Big change to the way Aussies are buying new cars

New-car buyers are potentially leaving thousands of dollars in savings on the table because they don’t try this old-school trick.

Aussies ae no longer keen on negotiating the best price on a new car.

The art of bargaining is a dying art in Australian car showrooms.

New research from comparison website Finder shows that the majority of Aussies would prefer not to haggle on the price of a new car.

Out of the more than 1000 Aussies surveyed only 46 per cent said they would haggle for a better price when buying a new car, while more than a quarter said the thought of haggling made them feel uncomfortable.

About the same number believed the car buying process would be easier if they didn’t have to haggle at all.

Some car makers are attempting to tap into this trend by introducing no-haggle pricing.

Honda announced earlier this year that it would be adopting a new sales model that effectively cuts out the haggling with the car salesperson.

Honda will soon apply non-negotiable prices to its entire range.

The brand will own all its stock and set a non-negotiable price.

Honda Australia director Stephen Collins told News Corp Australia earlier this year the new fixed-price model would appeal to buyers.

“That seamless, one-price-everywhere policy takes the haggle — and a lot of the aggro sometimes — out of the process,” says Collins.

“We understand it’s not for everyone but we think the vast majority of people will be open to it, of course on the proviso that we’re still providing good value.”

Mercedes-Benz is planning a similar move next year.

Bessie Hassan, money expert at Finder, says haggling over the price of a car can be a fast way to save money but it isn’t for everyone.

Mercedes-Benz is expected to follow Honda’s lead in 2022.

“Some people visibly squirm at the mention of the word ‘negotiate’, but many enjoy the challenge of it,” says Hassan.

“Experienced ‘hagglers’ will tell you it’s amazing how fast the asking price can come crashing down.”

The research shows there is no distinction between men and women when it comes to haggling; both sexes are just as willing to negotiate a better deal.

There was a big difference between age groups, though.

Baby Boomers are the most likely to haggle, with about two-thirds happy to negotiate. Millennials are the least likely to negotiate — only 26 per cent say they like haggling.

Hassan says there are now car buying services such as car brokers and apps that will locate the best offers at local dealerships and haggle on behalf of customers to help them save money on their new car purchase.

“These are the mortgage brokers of the motoring world — with customers not even having to visit a dealership to do a test-drive,” she says.