Outmaneuver the Car Salesman

8 Ways to Outmaneuver the Car Salesman

Even though most people walk onto a car lot with their guard up, Levine says few are prepared for the bargaining, negotiating and pressure of the sales pitch.

1. Talk to yourself as if you were your own teenage child: Tell yourself, "This is how far I will go, this is how much money I will spend." Then stick to it.
2. Recognize that salesmen intentionally drag out the process.
3. If you think you're savvy, you probably aren't.
4. The further you go, the less resistance you will have.
5. There is no urgency to seal the deal, no matter what the seller tells you.
6. You're not going to the car lot to make friends.
7. Recognize your vulnerabilities. Are you the type of person who doesn't want to speak out of turn? Do you fear hurting others' feelings or wasting their time?
8. Sleep on it. Tell the salesman that you have an arrangement with your spouse. If you are willing to be spontaneous, Levine says "a good salesman is going to beat you."