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Getting the Best Price on a Used Car
Alternate Cover edition of ISBN13: 9780989178419
From twinkle in your eye to warranty work, this book is your guide to masterfully handling car-buying to get the most for your money. This book is loaded with money-saving information: Save $1500 on the car you want-and 7 years later it will make no difference to trade-in value! Use your most powerful tool to get the lowest price - your phone Get a good price that sticks -is not jacked up with hidden fees and expenses at the end How much car can you afford: a calculation guide (it is not 'every last penny' like the dealership believes) Good cop, bad cop: how dealerships exploit this tactic to get you to overspend, and how to neutralize it The simple request that decreases your car insurance costs for the life of the car. Lemons: the myth dealerships perpetrate to make you visit the dealership instead of phoning Five different ways to finance a car: which is best for you? Selecting the safest car: follow the money (insurance is lower on safe cars) Bonus: How to know if you have a bad mechanic, and how to find a good one.
From twinkle in your eye to warranty work, this book is your guide to masterfully handling car-buying to get the most for your money. This book is loaded with money-saving information: Save $1500 on the car you want-and 7 years later it will make no difference to trade-in value! Use your most powerful tool to get the lowest price - your phone Get a good price that sticks -is not jacked up with hidden fees and expenses at the end How much car can you afford: a calculation guide (it is not 'every last penny' like the dealership believes) Good cop, bad cop: how dealerships exploit this tactic to get you to overspend, and how to neutralize it The simple request that decreases your car insurance costs for the life of the car. Lemons: the myth dealerships perpetrate to make you visit the dealership instead of phoning Five different ways to finance a car: which is best for you? Selecting the safest car: follow the money (insurance is lower on safe cars) Bonus: How to know if you have a bad mechanic, and how to find a good one.
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First published April 16, 2013
17 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 29, 2013
I am just so impressed with this book. I am in my mid-forties and I wish I had this book back when I was just starting out in life. There are SO many situations mentioned in this book that I absolutely went through. I can see clearly how the car dealerships manipulated me and took advantage of me.
Even just a month ago I was out looking at a car, and the dealership pulled many of these exact tricks. I had no idea it was all part of their plan.
Lynnette presents the information in a wonderfully easy to understand, fun, useful manner. She livens up the material with a smooth sense of humor, and explains all the underlying reasons behind what they're doing. She provides practical, how-to-do-it advice on exactly how to get what you want.
Lynnette's father was an auto mechanic and she grew up around cars. She's been in and out of the car world all her life. She also has keen insight into the psychology of a car purchase. She has a sense of how people react to pressure and what their trigger points can be. Then she tells you how to handle them.
I am strongly recommending this book to all my friends who are in the process of buying a car. I definitely feel far more ready to handle the process now that I've read this. I can see clearly what mistakes I will be avoiding in the coming weekends.
Especially with the expense and stress a car purchase can entail, it is WELL worth it to read a book like this before you begin. The money and aggravation you save is just astounding.
Highly recommended.
I purchased this book with my own funds.
Even just a month ago I was out looking at a car, and the dealership pulled many of these exact tricks. I had no idea it was all part of their plan.
Lynnette presents the information in a wonderfully easy to understand, fun, useful manner. She livens up the material with a smooth sense of humor, and explains all the underlying reasons behind what they're doing. She provides practical, how-to-do-it advice on exactly how to get what you want.
Lynnette's father was an auto mechanic and she grew up around cars. She's been in and out of the car world all her life. She also has keen insight into the psychology of a car purchase. She has a sense of how people react to pressure and what their trigger points can be. Then she tells you how to handle them.
I am strongly recommending this book to all my friends who are in the process of buying a car. I definitely feel far more ready to handle the process now that I've read this. I can see clearly what mistakes I will be avoiding in the coming weekends.
Especially with the expense and stress a car purchase can entail, it is WELL worth it to read a book like this before you begin. The money and aggravation you save is just astounding.
Highly recommended.
I purchased this book with my own funds.
February 24, 2017
I'm the author, so wanted to say a few words. I'm delighted that this book, with a different cover, has become Amazon's top-selling car-buying book for several months.
I love that it gives people the courage to deflect bad behavior at a dealership plus reveals a few huge money-saving avenues that sales people will never tell you -- including the ones who write books!
I don't scare you with horror stories, I just tell you the right way to do it. There's no value in telling you bad things that happened to other people, other than to make you putty in the hands of the salesman, who now seems imbued with overpowering finesse. Pshaw.
