Overhaulin'

If a car is priced to sell at about $35,500, how much can it be bargained down to by paying in full with cash?

My wife just got her license at 27 years old! Which means we need a 2nd car. I'm really set on buying a Honda Pilot. It will be a stretch on us right now with the economy but I also don't want her taking public transportation in the winter. We live in Jersey. I figured paying in cash would be a great bargaining tool in these times but how much can it really knock off the selling price.

Public Comments

1. Dealers don't finance loans. They help customers by arranging loans with their "captive" finance companies such as Ford Motor Credit or GMAC, or with banks or credit unions. Flashing cash to a dealer buys you nothing, except maybe a higher price for the car. Dealers make more money by arranging your financing than if you pay by cash. They get a "buy" rate on the interest rate, and "sell" a higher interest rate to you for extra profit. The best way to get a good price is go in to the dealer having done a lot of homework on prices, invoice prices, manufacturer's incentives, and some negotiating skills. You will not walk into a dealer's store cold and unprepared, and expect to come out a winner.
2. umm.., Let me start out by saying I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to auto repair. Last year I had an accident with my Nissan Armada and I wasn't sure how to fix them. I tried to search the web for help, but the procedures were too complex for my skills. I ended up going to the dealship for my repairs. The dealership tends to charge more than mom and pop repair shops, but they've seen all sorts of situations (auto insurance problems, repair warranty issues, etc) and they seem to always find a way to help me. Maybe you can try calling auto repair shops in New Jersey to see if they can help you. http://www.autorepairshoplocator.com/New-Jersey-Auto-Repair.html