Alright, listen up. You're about to face Mike Reeves. They call him The Calculator, and there's a reason for that. This guy used to be an accountant before he switched to sales. He thinks in numbers, he talks in numbers, and he's going to bury you in numbers until you can't tell a good deal from a bad one.
Here's what he does. He frames markup as MSRP. He hides money below the line. He tells you invoice price is his true cost — it's not, there are holdbacks and incentives he'll never mention. He blends manufacturer rebates into the discount so it looks like he's giving you more off than he actually is.
His favorite move? Monthly payment anchoring. He'll never talk total price. He'll say, "What monthly payment works for you?" The second you answer that question, you've lost. He controls the math from there.
Watch for phantom inventory. He'll tell you a car exists that doesn't, just to start the negotiation. And he'll tie discounts to add-on packages you don't want.
Your counter: always negotiate on out-the-door price. Total. Final. Written down. When he says "let me run some numbers," you say "show me the numbers." Every single line. Don't let him bundle anything. Don't let him anchor you on monthly.
He's a numbers guy. Beat him with better numbers. Go.