I don't know how to haggle?

I'm trying to buy a used SUV (Honda Pilot). If the dealership is asking for $15,490, is it reasonable to offer $13K or will they laugh me off the lot? (2014, 84K miles, live in Massachusetts)

Offer $11,000 and negotiate

I think $13K is a very reasonable offer.

They'll say 'Oh no, we couldn't possibly sell it that cheap'. After wasting a little of your time, the salesman will go in the back to ask his boss. He'll come back with a counteroffer--$15,200 maybe. You'll say no, and the process will repeat. He goes in the back and comes back with another offer, maybe another $200 off. Each cycle will take maybe 15 minutes.

At some point you'll lose patience and say 'Look, we're getting nowhere here. I'm sorry we couldn't reach an agreement, My offer is still good. Call me if you want to meet my price,' and you'll get up to leave. And the salesman will say 'NO! Don't leave! Let me go ask the boss again. They can waste a whole day this way, coming down $100-200 at a time. He may bring the boss back to the table so the both of them can gang up on you.

If you can't get them down to the price you want, you'll finally leave. You'll say the offer is still good, call me when you want to come down to my offer. The next morning the salesman will call you. "Get right down here!" And you'll say "Have you come down to my price?" And he'll hem and haw. You'll go back down there to find they haven't made any concession at all, they just want another crack at it.

In order to negotiate you need to have a firm price in mind. You might offer less than that and come up to it, but you can't go past it. Finally you say 'That's it, that's my final offer. Are we done here?' And you have to get up and walk away if it's clear they're just wasting your time. They do this every day and they know all the tricks.

So what if they laugh?

How did you get $13k? Did you look up Kelly's Bluebook or Edmunds for an approximate value.

Dealers know how to extract the money out of you, don't be worried about what they might "think" of you.

If I go to KBB and just pick the basic, I get from a dealer $16,481 - $18,770) assuming you were in Boston.

Look at online used car prices, autotrader and get a feel for what used ones are going for. Unless the vehicle has been on their lot for months and they are just trying to sell it, there's almost always room to negotiate on their price, not sure if they are going to take off nearly $2500 BUT all they can do is say no. If you walk off the lot and they don't try to get you back and let you go, you have a good feeling your price is too low.

When you come up with a number like $13,000, do your RESEARCH and have some good reasons why. Know exactly what a vehicle in similar condition with similar miles on it and the same options sells for elsewhere. The CarGurus website is pretty good for seeing what other dealers are selling similar vehicles for. Also research private seller listings in the local newspaper, on Auto trader, Craigslist or any other advertising mediums. Know what the value range is in the NADA guide from wholesale price to top dollar retail.

Pay a service such as Carfax for a vehicle history report that might reveal previous insurance claims, major repairs, recalls or other issues (requires the VIN number). Also do an extremely thorough cosmetic and mechanical inspection of the vehicle and ask to look at the maintenance records.

If you don't have the skills and experience to properly evasluate a used car, bring someone who does or ask the dealer if you can take the car to another shop for an independent evaluation. It's well worth the money to do so and never take a salesman's word about anything. Finally, if it is a so-called certified Preowened car, read this: https://www.doughroller.net/cars/beware-the-certified-used-car/

After all that, then come up with a list of reasons why you won't pay their asking price. It takes effort, but gives you solid ground to stand on and an idea of whether you are being realistic.

Also, watch this haggling scene for fun and keep it in mind when you do start negotiating.

I'd offer them less. Who cares if a used car salesman puts on a show with hurt feelings?! Screw them.
get your bank financing and then go car shopping on the last Friday night of the month. Salesmen get their commission once a month the first week of the month and they will do anything they can to get that one last sale on next weeks commission check! You can tell after 30 or more years with having to deal with salesmen at a car dealer I really like them a lot!

Check Kelly Blue book for the value of the vehicle befor you haggle. They payed several thousand below that price.