Forewarned is forearmed. More than it shows in the reviews, people have phoned or emailed me to say, "Lynnette, it went exactly as you said!" and "I couldn't believe it, he tried the license plate thing. But I was ready, you should have seen his eyes!"
I know it's cliché, but here it's really true: this book will save you hundreds of dollars.
I love that it gives people the courage to deflect bad behavior at a dealership plus reveals a few huge money-saving avenues that sales people will never tell you -- including the ones who write books!
I don't scare you with horror stories, I just tell you the right way to do it. There's no value in telling you bad things that happened to other people, other than to make you putty in the hands of the salesman, who now seems imbued with overpowering finesse. Pshaw.
Forewarned is forearmed. More than it shows in the reviews, people have phoned or emailed me to say, "Lynnette, it went exactly as you said!" and "I couldn't believe it, he tried the license plate thing. But I was ready, you should have seen his eyes!"
I know it's cliché, but here it's really true: this book will save you hundreds of dollars.
December 6, 2013
I won this book through GoodReads First Read program.
I hate buying cars. I will be buying two used cars in the next month so I thought I should try to win this book to help in the upcoming adventure. No purchases yet but we did look at some cars yesterday and one of the exact things Hartwig pointed out in her book happened. I mentioned taking the car to a mechanic to look at it and the dealer said that was fine as long as it was in the area. They had some suggestions as to who I could take it to. I had thought taking it to a mechanic was a good idea but Hartwig sets out some good reasons why this is probably a waste of time. Also dealers try to send you to their buddies down to look at the car and give their conditional blessing.
I wish the book included negotiating strategies. I always feel like I am not getting the best price I could get.
I hate buying cars. I will be buying two used cars in the next month so I thought I should try to win this book to help in the upcoming adventure. No purchases yet but we did look at some cars yesterday and one of the exact things Hartwig pointed out in her book happened. I mentioned taking the car to a mechanic to look at it and the dealer said that was fine as long as it was in the area. They had some suggestions as to who I could take it to. I had thought taking it to a mechanic was a good idea but Hartwig sets out some good reasons why this is probably a waste of time. Also dealers try to send you to their buddies down to look at the car and give their conditional blessing.
I wish the book included negotiating strategies. I always feel like I am not getting the best price I could get.
December 23, 2013
I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
This is a very useful book. It’s short and straight to the point. There were a lot of myths that I still believed until I read this book. I would’ve hunted for a car with fewer miles on it had I not read this book. The points on dealing with a dealership were priceless for me. I have had some of those things happen to me when I have dealt with a dealership before. I’ve been hesitate to go back because of it. I definitely will think twice about sharing my life story and keep it more business. I feel more confident about purchasing a newer car now after reading this book and will go back and refer to some sections over again.
This is a very useful book. It’s short and straight to the point. There were a lot of myths that I still believed until I read this book. I would’ve hunted for a car with fewer miles on it had I not read this book. The points on dealing with a dealership were priceless for me. I have had some of those things happen to me when I have dealt with a dealership before. I’ve been hesitate to go back because of it. I definitely will think twice about sharing my life story and keep it more business. I feel more confident about purchasing a newer car now after reading this book and will go back and refer to some sections over again.
July 13, 2014
This was a good book for someone who has never purchased a car, which I haven't. Hartwig gave me some good places to start and helped to point out some fees that I wasn't thinking about but need to plan for because of my tight budget.
I read it with a highlighter so I can go back to the important points when I'm engaging in my search. I would have liked more information about financing and actually negotiating the price, but the book is short and to the point. I didn't realize how short it was when I purchased it, but for a low price and a quick read I think it will be helpful and worth it when it comes time to make the big purchase.
I read it with a highlighter so I can go back to the important points when I'm engaging in my search. I would have liked more information about financing and actually negotiating the price, but the book is short and to the point. I didn't realize how short it was when I purchased it, but for a low price and a quick read I think it will be helpful and worth it when it comes time to make the big purchase.
November 22, 2013
An excellent, informative guide for anyone looking to buy a used automobile. It is well-organized, concise and very easy to understand. The easy-to-understand nature of the book makes it ideal for a first-time buyer and I would highly recommend this guide to any person who is looking into purchasing a used car.
December 14, 2013
I am SOOO glad I got this. I gave it to my 14 year old son who is going to start saving for his own car soon and I want him to NOT get swindled. We both read this and there are some great tips in it.
June 5, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews