Do you have a friend in the auto business? Can they get you a deal on a car or get you inside information? Whether you do or don't, be sure and do an independent check of the price you are quoted to make sure that not only is it below the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) but that it comes close to the real invoice price. The automobile is now the most expensive product most Americans will ever buy. So it pays to invest in some investigative work to find the best price and financing deal available.

The auto business is the largest in the United States. It employs the most people and is the place of greatest consumer rip-offs by dollar volume. Car dealers advertise a great deal with big, fancy, splashy come-ons - yes, even on the Web. Who's losing? You guessed it, car buyers everywhere.

How about those one-price deals? One price equals paying too much in most cases. If you're interested in bypassing the negotiation process you can do that at any dealership by walking in and offering to pay the window sticker price (MSRP). You'll promptly receive the best care from the sales staff. Does that make you feel uncomfortable? Do you feel like you're leaving dollars on the table? Well, you would be! Now is that fair? No, of course not, but it is the state of the industry and something you need to watch out for. Everyone is equally paying too much. Whew, feel better now? No? Well, here's a quick guide to the car buyer's "knight in shining armor" -- the Independent Buyer's Service.

Why should you hire someone to help you buy a car? For some people the answer is obvious, they don't like dealing with the unpleasant and unfair process of buying or leasing a car through a dealership and prefer that someone do it for them. Most of us relate to hiring a lawyer, CPA, Doctor and maybe even a computer consultant when we need an expert to do a task or solve a problem we either don't want to take care of ourselves, or feel unqualified to handle. The idea of hiring an experienced automotive expert to help us is a relatively new concept. The typical new car price is $20,000 or more. This is a considerable investment, a small fortune to most women (and men). It represents hours and hours of labor. And for the average person the purchase price of a new car can approach an entire year's salary. It stands to reason most people could use professional help.

Be sure to investigate who you are getting your buying services from and who they really represent. There are many, many people in the business who are dealers with a different face. Be careful, especially if you are buying a car using the Internet. There are tons of dealers who have sites or are connected with Web sites. They often do not clearly indicate that they are really car dealers, preferring that you believe they are a Buyer's Service.

A proven, legal automotive Buyer's Service will be independent of auto dealerships. In some states it is illegal to help a consumer buy a car and take money from the selling dealer. This sort of deceitful behavior is called "Brokering." And don't be fooled by the consultant who charges you nothing to find you a car. They are a freelance salesperson and you'll get what you paid for. Nothing. Trust that the dealer who gets the sale is paying this consultant handsomely. Consultative sales are an oxymoron. You can't be consulting someone on a sale if you have a vested interest in the transaction. Be sure the transaction is separate from the money paid to your helper.

Linda Goldberg, director of the National Auto Buyer's Association (NABA) and founder and owner of Car Source, a reputable car-buying service says, "The income cannot be conditional on the outcome." Even the hallowed credit union folks are often making money on your car deal. They are being paid by the selling dealer for your referral. Banks, automotive clubs and similar groups can line up with those on the dole. The keenest trick of all are dealer insider consortiums that pay huge advertising fees to associations and newspapers for full-page ads listing "dealers" who'll give you the lowest price if you ask for so-and-so. (Can you say, sucker!) Even places like Costco take in huge fees for full page ads in their newsletters in exchange for the pleasure of feeding you to the wolves. (Yes, the wolves.)

There is a tremendous amount of discrimination against people during the car buying process. Retail automotive sales are both racist and sexist as demonstrated in an article printed several years ago in the Harvard Law Review called "Fair Driving." The article posed the results of surveys about car buying habits and practices. It showed that women and African Americans, especially African-American women, always paid higher prices for cars than men, particularly white men. Salespeople are predominantly white males. The stereotypical, "Come back honey and bring your fella' with ya," is still very much alive.

But don't be fooled by savvy saleswomen either. They know how to pick your pocket just as well. They are wily negotiators and actively seek to build false personal relationships with potential buyers in order to instill confidence in them and close a sale.

The culture is what it is, some change is evident but old habits die hard and it may take a few generations to see substantial change. We are even seeing the beginnings of a move away from privately-owned dealerships toward factory-owned showrooms. This could potentially provide more comfort for the consumer during the buying process. But this option is years away. However, the most important element of using a third party Buying Service is that you are invisible to the dealer. You have someone representing you with more skill and knowledge than you possess.

The following is a list of the definitions describing the differences between Buyer's Services and Brokers. Understanding these differences is vital to knowing who you are doing business with when choosing a company to help you buy a car.

Buyer's Services

• Work exclusively for the client.

• Will work to maximize the outcome for the buyer not the seller.

• Do not accept money from dealers.

• Work with all makes and models, in all fifty states.

• Never take possession of their client's vehicles.

• Vehicles are purchased directly from a factory authorized dealer.

• All legal protections, like Lemon Laws, apply.

• Clients receive 100% of all rebates, incentives, special offers and financing.

• Clients receive all factory and Federal government recall notices directly from the manufacturers.

• Can accommodate trade-ins.

• Will side with their client if last minute problems arise - shipping damage, wrong color or options.

• You are never obligated to buy what you don't want.

• Work for a flat fee.

• Fee is independent of the car price.

• Fees run from $299 - $699.

Brokers

• Work for the dealers.

• Derive their income from hidden cash and commissions attached to the vehicle's selling price.

• Have prearranged agreements with dealers that direct cash back to them when a sale is made.

• Have limited dealer networks.

• Have severe limitations on their ability to work in different states and with different models. Probably won't sell you a Saturn for example.

• Are illegal in some states.

• Brokers usually take possession of a vehicle first, then resell it to the end user.

• Buyers may not be protected by the Lemon Laws.

• Benefits due the consumer from the automaker do not automatically transfer.

• Special benefits, like first-time buyer rebates, special lease programs and special hidden automaker promos may not come your way.

• Commonly receive the factory or government recall notices, not the owner.

• Usually do not work with trade-ins.

• When shipping damage or last minute problems arise - brokers side with the selling dealer - to do otherwise prevents them from making the most money.

• Fee can be either a flat rate between $99 and $300, a percentage of the cost of the vehicle or sometimes free. But, the commission paid to the Broker by the dealership can increase the car price by thousands of dollars. (Bad option.)

Even when using a Buyer's Service, you still need to do some research and test drive cars. It is extremely important to test drive vehicles before buying one. I encourage clients to drive the car they want and also all of the makes and models that are in direct competition with your first choice. If you don't know what you're missing, you could be missing a great deal. It is important to know what the competition offers, and at what price.

When you test drive, please leave your signature at home. Make the decision that you are out to test drive, and not buy a car. Then, when you are test driving, you are only driving and therefore concentrating on your physical and mental comfort with the machine. Tell the salesperson in advance that you will not be buying today and, be polite. Since the pressure of buying is lifted (your signature is at home) you can feel better about treating the sales personnel with the best manners Mom taught you. And you're more likely to get straight answers to your questions.

One last thing - take your time, use your brain, look at the total picture. Buyer's remorse is a common malady car buyers suffer. A car purchase is often the start of a bad financial spiral, a domino effect that can lead to bankruptcy. Rule of Thumb: Buy the most amount of product you can afford for the least amount of money and keep it running well with proper maintenance. As we all know, life, liberty and four wheels in the driveway is the American dream.

If you need help, get it. A Buyer's Service is one of your best consumer options.