Dealer's choice
When it comes time to purchase a used car, it is useful to know that the sticker price you see on the windshield doesn't need to be the price that you eventually pay. The dealership will always have a little bit of leeway when it comes to negotiating on the sale.
Related: What should I check before buying a used car?
It is very difficult to say how much the dealer will come down on the set price due to numerous factors that set the price.
There are a number of factors that will influence how much the dealer will budge, though. You need to take into consideration the following:
- Popularity of model
The more in demand the model you are after the less likely the dealer will shift on the price as the next buyer will be willing to pay the advertised price
- Stock availability
If there is a waiting list for a particular model, the less likely you will be able to negotiate on the price as the dealer can stay firm and will know that he can set the price due to the demand.
- Model variant
If there is a shortage of a particular variant of a model the dealer will also not likely budge on his price.
- Original trade-in value
The dealer will also not drop below what they paid for the used car, but once again it depends on how desperate they are to get rid of the vehicle in question but just know that they are in the business to make money and will not give you the deal of a lifetime.
It is always a good idea to ask to work on the price and in most circumstances, they will be willing to sharpen their pencils to get the sale done.
