If every time you set foot on a car lot you feel as if youve been somehow time-warped onto the set of Lets Make A Deal, where everyone but you knows the rules of the game, youre not alone.

For 95 years auto retailers have preyed upon consumers like piranhas in a feeding frenzy. So, when it comes down to crunch time, hows a Fool to overcome this historical precedent? The most effective way to stay away from the frenzied piranha is to stay out of the water, which is to say, the best way to negotiate a new vehicle deal is to stay out of the dealerships.

Staying away keeps you in control of the negotiation process and gives you your most effective tool in new car negotiations -- the Foolish same-apple principle. Youre going to pit the piranhas against each other!

If youre here after reading the Gardner Brothers book, You Have More Than You Think, then you probably already know that you are going to accomplish this task by using your fax machine. If you dont have one, consider borrowing a friends, or improvise by using e-mail or regular old snail mail.