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I think you are in the best negotiating position when you buy the car cash without a trade-in because it leaves the dealer the least room to sneak stuff like extra services or longer payments in.
It's not even that subtle. They literally lower the price of your car if you don't have a trade-in. I actually verified this on a 4-wheeler once because I was buying one and after the guy had already made a quote, I brought up the idea of a trade-in. He told me that he would give me $1500 for the trade-in. Then when we went to close the deal, the price on the contract was $500 more than he had told me before. I pointed it out and he said "That was for cash no trade". I don't know why he didn't just tell me the trade-in was $1000 because it was the same deal but now I was pissed off.
You can see it at any used car lot though. Ask them a price, then say "how about for cash no trade?" and they will instantly drop the price by a couple grand.
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