Tips for buying a car! Details below?

So I'm checking out cars so I can buy my second car I'm 21 so I think it's time. I saw this 2010 Honda Accord coupe with 92K miles for $9,900 at the dealership but on Craigslist it says $8,800. When we talked he said that would be the lowest he can go to. I didn't tell I saw it online for the price he "dropped" it to. So should I go back and say online it says it's cheaper? He says if he sells it to me for that price that he's only making a $300 profit and that he can show me the papers that he won't make much I didn't ask to see them but I doubt he's only making a $300 profit. What more should I make him drop it to? And if I trade in my 2007 Honda Accord LX 4 door sedan for the coupe. How much should Be the trade in value for my 07 accord?

He's a salesman - What do you think he would say? The difference is probably his commission…

If they are advertising that exact car on craigslist then you should not pay more than the advertised price. Don't be afraid to negotiate and even insult these people with low ball offers. It's a slimy business.

Instead of basing your offer soley on what they are asking or advertising you should do a little homework of your own. Base your offer on what the car is actually worth. Websites like kbb.com or edmunds.com are great at giving you the value of a particular car based on make, model, year, features, and mileage. Just input all the particulars for that car. They will give you a range of pricing that other people are paying for similar cars. Make your offer on the very low end of that range. Show them how you are coming up with the price. Ignore all their claims that it is not accurate, blah, blah, blah. Be confident and be prepared to walk away from a bad deal.

The dealer is out to make a provide, period, that is guaranteed. However, you are not responsible for the amount of profit he should garnish. If you are wise you will only offer him the true current market value of the Honda and not a cent more.

You can find both the current market value of the Honda, and the trade in value of your Honda, here:

http://www.edmunds.com/appraisal/

Without seeing your car it's impossible to offer any opinion on what a fair trade in price would be. But dealers make their money on finding reasons to offer you even less than that. Trading in is a mugs game. Sell the car privately to get far more cash for it.

As for the car you're buying, do your research on what it should be selling for at that mileage and age using resources such as KBB, Parkers, Glass's Guide and then make an offer based on those figures. It will likely be rather less than the dealer is asking. If the dealer refuses then make clear that's all you're going to offer and that you can do the deal immediately and then walk out after leaving your contact details. If the dealer thinks your offer is worth taking they'll get in touch but bear in mind that price guides don't often take into account regional pricing variations. So if you live somewhere with higher car prices you have to adjust your offer accordingly but it also means you'll get more when you sell your car.

Keep your Honda and avoid trading. You lose thousands on every trade.

No dealer sells a car for $300 over cost. Well, maybe one that sells $500-600 cars.

Used car dealers don't make a lot per car. $300 is probably accurate. Don't be surprised if he doesn't lower the price any more. He knows what his ad says. You don't need to tell him.

As far as your trade in price. Go to www.KBB.com and look up the wholesale/trade value. Be honest about the options and condition or you'll get inaccurate results.