How to buy a car?

What is the best time and method to buy a used or new car? Edmunds.com sends one of their reporters undercover to work at two different car dealers as salesmen to find out the scoop. My learning from the report is never go into the dealership till you have worked out the deal with a cool, rational mind. This is what I will do for my next car purchase:

1. Do the research on the internet to find out the make and model you want. Also research what custom options you want pre-installed and research their prices as well. Know what you want BEFORE you got the dealer to the final detail.
   
2. Consult Consumer Reports to find out the dealer prices for the car. For a small fee, consumer reports will tell you how much dealer has likely paid for the make and model you want.
3. Get pre-approval from your bank or credit union for this amount. Shop around looking for the best rates. Have a check ready in your hand for this amount.
4. Make a list of all dealers that sell this particular make in your area. Get their "internet sales" contacts.
5. Wait till morning of one day before the last day of the month.
6. Then send an email to all the internet sales contacts with following details:
1. full make and model name with all the options you want and if you have a color preference.
   
2. that you want to come and pick the car the next day.
3. that you want to know a committed price (including all fees and taxes) for your selected model and not interested in just "estimates".
   
4. that you are contacting other dealers in the area.
5. that you believe a fair price is what CR has told you.
6. that you have financing and will pay on the spot with the full amount.
   
7. Wait for the offers till late evening that day.
8. Ignore all offers with no committed price then find the lowest price.
9. email all dealers once again with this lowest price giving them a last chance to beat it
10. Wait till late next afternoon to find the lowest/best deal.
11. Call the selected dealership and ask them to fax over all the paperwork to you so that you can review it and bring it to them later in the evening.
12. Verify that the papers are in order and have the same terms and price that you expected.
13. Go to the dealership. Hand over the paperwork and pick the car !!
    

Read the entire edmunds.com report here.