Plotting

Long before I negotiated for my new job I did a lot of research, wrote out a lot of my arguments in advance, and was READY.  And I got what I wanted.

With the car the same thing is trying to happen.  I'm actually having fun with this process.  I already have a good deal on the table and am working to lower it. I have plans, i have offers and counteroffers in my head, and I'm playing dealers against one another.  The internet makes this totally different.

The other 2 times I bought cars I didn't do a lot of this.  The first car I bought my brother kind of pressured me into, and  then did not help me bargain much.  So I wound up with an awful car that I finally sold at 46000 miles because it was broken 50% of the time.  That meant the next car was bought rapidly, although there wasn't a ton of bargaining with 0% financing already in place.

This time I have power.  I don't need the car for a while, I have done lots of research and know what it should cost and what I'm willing to pay.  I also know a lot about how to shop for cars now.  And I know that I can afford the cost of this even if I don't get anything else out of them and get a higher interest rate.

It's almost fun....