With more car models available than ever and more information at the average car buyer’s fingertips, it seems like it should easier than ever before to purchase a car. But that’s typically not the case. As many find out the hard way, it’s all too easy to walk out of a dealership without getting the car they want at the price they need.

So whose fault is it? It’s tempting to blame the dealer. But sometimes the person who needs to change their approach is the person staring back at in the mirror. Sure, this is a difficult concept to swallow, but it is also a major driver of deals falling through. Read on to find out what mistakes you might be making at the dealership that are preventing you from driving home in a new car.

Failing to Do Research First

If you come in not sure of what is available, not sure of what you might like and uncertain as to what you’ll dislike, it will be difficult for a salesperson to find a model to suit your needs. In fact, it will be very difficult for the salesperson to even ascertain what your needs happen to be. Obviously, you don’t need to drop everything you’re doing and figure out every little thing about potential car models, but it can help to at least do baseline research into what type of car might be best for your lifestyle and which you should cross off the list. This can give your salesperson a great head start in finding your perfect vehicle.

Concentrating Too Much on Monthly Payments

Having a budget is a good idea and it is helpful for salespeople to understand where you’re coming from in a financial sense. But focusing solely on the monthly payment is not the best strategy. Your monthly budget doesn’t tell your salesperson how much you want to spend overall, nor does it tell the salesperson what kind of car you want. Value is a key issue for many buyers, but simply knowing what you want your monthly payment to be doesn’t offer a true assessment of what you consider to be a valuable automobile. As a result, you’re leaving your salesperson in the dark.

Being forthright. You expect the salesperson to be honest with you, and he or she expects the same. Remember, a reputable salesperson is there to help you, not hinder you. Knowledge is the salesperson’s power in finding you your dream vehicle…but they won’t know what that is, unless you tell them.