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 enlarge | Author: William Bragg
Publisher: Random House Reference
Category: Book
List Price: $16.95
Buy New: $9.55
You Save: $7.40 (44%)
New (18) from $9.55
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 146649
Media: Paperback
Edition: 3 Sub
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 0375720677
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.2220296
EAN: 9780375720673
ASIN: 0375720677
Publication Date: April 13, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New, there are three pin holes in the front cover, otherwise, unread and brand new. Ships from Orlando, FL
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| Customer Reviews:
Better than other two books, I used it step-by-step to save at least a $1000 July 29, 2007
I always felt intimidated in buying a car, so I bought this book with Edmund's Smart Car Buyer and Bob Elliston's What Car Dealers won't tell you to educate myself. This book was definitely the most useful. While I like the "Confessions of a Car Salesman" last chapter of the Edmund's book to get incite on the day to day of selling cars, this book had more context about automobile sales market and more practical tips on buying and selling a car while getting the best price. Chapter 19 on the "fax attack" was a step by step guide on how to get the lowest price possible (it would probably work just as well with email to these days.) I did exactly what it said and bought my car (2007 RAV4) for $900 below invoice after 15 competing dealers balked at the best bid. Gave me great peace of mind that I got best deal possible and really handled all the particulars of each step of the process.
Valuable information January 11, 2007
This book is a 'must-have' for anybody considering buying a new car. Even buyers of used cars will benefit from the information in this book. William Bragg certainly helps levelling the playing field when we have to confront a car salesman.
What an eye-opener! June 6, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Given I hold on to my cars for an average of 8 years, and I am not by nature comfortable with the entire bartering process, I really dread buying a new car...doing the purchase takes all the joy out of it for me.
But, this book provides SO much helpful information in such an easy-to-read format, that I breezed through it enthusiastically in just a couple hours and felt much more comfortable about what I'm up against...
The "fax attack" is a GREAT tool for anyone with the time and patience to do it. For me, it's too much like my day job. :-) BUT...luckily, for people like me, Mr. Bragg outlines another option: carbargains.org - a non-profit buying service that will get five dealers in your area to compete against each other to sell you the car you want. Yes, you pay a fee to them, but I believe it would be very much worth it not only for the savings they get you, but the hassle saved. Kind of like paying someone to do my taxes...
I can't recommend this book highly enough! Even if I choose to take the easy way out, the knowledge I gained was invaluable!
 It helped some. March 3, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I had no idea how to buy a used car and this book helped with a tidbit here and there. It didn't help all that much, but I got a few ideas.
Entertaining book, effective technique February 27, 2005
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
This book explains how to avoid paying more than you have to for a new car by getting new car dealers to compete with each other on price. The premise is that unlike used cars, each of which is unique in its own way, new cars are a commodity, that is, they are all the same (given a color and options). It does not matter who you buy that new car from, so why not buy from the dealer that offers the best price.
The more dealers competing for your business the better, but it is too hard and time consuming to visit them all, so fax their sales managers your requirements, and invite them to contact you with their offer. Then call back the ones with higher than best offer and see if they will lower their offer.
What counts is the "drive out" price, the final, bottom-line total you pay to get the car, including tax, title, documentation, destination fees, etc. But you won't know how good your deal is unless you know in detail how much the car really costs the dealer. That includes what the dealer must pay for the car and what incentives the dealer is getting from the manufacturer. This information is also helpful if you want to press a dealer to lower its price.
To get up-to-date information that goes beyond what you might find on the Internet and to provide you with a sample fax and step-by-step instructions, the book invites you to order an information package from the author at www.fightingchance.com. Surprisingly that package included enough on the techniques from the book that in my opinion the book is unnecessary if you get the package. The book then just becomes a long infomercial for the information package.
However, the book is more entertaining to read than the material in the information package. The author has a good sense of humor, has amusing quotes at the beginning of each chapter, and tells the situation like it is with directness and candor. The book and package also cover the ins and outs of getting a good deal on leasing a new car, and the book gives brief advice on purchasing a used car.
When purchasing a new car what counts is the bottom line, so here is my bottom line on this book. Get the book if you want an entertaining explanation of how cars are sold, what motivates dealers, and how the so-called "fax attack"can be used to get a really good price on a new car. If you just want to buy a car using the "fax attack" then just get the information package. It has all you need. And it works. I used the fax attack and got a new car at more than $1500 below invoice, a price no other dealer within 50 miles could beat. Thank you James Bragg!
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