• You must look like a good loan candidate. It always helps to dress up, look solid and financially conservative. Large part of the initial evaluation is based on your behavior and dress. Believe it or not.
• Never mention trouble such as divorce and layoffs. The loan officer will wonder if you will still be able to pay off the car loan with all the other demands on your money. Make it look like as much of your income as possible will be available to go toward the loan.
• Make it look as though there are fewer people enjoying a piece of your income. If you have kids and an ex who get a piece of your pie, your significant other has kids and an ex who all get a share of your income, the bank will know for sure that there are many constraints on your salary.
• It is not good to even try to get-an-out-of-state-loan because it would be a nightmare to repossess an out-of-state car. So, the loan process would be nearly impossible.
• Do your best to show long, steady work history based on salary and not commission. Banks object to commissions as a basis for a loan because they fluctuate with the economy.
• Show long-term stability in your residence. Banks like to know where to go if it is necessary to repossess the vehicle.
• If you feel your loan history is not at its best, it may be best to get a copy of your credit history from one of the credit bureaus before the loan interview.
• A lot of people are embarrassed about their credit history. They will not risk embarrassment by going to banks. They would rather go to an auto dealership, pay more and avoid the discomfort and anxiety, even though most dealerships ultimately finance through banks. What you don't want to do is worry about your credit to the point that you do not got to a bank, but go to a dealership instead and throw yourself at their mercy.
• Make sure you ask for enough money to be able to get what you need and want. Don't starve yourself. Borrow enough money for the vehicle you want.
• As a rule, always ask for 1% less on your interest rate because of some made-up reason, and see if it works. It's worth a try.

GET THE RIGHT CAR-BUYING ATTITUDE

It is important to enter the showroom with certain attitudes firmly entrenched. Your body language should match your clothing and the thoroughness of your homework. You must be clear in your mind that you will buy a car today, if the price is right and if you are treated well both personally and financially.

DON'T PART EASILY WITH YOUR HARD-EARNED MONEY

They have the car and they must sell it. You can always live without the car a little longer. Do not allow yourself to feel pressured. Remind yourself that the salesperson is the one who is desperate.

Let them see that you have changeable moods and cannot be trifled with. If this is not your basic nature, bring along someone who can act this way. Try acting this way for a short period of time yourself and see if you can pull it off. Here are some pointers:

• Clear your mind of all extraneous details. Don't go to buy a car with a head full of troubles. Once you enter the showroom, the car buy should be your first and only priority.
• Know that your financing homework is done and that for all intents and purposes, you have the cash in hand. This will give you confidence and will present you from being held up by later financing problems.
• Limit the negotiations to one car, two at the most. The salesperson will look at you as a browser if you negotiate in general rather than on one specific car.
• Know what your trade-in is worth, what you can get the new car for and what options you will want. Be prepared. You can wing it, of course, but it will cost you in your wallet.
• It's your money. You are the customer. If the dealer wants your money, let him work hard for it.
• Demand good treatment. A lack of warmth and some reserve will keep a distance between them and you, which is what you want. Most salespeople believe that if you like them, they will have more success making the sale. They will go out of their way to make you like them in order to facilitate closing a deal. Don't give them the edge. Keep them at enough of a distance so that friendship does not become a factor.

ACT LIKE AN INFORMED CONSUMER

Don't be emotional - be neutral. Don't gush over a car. If you do, you will pay more for it.

Don't be too negative either. This only makes the salesperson defensive. If you are constantly negative, the salesperson will assume that you not ready to buy yet. Being negative will not get you respect or a cheaper car. Nor will it make you look like a real buyer.

Be a little unpredictable and cool. If you feel you are being treated badly or not taken seriously, be firm and let them know about it.

Don't be afraid to speak up. You have to ask for a good to get one. Be ready to deal if the price and everything else is right.

Salespeople are trained to determine in the first few minutes what type of a customer you are. Once this is settled in their minds, they choose a game plan to follow in order to handle you to the best of their advantage.

It is definitely to your advantage to suddenly show them that their entire strategy isn't working. They have to rethink their strategy at the last minute, and it is always difficult to change pace and negate all the things they have said previously to make you buy a car.

Tell the salesperson only what he needs to know. He will probe you for information about your job, why you want to buy a car and your financial situation. He will also want to know if you want to buy a car or lease. Tell him only what you want him to know when you want him to know it.

YOU'RE JUST A BIG DOLLAR SIGN FOR A SALESPERSON

Everything a salesperson learns about you, he will use against you. Always keep that in mind. A salesperson is not your friend. Remember that always.

Even your most casual comments are important to a good salesperson. So, reveal only what you want the dealer to know, and no more, no less. When in doubt, say nothing.

A WINNING STRATEGY THAT WORKS

Play dumb if it helps you. You don't have to know everything to do well in a negotiation. During the meeting of the salesperson and the test-drive, when the salesperson is still trying to classify you, you can appear to be a little confused, uncertain and weak.

Later, when it is too late for him to change his tactics and attitude, let him realize you are in control. When hit with technical or sales mumbo-jumbo you don't understand, saying "I don't know" will put him off guard.

Then say, "This deal is not good enough," and then let him offer concessions. Force him to guess if it is the price, the trade-in, the type of car or the competition.

If he scrambling to make a deal, he may throw in things you never considered to make the deal go down. If pressed to explain why the deal isn't good enough, just say, "I don't know, it just doesn't seem good enough." Later, ask for a better price or something more specific.

When you are near an agreement, say no just one more time and see what happens. You never know. Something else might fall into your lap, especially if it is late at night.
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