For most people, the idea of haggling for a new car leaves them with a sinking feeling. It seems that no matter how much we learn about the car, the options and the pricing, we are never quite certain that we have actually gotten the best deal. We leave the dealership with a vague feeling that we have overpaid for our new car.
Until fairly recently, there was no remedy for this particular ailment. If you wanted a new car, you went to the dealership to haggle. General Motors came up with a new idea.
In 1990, the first Saturn vehicle rolled off the assembly line. The car itself was fairly revolutionary, but what caught peoples attention was the way the cars were sold: All Saturn dealerships offered fixed pricing. You could walk into any Saturn dealership and the price of the car was on display for all to see. Everyone would pay that price, and that price only. No haggling.
It seemed like a dream come true. In fact, the idea was so popular with consumers that other dealerships began to offer no-haggle pricing. It is now estimated that about 25% of new car purchases take place at fixed-price dealerships. But do these types of establishments really offer a...