CHAPTER 9

BARGAIN HARD

A few years ago I fell in love with a red Toyota 4Runner.

Actually not just “red,” but “Salsa Red Pearl.” Kind of a
smoldering red that seemed to glow at night. How sexy is
that? I just had to have it; getting one became my obsession.
I searched the dealers in metropolitan Washington, D.C.,
and I quickly realized that I wasn’t the only one obsessed
with getting that truck: there weren’t any in that color in the
entire area, none at all, save at one dealer.
You know how they tell you not to shop for groceries
when you’re hungry? Well, I was hungry. Very hungry.
Actually, I was in love. . . . I sat down, centered myself, and
strategized. This lot was my only shot. I had to make it
count
I drove to the dealer on a sunny Friday afternoon. I sat
down across from the salesman, a nice enough guy named
Stan, and told him how gorgeous the vehicle was.
He offered me the usual smile—he had me, he thought—
and mentioned the sticker price on “that beautiful vehicle”:
$36,000.
I gave him an understanding nod and pursed my lips.
The key to beginning a haggle is to rattle the other guy ever