Here’s how I managed to negotiate a better price for a pearl white 2025 Kia Sportage EX with the premium package (gas model) and tips that might help you too:
The starting price was $33k, plus around $2,200 in taxes and fees (6% tax). The dealer’s first offer was $35.2k out the door.
I made a counteroffer of $31k out the door with 3.49% financing as a condition. The sales manager came back with $33.5k OTD. After a bit of back and forth, I raised my offer to $32k, and he suggested $32.7k. We finally agreed on $32.5k out the door.
This saved me close to $3k off the initial price and effectively got me:
The $1,500 premium package for free
About $1,200 off the regular EX trim
The final total, including the 3.49% interest over 72 months, came to around $36k. I might have done better if I wasn’t in a hurry to buy, but I loved the car and its features.
Tips for Negotiating:
Be upfront and tell them, “I love this car, and I’m ready to take it home in the next 10 minutes if we agree on the numbers.” It shows you’re serious.
Avoid discussing monthly payments. Focus on the total price and keep your ideal number in mind.
When they ask for your budget, don’t give a direct answer yet. Say, “That depends on the financing structure and total cost. Write up an offer for me to review.” Always ask for a written breakdown.
Do your own math. Use an online loan calculator to factor in interest, and make sure your offer is written down.
Start with a low offer and work up to your maximum. If they go above your limit, you can say, “I can’t justify paying that much for a small SUV.” Explain how financing impacts the total cost for you.
If they suggest looking at other cars, let them know this is the one you really want because it fits your lifestyle.
If they try showing you an invoice to claim they’re losing money, don’t fall for it. Stick to your points and explain why their price doesn’t work for you.
If they don’t budge, thank them and leave. Eventually, you’ll find a sales manager who’s motivated to close deals.
At my local dealer, when you ask for an invoice, you get the actual document they put in the deal folder. They negotiate below MSRP all the time, and you don’t need to play hardball by avoiding giving a number. Maybe I’m lucky because they’re not shady, but that’s been my experience.
@theresabostick
Invoices don’t show dealer holdbacks, incentives, or rebates, which reduce their costs. Dealers can go lower than what’s on the invoice and still make money. If a car’s been sitting too long, they might take a loss to avoid paying interest on it.
MythicalMerlin said: @MaryJane
Good point. They’ll often cut prices by thousands if they really need to sell a car.
How can I figure out the actual cost to the dealer?
It’s tricky since incentives and rebates aren’t public. For common cars, I usually aim for 5–10% below the out-the-door price they offer. So if they quote $30k, I’d counter with $27k–$28.5k. Inventory and market conditions matter, but this approach has worked for me.
@MythicalMerlin
I’ve tried those websites that claim to show invoice prices, but all I got was spam and redirects to dealer sites. Nothing useful. Any other tips?
Kia dealers are the worst—they act like street hustlers. Hybrids and PHEVs don’t usually come with rebates, so they just try to squeeze you. Toyota dealers are also stubborn, even with outdated tech. They rely on their old reputation for reliability, which is funny because Toyota’s had plenty of issues recently.
In Finland, 6-year loans are normal. A Kia Sportage EX here costs around €50,000, which means nearly €700 a month without a down payment. That’s about a third of the average monthly net income. Kia often offers 0–2% interest, so it’s manageable.