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Heres her clever strategy foronline car buyingthat worked like magic.
But I did my research first.
Then the real work began at home.
The Email Strategy That Worked
Heres what blew my mind, she said.
I emailed the internet sales managers at five dealerships within 100 miles.
Really direct: I want this exact model, these features, in any of these three colors.
Whats your best out-the-door price?
Suddenly I had dealers competing against each other without any awkward back-and-forth.
Playing the Numbers Game
The responses were eye-opening.
First quote was $37,800, Laurel said.
I took that number and emailed everyone back: Dealer X offered me this price can you beat it?
Within hours, I had two better offers.
Used those to nudgemy favorite dealerdown even further.
The Trade-In Twist
I was sneaky about my trade-in, Laurel added.
Didnt mention it until I had my new car price locked in writing.
Closing the Deal
The final step was surprisingly smooth.
When I walked into the dealership, it was just to sign papers and drive home.
No pressure, no games, just exactly what wed agreed to online.
Her best tip: Be willing to walk away.
Laurels strategy netted her a final price well below market value.
I did most of it from my couch in my pajamas.
Never going back to the old way of car shopping again.
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