They won’t pull the wool over your eyes for a quick buck – even if you do leave the dealership spending more than you planned. But if you do fall into the hands of a, well, less than reputable salesman or woman, you really need to know these tricks and hustles.

Limited-time offers

No one wants to miss out on a good deal! And some salespeople prey on that fear. They’ll tell you that the super-cheap car you’re looking at will soon go up in price. The truth of the situation, though? These “limited-time” offers will just be replaced by almost identical ones before you can say “That’s a steal!”

Making out they’re your best friend

It’s amazing how quickly a salesperson will become your best friend when you’re looking for a new car. All of a sudden, they’ll be asking about your family, plying you with coffee and snacks, and laughing about things you have in common. But this is all a clever way of making it difficult for you to say “no” to them. You wouldn’t want to disappoint your new buddy, would you?

Bill consolidation

If you’re leasing multiple vehicles from the same dealership, a salesperson may offer to consolidate everything into one monthly payment. Makes sense, right? It can certainly be easier to handle! But be wary. The payment term will be extended, meaning the interest will increase. And the upshot of that is that you could be spending more in the long run.

Hiding the on-the-road price

How much do you need to pay to finally drive away in your new car? Good luck finding that out if you have an unscrupulous salesman! They may not want to get into the weeds of the real cost to get the car on the road. Registration and insurance can add substantially to the overall price, you see, and that could jeopardize their sale.