How do I negotiate with a car dealer when I have a preapproved loan from my bank (Navy Fed Credit Union)?

So I'm on the hunt for a car, which will be a used one, and I went to Navy Fed and got preapproved for 12,000 BUT I only want to use at most 8,000 of it for a decent car (so my monthly payment won't be too high). So how do I negotiate with a car dealer to get the maximum savin gas on my behalf? For example, I'm looking at an 07 Honda Accord Ex-l listed at 8900. Can I treat my auto loan check as cash and claim I can give them 8000 for it? Can I used what I have saved up (2,000 cash) + 6,000 dollars worth of my loan check to take the car?

The easiest way is to figure out what you want to spend on a monthly basis and tell the salesman that's what you can afford. And stick to it.

Go at the end of the month, they have quotas to fill and right now car sales are way off. Do NOT under any circumstance tell them you have approval for 12K they will get you to use it all. Do NOT use their financing, they will not get you any deals even though they say they will. Only go to a reputable new car dealer that sells used cars, NO SLED LOTS! Look at several cars, don't just plop on the first one. They will ask how much you have to spend just say under 15K, be vague or they will steer you to the car with the highest gross profit in it for them. Take a mechanic friend with you or ask the salesman if you can take the car elsewhere to be inspected, if they balk get off that lot, go elsewhere. Car dealers love to take advantage of military personnel be very careful Remember if you buy a car and drive it off the lot you own it, there are no returns.

I would probably ask penfed if they can do loans for private parties and go that way.

Offer them $7500 and don't tell them how much you can get your hands on. I'd only put down $1000 and save the rest for doing repairs. It is a used vehicle after all. That's a total of $7500 for the vehicle. The $1000 down is included in your offer. Go on the Kelly Blue Book website and find out what the vehicle is really worth. Have the mileage to put into their calculator.Those sales people are not your friends so be leery of them! Don't get talked into a used car warranty

Car dealers love to take advantage of military personnel be very careful to Remember if you buy a car and drive it off the lot you own it, there are no returns.

You still need to find the car.