Originally Posted by
Systemized
Just tell one dealer that 10 other dealers have the same exact model of car you want. Who ever offers the best price will get the sale. Play the dealers against each other and use their offers as leverage against each other to beat other offers. All the dealers start at the same price point and have similar mark ups. You probably don't need to drive far to get the best deal, just get the price you want before you set foot on the dealers lot.
From my limited experience:
The trick is getting a "no haggle" dealer price or a picture of an offer sheet from the dealer you're negotiating with and then shotgunning it out to a half dozen dealers asking if they can beat the price. Every round with the new lowest price, resend again and keep asking. You'll know you're in the ballpark when dealers finally start coming back with "I can't beat that price but if you come in to my shop I'll match it."
Some dealers will play the game, some won't and it takes some effort on your part.
The dealers that will play to get your business are the ones that pride themselves on getting the monthly/quarterly/annually manufacturers sales bonus who will undercut their immediate sales price, knowing they're going to get a big check on the backend.