Losing Face When Negotiating A Price

[KNJ]

What about the option of rolling up with the cash and letting them see it and how serious you are? You want to buy today if the price is right, anyone tried that tactic?

[aneliane]

Cars are the new icones of veneration and cars dealers the new temples.

That makes cars salesmen new monks.

You don't haggle with monks.

[lovelomsak]

When a Thai friend goes to the dealer with you he will get a commission for bringing you there if you haggle the price to much you are risking his commission.You are a foreigner so understand you will never get it all right , so donot try. Go alone and be prepared to walk. I bought my Nissan pick up for quite a lot less that asking price and they paid the insurance. The insured value ended up being more than I paid. I drove it for 2 years before the insured value matched the price i paid. I also shopped for 1 year before I bought. The salemen were used to me walking away if the deal didnot suit me. But every time I came on the lot they were willing to bargain and finally we made a deal.

[ballbreaker]

OP do not listen to people who say you cannot bargain down the MSRP of a new car. How much of a discount you can get will depend on the price of the car and extra's you want.

In the last eight years I have purchased two cars and obtained a discount from the MSPR on both. I also received the extra's I desired. The first was a car I ordered and the second was one off the lot. I found it work just like the US where the sales person will say cannot do but you must insist he talk with the sales manager before saying cannot do. In both cases I was getting ready to walk out the door and they said wait and the deal happened.

[h90]

To be honest I just haggle with them and if they dont play, walk away , there are many other dealers out there.

yeap agreed....think the OP is reading too much into this "face" thing.....its a business deal, they either want to play or they dont...if they dont ....walk away and go a deal with someone who wants to play... first time in nearly 10 years in Thailand have come across this spin on the face thing

Yes that face thing is complete overvalued. No one likes to hear bad things. Showing off power also doesn't help in western countries. Also in western countries in some shops you can negotiate the price of a car, in others not.

What I have seen often is that only the manager has the power to do so and if the manager doesn't stay, simply nothing is possible. Having a name card and leaving it there helps sometimes. 3 days later someone calls.

Sometimes it doesn't help. But there are a zillion of shops...

[JeffreyMcCollum]

This week, first Mitsu dealer in Hang dong did not offer anything except the price. 421,000

Then went to the second dealer and got loads of free stuff and free insurance, full tank of gas, oil changes, and a discount,

Went to the third mitsu dealer and it was even better

I want 399,000 + a bed liner and insurance. Anything else I really don't care about.

I am close to getting what I want and should have it in a week or so

[Heng]

I tend not to bargain on any low cost items but will bargain on most pricier items (as in automobiles and real estate).

I'm sure face is involved somehow but I tend not to worry about it.

[KhunBJ]

Just make sure that when negotiating a discount or free extra's etc that it is done with the person that actually runs or owns the dealership/shop as the showgirls/boys have generally no authority to do anything that is not specified to them beforehand .

[Sydebolle]

I got a 6% discount on a this-year's-car once the new model was out. I bought a Honda City and visited all dealers from Pattaya to Bangkok. The Cholburi-dealer had the best price (as most of those "have-to-move-soon-cars" on stock). Then I went back to the Pattaya dealer and voilà, the price - originally not negotiable - went close to the Cholburi price. So the lesson is: purchase a this-years-car once the new models are out; the dealers have to clear the old stock. Dont wade with cash; all cars leaving the showroom are fully paid up for, either by the customer or the finance company so the dealer does not care. Turn freebies into cash, forget the cow catcher, roll bars, umbrellas, plastic gadgets, free carpets etc. etc.

[rmacdon61]

OP: I don't think the issue was so much about losing face than about what is doable and what not.

I assume the dealers have prices for the base model from which they can't budge much.

A neighbour of mine is a sales manager at a local Isuzu dealer and he said there's not a lot of room to maneuver on the price of new cars.

Yes, it seems Isuzu is running pretty close to list price to compete (no reflection on the unit), but I was also told by the wife (thai), one doesn't barter over new cars? I tend to agree that this is a "my money" (not hers) and to seem HiSo, pay what they say!!! The salesman did understand english and was ready to add goodies for free to the truck. I was told by the brother of wife, that often, late model trucks, 2011 will be priced at the new 2012 list and to watch for this as they will move back down, but you buy what is in stock then. My feeling are this, I don't live with the salesman so do I care what he thinks of me after I buy????? I do can what the money in my pocket thinks HaHaHa. And the WIFE? She will be just as happy to drive a new truck and tell her friends I paid more then I did.

[thejcb]

my partner has been looking at buying herself a used car - I cringe when she haggles/bargains and is not afraid to politely just walk away; she's the same on any item - even when trading my own triathlon bike for a mountainbike I just stood back and she renegotiated the prices they had mentioned to me when i visited alone.

Though half my 'profit' that day was later 're-invested' in sapphire earrings (hers not mine!)

No such thing as a free lunch.

Well, it seems that there is such a thing as a free lunch, and you paid for it !!

Why did you do that ? Don't you ever do anything for your partner ?... and if so does she then buy YOU some gold ???

