When Ellen Byck bought her Nissan Maxima four years ago, she told the salesman exactly what car options she wanted— and exactly what she wanted to pay: $27,000. To get a fix on the price, Byck talked to a lot of people, including an auto dealer friend. Of course, the salesman tried to haggle, but Byck held her ground. She was ready to buy at the price she wanted to pay, she told him, and could write a check immediately. Otherwise she would walk. Her tough stance worked: She got the car at her price. "If you do your research, you'll feel confident in your negotiations," says Byck, a pharmaceutical representative for Schering-Plough in Westchester County, N.Y.
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