1. All the dealers pay the same price for the same new car! This is without exception ­ Period!

2. Auto Dealers are a business. They are in business to make money. You have to accept the fact that they will want to make a profit. They are entitled to do so. They just don't need to screw you!

3. Do NOT talk down to a sales person, this will only make them want to screw you more.

4. A good deal is only a state of mind. If you feel as though what you are getting is worth what you have to pay for it, then it's actually a good deal to you. However, don't go and ask someone after you have made the purchase if you got a good deal because you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. It's to late then. In the state of IL a car is considered sold after you sign all the needed paper work and physically remove the car from the dealer's property. After that it is yours!

5. Financing is a completely different subject than the price you have to pay for a car. Don't let a salesmen sell you a car for a monthly payment. You can find online payment calculators that will help you determine what you can afford. I would recommend you check online or with your bank to find out what interest rate you qualify for before ever going into a car dealership. If the dealer can offer you a better rate then take it! If they do then the only thing you need to make sure of is that the numbers on the loan contract are what you agreed to when you negotiated the price. The less a car sells for new the less it's worth used. However, some cars depreciate faster than others. This should be considered when deciding on what your next car should be.

6. Leasing is not a bad thing, but it's not for everyone. If you kept your last car for 8 years and put 40,000 miles on it then leasing may not be for you. If you have gotten a new car every 3 or 4 years then you really should look at leasing. Good rule to go by is if you have always had a car payment, then you should look at leasing.

7. Always look at the dealer's service department. It should look somewhat clean and organized. If you can, talk to someone in their waiting room and ask them what they think of the dealership and their car.

8. The only number you should negotiate is the number of the price of the car minus your trade if you have one. Again ­ Don't let them get you into negotiating a payment or on your trade.

9. Car Dealerships negotiate several deals a day. You probably by a car once ever 3-5 years. They are better at it than you! Play Dumb but pay attention! A good negotiator does more listening than talking.

10. Last and most importantly. If you are serious about buying a car and you let the dealer know that, they won't let you leave unless you are being unrealistic. Take a few hundred dollars in cash with you to let them know that you are serious about buying a car. Green Cash always gets peoples attention.

If you have comments or questions please fee free to send an e-mail to Autos@boimagazine.net