Purchasing a used car, like any negotiation, is a “process and not an event” and at the Shapiro Negotiations Institute, our process is based around the Three Ps: Prepare, Probe, and Propose. In a three part series we are going to walk you through how to effectively negotiate the purchase of a used car.
The first step in this process is to prepare. The best source of information in your preparation to purchase is used car is Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds, both of which are available on the internet. These services will tell you the “standard” value for the make and model of car you are purchasing. The key item to remember, however, is that these services will provide you only with the “standard” value. Depending on the condition of the particular used car you are purchasing, it could be worth substantially more, or substantially less, than the value stated by these services. Regardless, in preparing for negotiating the purchase of a used car, Kelly Blue Book or Edmunds is the first place to turn.
Attached is a copy of our Preparation Planner, a tool that you can use to get in a systematic preparation habit to make sure you’re ready when you sit down to negotiate. Click here for a copy of the Master Preperation Planner.