Don't buy her stuff for helping you, it makes it difficult for the rest of us. Don't do it !!!

Edited August 14, 2011 by thejcb

[snarky66]

I would tell the dealer I am looking at a few different brands & comparing prices. I will buy a new car but I want the best deal possible. Tell him you are looking at Toyota Honda Nissan & Mitsu.

Use the internet & other media to compare prices. Then start haggling.

To me loss of face would be in not getting the lowest possible price. I hate overpaying for stuff & a car is the second most expensive purchase you will make after a house.

[Heng]

Yes, it seems Isuzu is running pretty close to list price to compete (no reflection on the unit), but I was also told by the wife (thai), one doesn't barter over new cars?

It's kind of true for some of the faster moving makes of car, as well as for those lag years when the body style of a particular model isn't changed. You'll notice that the market in general isn't as geared towards the 2011... or the upcoming 2012.... Both in terms of customer know how and by dealership/brand marketing. They tend to be advertised as the 'new' model. Last years or a couple years prior models are referred to as the 'old' model or it's not even mentioned at all. That gives the dealer a little more time to move their stock as they aren't stuck with one calendar year. You might be buying a "brand new" Alphard this month that was manufactured in early 2010. True, they do have to move stock eventually, but this slight edge does give the dealership a few extra points (timewise) in terms of house edge.

[Cuban]

There is also the element that many Thai car purchases are on finance that might be sold by the car sales staff either directly or via a commission. So a farang cash buyer does not represent as much profit as you might think when you are waving a pile of 1,000 Baht notes under their nose.

As for accessories, main dealer "value" compared to the local weekend market stall price, the branded versions are seldom worth the dealer's book price.

As for the OP's pickup, get a load-space liner elsewhere and add a nice fat roll-over bar, that will make it look much better.

[arrowsdawdle]

First of all, going in to the dealer with a Thai is a big mistake. Stay home and send the Thai to work out a deal and explain to the Thai that you have another Thai friend in another town trying to help so whichever one gets the best deal is where you will buy the car and the Thai that gets the best price will receive a 20K baht bonus (if it is an up scale Thai the bonus will not be necessary.) Just give the Thai a list of options that must be included and tell them you want to finance it for as long a term as possible. When the Thai returns with the price you tell him that the other Thai had a slightly better price, to go back and renegotiate. When you get the number you want, go pay cash. They will have factored in financing revenue and now the dealer will lose face if they do not sell the car at the price promised. Do you believe that? A good strategy in the States is to choose a color and options that are atypical and less likely to be in inventory. Visit one dealer to iron out the specifics, then get on the phone and call every dealer within 50 miles and request the same car. They start Telexing each other looking for the prescribed car, every dealer knows there is a buyer for this car and they know they are competing with the other dealers so the pricing gets very competitive. Saved nearly 25% doing this before. Another way that works back home and may work over here is to find out where a large company buys its fleet and go to the dealer fleet sales manager and tell him next time he orders for the fleet order one extra for you and you will pay cash. Saved doing this before as well.

[Thongkorn]

How do you lose face when its your money you are spending.Politeness costa nothing

[Derifo]

It seems that Thais seem to lose face when negotiating for extras on a big ticket item, and my friend has gotten upset with me for trying to do so.

It's very possible if your friend is known to the car dealer and he/she sang high praises for you prior to your visit. Secondly, it could be he/she made a deal with the car dealer regarding commission prior to the visit.

That's exactly what my supervisor does whenever anyone ( foreigner ) needs his assistance to lease, rent or buy anything.

[astral]

In my book you are the one loosing face if you buy for the asking price.

Try taking a Thai friend to bargain on your behalf.

[Soutpeel]

What about the option of rolling up with the cash and letting them see it and how serious you are? You want to buy today if the price is right, anyone tried that tactic?

.....and would suspect if you didnt part with money at the dealership......someone may "relieve" of the cash on the way home..... ....not smart idea wondering around Thailand with wads of cash on you...

[KRS1]

Using a Thai friend as a mediator to express your agressive attitude at receiving a discount is an uncomfortable position for your friend to be in.

[manarak]

Using a Thai friend as a mediator to express your agressive attitude at receiving a discount is an uncomfortable position for your friend to be in.

and we know how much Thais like to be put in an uncomfortable social position...

[sunnyhor]

I second that TS. You are correct, most Thai felt that bargaining is losing face, bargaining means you do not have ability to buy it.

They are wrong, I am at your side!!!!! You are buying cars, you are not buying toys......search for the best then sign your Cheque.

If you are in another scenario, I would say otherwise. Like one visit the Spa, opted for 2 hours Thai massage for 300 Baht, and he bargained wanted 200 Baht.....if this is the case, ya, it's really shameful!!! IMHO!

[MrHammer]

Who cares about losing face when you're buying something expensive. Only wannabes pretend to not care.

[KRS1]

That's fine if your bargaining yourself. But when you make someone translate for you, alot of farangotangs try to get them to say things that they wouldnt normally say themselves. To the point of just being downright stingy and greedy.

I can speak fluent Thai and i will NEVER help anyone buy anything ever again, especially a car.