Negotiation skills for students

Imagine going to your selected car dealership and finding that ALL of the vehicles are priced at ONE price (let's say £27,750 - payable in 3 annual installments of £9,250).  The price is very high but there are generous credit terms available, even to those with poor credit histories.  Repayment only starts when  (and if) your salary exceeds a certain figure and after 30 years the debt is wiped out!

You are aware that there are some discounts available at shabbier showrooms at the wrong end of town but you do not want to shop there.

So, if you have already committed to pay your £27,750 in three annual installments, to the high quality showroom that your parents have always used, fear not, there is a way to get even more value - complaining, threats and negotiation.

Image by Dr Joseph Valks at Freedigitalphotos.net

It's hard to negotiate up-front on the quality of the car available for the price, or even on the additional extras such as delivery options, the length of the warranty, quality of materials used and on added luxuries. But once you are driving the car around and clocking up the miles the bargaining power shifts...

1. You could drive the car for one year, or two, and then apply to give the car back to the dealer and pay your 3rd installment to another dealer, perhaps starting with a brand new car again!  Dealers don't like this as they cannot, easily, get value for partially fulfilled contracts and "returned" cars.  They may offer a discount for the third year if you press hard enough.
   
   It helps, of course, if you have worked hard to keep the car well maintained, clean and polished so that it maintains its value as a "used" vehicle.
2. Cars are, typically, divided into constituent parts, many of which can have faults that do not affect the other parts but do detract from the value of the whole vehicle.  For example, a faulty engine will cause the car to be less desirable but will not detract from the rust-free paintwork.  So, you might be able to complain about individual parts of the car and get the dealer to fix them - perhaps within the warranty.

Perhaps it is best not to admit that your own misuse of the car and putting urine in the tank instead of petrol actually caused the malfunction in the first place.  Dealers will readily offer rectification if your threat to complain to the Car Ombudsman is almost credible.

So, as a consumer of a car your ability to negotiate shifts over time.

It's not the same with degrees.