Not familiar with car sales tactics from this era, enlighten me please.

Ya gotta shop around, and sometimes it's painful. I discovered that walking into the showroom with my checkbook is a bad move. They really want the buyer that's poor, hard to finance, and buys every bit of extra warranty and everything else that want to add.

I recently tried to buy a new Harley outright, and they pretty much ignored me. I couldn't even get a price.
 
Did you buy your Buick from a Buick dealer? Most of their dealers are laid back because they deal with older customers with good credit.

Like mentioned here, if they are trying this hard to sell you a 8 year old Malibu, find another dealer.
 
If you're going to buy on time, have the terms of your loan in hand when you arrive at the sales place.

The only number you should discuss with the sales guys is the final out the door price.

I think it's folly to have the sales people discuss your loan with your credit union. That pretty much guarantees you'll pay too much.
 
Lots of excellent advice above that I have used in the past, but it has been 12 years since my last purchase.

Has any "normalcy" returned to either used and new car purchasing since Covid? The chip shortage is over?? Are there cars in stock enough so that negotiating is now possible again. Do base models even exist? Enlighten me please.

FYI - I followed the principles above of researching your purchase a TON, set a fair price in your mind, shop online for your price/conditions, and only go to the dealer to close the deal/sign the papers.
 
They hit me with the double team, and the sales manager would come over and play bad cop, while the sales associate I dealt with was the good cop.
Now it's buy, buy, buy or else. I was left with my head spinning like son of gun but I didn't crack and buy anything.

How do I withstand this constant barrage of BS? I felt like I was being interrogated by the feds.

Here is how you deal with it. You tell them once politely that the games aren't going to work. The second time, you walk.
Never wait until you absolutely have to to replace a car. That gives them the edge, and takes your leverage away.
My tact has always been that the only thing that is going to sell me a car is the product itself and the numbers that evolve from the interaction. Their noise means little or nothing to me.
My view from my experience: It is incumbent upon them to please me, not the other way around.
Rationale: I'm the one with the cash, or the one who will have to tote the note. They need me much worse than I need them.
So I adopt that mantra whenever I car shop (or any high ticket item.) Mrs Tdbo refers to me as a relentless (self censored) when I am in that zone.
I have found the best way to sort through much of the equine excrement is to do much of the process through e-mail (using a dedicated account.) Much easier to extinguish the flamers in that manner, rather than having Polyester Pete trying to chase you down in a parking lot or wear out your phone #. It gives them a chance to audition for being the selected vendor, it also gives me a chance to see how they operate. Great tool. I have weeded out many punks that way.
Through this method, the last several cars that I have bought have been pleasant, flawless events. Taking the initiative also minimizes the chances that you will be labeled as a "Mark" in the business office.
There are car dealers/car lots on virtually every corner. I also have the advantage of multiple vehicles, I'm not walking anywhere.
 
I missed the part that this was a used car, except our first used car(young and dumb and paid for it!), I've only bought privately from the first owner, which I like better. You get a good idea of how it was cared for and the maintenance records.

I'm kind of with the car wizard on little GM turbo'd engines, or Fords, or any of them really. Kind of useless complexity and repair risk, and less margin for a missed OCI or the wrong oil used, for almost no benefits to you?
I could be wrong, but this is getting to be an 8 year old car, with a bunch of extra lower quality parts bin mechanical spaghetti and heat under the hood, that isn't really needed to go A to B, with probably with no maintenance records...
If they are asking over 1/3 new price, I would crunch the numbers on total cost of ownership, and maybe a new one makes more sense? If you can't do suspension and brakes yourself, and other little repairs like HVAC fans, 10+ year old cars aren't for you, based on total cost of ownership IMHO, especially with the newer ones.
 
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You can’t make one global judgement about dealer experience based on one try. Sounds like an awful experience I agree.

It’s very important to not have your heart into any one car and if it works out great, if not move on. A Malibu is a mass selling car and absolutely nothing special you should say it was “perfect”.

The dealer clearly wanted a certain type of buyer and you did not get pushed into it .

Keep looking and head held high. Remember it is not personal it’s business . Treat them as if it business, you have no friends made here.
 
If you're going to buy an older used car, maybe you should look even further back. Pay cash and forget having payments.

For example my Honda Accord is a million mile car. It's in really good condition and on a good day might sell for $2,000, maybe as much as $3,000. But it's not for sale because I know what I've got.

There are lots of really good older cars (Hondas, Toyotas, Crown Vics, Buicks with a 3800) that could serve you well. Sure you'll have some repairs but you will with the Malibu as well. I'd put my 17 year old Accord up against that Malibu as to which one gets through the next 10 years at a lower cost.
 
Some dealers suck. Tell them how you feel and walk.

I watched a YouTube video with a 2018 Malibu being the example of today's piece of crap cars. If you're a Buick 3800 fan this video is worth watching.


I love the Wizard he is a great guy who cares about the average guy, but other than lamenting about todays cars being junk, he did not give us a solution. What to do when everything new is junk? We have to buy something at some point.
 
So on Saturday I went and looked at a 2018 Malibu LT. Sales guy seemed nice, told him I needed to sell my car first before I could commit to anything but I was interested. After the test drive they hit me hard with a few sales tactics. They hit me with the double team, and the sales manager would come over and play bad cop, while the sales associate I dealt with was the good cop.

I will admit I'm mentally ill and they were so aggressive I had a flare up of my disorder.

What happened to the sales tactics from when I bought my Buick 12 years ago. they were very polite, answered all my questions and got me a great deal on the car I wanted. Now it's buy, buy, buy or else. I was left with my head spinning like son of gun but I didn't crack and buy anything.

How do I withstand this constant barrage of BS? I felt like I was being interrogated by the feds.
This sounds like a bad dealership to me.
 
I'm not a big fan of the Wbody platform like I used to be. All in a matter of months my old buick Lacrosse needed a new transmission due to a forward apply band. Got the transmission rebuilt, then the controll arms went out, then the wheel bearings ate themselves along with the ABS harness, and finally the lower intake gasket went out and grenaded the engine.
 
I don't have a problem with the game or the tactics since I come prepared with basic market knowledge for what I am buying.

They're trying to maximize return for their organization, I'm advocating for my own interests.

If we can find a middle ground then we have a deal. It's as simple as that.
 
When buying a car, you must know what you should be paying for it before visiting a dealer and you must have either the funds or the loan in place before setting foot in a showroom.
Anything else is likely to lead to an unpleasant and overly costly buying experience.
If you know a good price going in, you don't really need a car today and you have lined up the funds, either personal or loan, the transaction can be quick and painless.
 
A book I read on car buying described the sales negotiations as a dance. Some guys dance the waltz, some mud wrestle to the music. Be mentally prepared to be any style dancing partner. My experience is the style is usually related to the dealership rather than the salesman. Remember they can only intimidate you and make you feel bad if you give them that permission. They are in sales, rejection is part of their job. Come in the door well prepared with a good idea of a good price, not the payment you are looking for. They will always ask on the high side of price and you may have to have some flexibility beyond what you would like to pay. Have the discipline to politely tell them their offer doesn't work and bid them good day if they are trying to BS you or screw you on the price. Some dealerships aren't interested in customers; they are looking for fools that can make the payment.
 
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