5 Dealership Incentives You Must Ask for When Buying a New Car

When you walk into a dealership to buy a new car, there are certain dealership incentives you must ask for during negotiations. They include:

1. Special Incentive Program Availability: Every month, car manufacturers send out a list of cars they want dealers to move. They often offer dealers extra help to move slow-selling cars. The incentive often turns out to be money, and the dealership should be able to knock that right off the top when you sit down with the manager.
2. Special Plans (Student, Supplier): There are sometimes special plans available on the car in which you are interested. The best car dealership will offer you a chance to use the special plans as a matter of course, while others will be more reticent and will only offer them if you ask specifically.
3. Specialized Car Incentive Programs: Many times car dealerships will be notified by email in the morning that the factory has implemented a special limited-time program on a vehicle that is slow-moving, so don't be afraid to ask the manager if there are any new programs being offered.
4. Holdback Money: This is hidden profit that the factory pays to a dealer somewhere in the sales cycle. It is a percentage of the suggested price and, while the salesman may not get it, the dealer can use it to sweeten a deal and still come out ahead.
5. Special Discounts: At times, a manufacturer will offer a special discount program on a vehicle, or the dealership will offer the incentive itself, using money that should be passed along to the salesman. You can still save with this money, but you have to ask.