You?re shopping for a new vehicle. You drive into the new car dealership. You walk towards the entrance. You open the front door. You?re in unfamiliar territory, so your heart begins to pound and your defense mechanism sets in. A sales representative approaches you. ?Welcome to?My name is?May I help you?? Your response is ?No, I?m just looking?.

Believe me, this is not the best start.

All new car dealers know that you?ve come to their showrooms because you ARE in the market for a new vehicle. So please help us to help you. Share your priorities. Tell us what?s important to you and what is not. What you already know and what you would like to know?

Most important: Do your homework. Education is the key to confidence. Being well informed will help minimize any apprehensions you may have when buying a new vehicle. Knowledge is indeed power.

Today, very few individuals purchase a new vehicle over the Internet. However, the Internet is a fantastic tool to begin your research. All manufacturers and many new car dealers have excellent websites that provide you with an abundance of information about any vehicle you wish to consider purchasing.

Consumer magazines and automotive articles are other sources of valuable information. Talk to your friends and family about what they like and don?t like in a vehicle. Then narrow down your choices and review current advertised offers in the newspaper.

Familiarize yourself with prices or payments for that vehicle. Read the fine print. Most advertised prices do not include freight, pre-delivery, administrative charges or taxes. As a rule, there is very little, if any, flexibility on a dealer?s advertised price. Discounts have already been factored in. Know the purchase price/payment that you can afford and consult with your insurance company on rates for that particular vehicle.

Bottom Line: Walk through our doors and into our showrooms prepared, and you?ll walk in with confidence.

After you?ve done your initial research, I suggest your next step should be to phone the dealership. Discuss your needs with a sales professional (one that you feel comfortable with.) Ask questions, lots of them. Gather all your data. Ideally, make an appointment with your chosen sales consultant.

Purchasing a vehicle is a major decision, so don?t rush the process. Allow approximately two hours for the full discussion and demonstration, and make sure you test drive the vehicle. Your new car dealer does not expect you to make your final decision on your first visit. Most customers purchase after two or three visits to our showrooms.

After you?ve decided on the vehicle that?s right for you, simply ask us for the best price or payment option. If you?re not satisfied with that price, then make us an offer. If an agreement is not reached, shop and compare.

Ensure you know the exact model and its features, along with any additional costs, when making your price comparison. Please note that your vehicle trade-in can have the most impact on the net price you pay. The value assigned to your vehicle can vary substantially between dealerships.

Over the years, most manufacturers have reduced our dealership margins (the difference between our cost and the manufacturer?s suggested retail price) in order to align themselves with other manufacturers that now compete in each vehicle segment. This has resulted in lower margins ? lower than most consumers believe we receive.

Confirm all available manufacturer incentives, such as cash rebates, finance or lease incentives. Remember, these finance or lease incentives are an alternative to a cash rebate, and cannot be combined.

Negotiating with your new car dealer is not rocket science. It should also be a positive experience. We expect you to negotiate. Again, make us an offer. However, both parties should be reasonable if we are to finalize a deal. The power of ?No Thanks? is ultimately yours. We know that.

During the sales process, be prepared for your sales consultant to review the offer and appraise your trade-in with his or her Sales Manager. Sales consultants are aware of approximate discounts available, however, they are generally not empowered to bind the dealership to a legal agreement. The sales manager must review all the facts, vehicle availability, pricing and all the commitments made during the negotiation process.

Your strength is in your state of mind. If you think you?re going to have problems, then you will. If you?re confident things will go smoothly, then they will. And what a great feeling to drive away in your new vehicle completely satisfied with your purchase experience and the excellent value you?ve received.

Believe me, it?s a great feeling for us as well.

Until next week, remember: YOU are in the driver?s seat!