Why don't people like haggling?

"Slant6" (slant-6)
03/27/2016 at 12:13 • Filed to: None

All these car selling companies (Carmax, TrueCar) have “no-haggle” policies as if they’re something good for the customer, being charged more for a car.

Haggling is one of my favorite parts of buying a car.

DISCUSSION (26)

HammerheadFistpunch > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:16

because 95% of purchases are fixed prices and it makes people uncomfortable to exercise their assertiveness 5% of the time against someone who is trained to be assertive and aggressive 95% of the time.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:17

My family owned pawn shops, I love haggling, its in my blood. Its fun too! If youre good at it

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:20

I was lucky to get a rather new guy selling me my Si, trimmed some money off the top thanks to that.

On the rare occasions you don’t have this assertive sales person, I’m all for it; the occasions you get stuck with a someone who has been there for years, just accept your fate

Birddog > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:22

I honestly believe that people like complaining about haggling more than the actual process of haggling.

Danger Ranger XLT > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:23

Pointless.

If you’re willing to make a deal, make the “deal” your quoted price.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:23

Because it seems like a trait of a bygone era.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:25

My guess is that some people feel like normal haggling has the haggling built into the price and prefer to avoid it, even if it means paying more.

I agree it’s crap though. Look at this perfect 2006 XK8 . I’d be all over this if not for the fact that it’s priced at a full $5k over bluebook.

Wobbles the Mind > HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2016 at 12:26

This. People just want a good deal, and most of the time they won’t even look at something to begin with unless they already thought the deal was good. I enjoy haggling too, but I don’t walk onto a lot unless I already liked the price list price or internet markdown of the vehicle I’m there for. But I take the time to haggle because “it must be even cheaper than advertised.”

Slant6 > HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2016 at 12:28

Why can’t we haggle for everything?

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:29

The same reason people liked their Saturn/Scion purchase experience, they didn’t feel that they were an unwilling participant in some sort of game.

Sure you can walk into a dealership with outside financing lined up and say “if I walk in with a cashiers check tomorrow how much is this going to cost me out the door” and proceed to play hardball but to most people this is a hassle and a lengthy experience they would prefer to avoid. This is of course assuming the outside financing is on par with manufacture’s finance arm when it comes to terms.

When I bought my TDI in 2013 even my credit union was unable to be remotely close to VW finance so I had to play the game. 3 hours of declining stuff I didn’t want later I had my car. I am totally buying a Tesla Model 3 for the Mrs. when its time to replace her Corolla.

HammerheadFistpunch > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:32

you are entitled to try...but it might just be frustrating for everyone involved.

Slant6 > HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2016 at 12:33

Worth it to save a few bucks.

That's gonna leave a mark! > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:37

Because people are lazy and intimidated when they get to a car lot.

Urambo Tauro > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 12:51

Haggling is inconvenient. The price of a car may be flexible, the buyer’s budget... not so much. (For the purpose of conversation, let’s leave out the option of getting a loan.)

If you have $5000 to put towards a car, and see a $6000 car you like, should you pursue it or not? If you can’t talk the price down to your budget after looking at the car and test-driving it, you’ve just wasted your time, as well as the seller’s.

Haggling can also disrupt the mood of a pleasant transaction. Some sellers do try to set a reasonable price, and trying to talk them down from that can be insulting and greedy. One should always shop according to their budget and be willing to pay what a car is worth. If a car is being offered for less than it is worth, I consider further haggling to be in extremely poor taste.

But haggling is sometimes necessary, especially when the seller’s been smoking that crack pipe...

ttyymmnn > HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2016 at 12:59

That is perhaps the best explanation I've ever read for that question.

Urambo Tauro > Danger Ranger XLT
03/27/2016 at 12:59

I’ve never liked the idea of artificially inflating the price of the car I want to sell. It just doesn’t seem right, and it probably turns away potential buyers who think it’s out of their budget.

ttyymmnn > That's gonna leave a mark!
03/27/2016 at 13:00

I think it's unfair to say they are lazy, but there is no question they are intimidated.

Danger Ranger XLT > Urambo Tauro
03/27/2016 at 13:23

Calling it pointless was maybe too strong, but the only anecdotes I can offer RE: Haggling at dealerships have been pointless.

Pissing away 2 hours for a final price $3,000 higher than the price advertised online nearly brought me to violence. This happened twice. TWICE. Shame on me perhaps, but c’mon.

Thus began my bias against haggling, a process I never liked much as a consumer anyway...

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Urambo Tauro
03/27/2016 at 13:26

Conversely, I once listed a car for under market value and was regularly accused of hiding something.

smobgirl > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 13:34

I’ll agree with Hammerhead, and also throw this out there. Most of the time if I’m buying something relatively pricey (for me), it’s something that is useful and I’m dealing with a well-informed salesperson who is giving me helpful information about competing products. When I’m buying a car, I’m generally dealing with someone who may or may not know anything about the product and is only trying to help pad their paycheck.

Jonee > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 13:38

I always thought people liked to haggle and expect it when it comes to purchasing a car. Folks love to think they got a bargain. I always haggle. Or, try to at least. I literally tire kicked my last purchase, a used Volvo C30 I bought from an Audi dealership. The salesman told me in no uncertain terms all their prices were final, but the car had 2 almost bald tires, so I told him replace the tires or knock $500 off and I’ll buy the car. So, they took $500 off and I was delighted even though I immediately spent a little more than that on 2 new tires. “I really got them,” I thought.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 13:50

People feel entitled by nature. If someone can haggle a 15% discount, everyone wants that discount without the work.

That’s why TrueCar exists, to profit from consumer entitlement. If you go down to the dealer and do the haggling yourself, you can often do better than TrueCar.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 14:19

Just because I like to go down to the orchard and pick apples doesn’t mean most of the population wants to have to do that every time they want an apple.

Clutchman83 > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 14:23

To me it’s because the price starts out at an inherently higher than fair price and getting it down 10-15% is just arriving at where it should have been priced in the first place. One of my simple pleasures in life is walking away from a frantic panicking salesmen who tries to play hard ball. I tell him the price I’m willing to pay, no? Bye. I’ve literally been chased after and yelled at for not giving them a chance to sell me on it. I don’t care, I’ll go somewhere else asshole!

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 14:29

I once went to a Toyota dealership here in greater Seattle. I saw a used car in their inventory and decided I should test-drive it, and if I liked it, I would buy it. I had my checkbook and my checking account statement with me and was prepared to pull up real-time account information on my mobile app if I had to. My plan was to offer Edmunds TMV price + $500, all in one lump sum. Not a cash payment, but not financed, either. Unfortunately, the salespeople would not come down more than a few hundred dollars from the list price, which was nearly twice the market value of the car, even after I showed them the information I had. When I realized the futility of trying to negotiate with these people, I shook the salesperson’s hand and walked out.

That’s why I went to Carmax for my current vehicle.

wiffleballtony > Slant6
03/27/2016 at 14:46

If I could Amazon.com my car purchase I would.