You gotta play the game when it comes to buying a new car…

And a TikTokker named Billy who specializes in buying cars offered an important tip to viewers about when they should allow dealership workers to run a credit check on them.

Billy told viewers, “Never ever, ever run your credit until you have negotiated the entire deal with the dealership. Once you completely agree on the numbers, then you can move to the next step of running your credit and financing that amount that you agreed on.”

He continued, “When you finance it, it kind of solidifies that price, and now the dealership can’t play with that number because you ran your credit for that amount. You’re in a position of power not running your credit with the dealership until you’ve negotiated everything just the way you like it,” he says.

Billy said, “If you do see something in there you don’t like and you say something, you’ve now already ran your credit, and you’re gonna be nervous that, ‘If I get out of here, I go to another dealership, go through this whole rigmarole again. Now I’m pulling my credit twice I’m just going to buy it.’ They absolutely know that this is what’s going to happen and that chances are good I’ll just take the deal and there will be no negotiating.”

He continued, “The salesman is gonna want to have you fixated on the payment because that can be manipulated by the finance guy in the way of term and rate.”

Billy ended his video by saying, “As long as you have a great price that you’re happy with, the next step after that is to finance and get the best interest rate. That’s a whole separate battle for a whole separate video.”

Thanks, Billy!

Check out the video.

@billythecarkid

The dealership does not need to run your credit to give you a total price. The only reason they’re running your credit is to determine the interest rate, term, and the monthly payment. While all of that is important, it should come after you’ve agreed on the final price. #carbuying #carbuyingsecrets #negotiation #carbuyingadvice #dealership #credit #preapproved #car #firsttimebuyer #credit

♬ The Champion – Lux-Inspira

This is what folks had to say on TikTok.

One viewer chimed in.

Another person shared their thoughts.

And this individual said there’s only one way to go.

Good to know!

If you liked that story, check out this one about a 72-year-old woman was told by her life insurance company that her policy was worthless because she’d paid for 40 years. 🙁