Buyers looking for an upscale sedan with solid driving manners, a daring design and a good price might want to consider the Cadillac CTS.

Cadillac's volume sedan, the 2010 version, is being offered with discounts that could add up to more than $11,000 - that on a car with a base price just north of $40,000. Even as Cadillac is in its second decade of its big revival, there is a whole lot of dealing going on.

Dealing, of course, is part and parcel in the new car buying game. Make no mistake, getting the best buy on a new ride is certainly a competition. You, the consumer, are looking for the best price possible. The seller - the dealer combined with the manufacturer - wants to get the best price possible, too - in exactly the opposite way.

The pricing service www.carcostcanada.com offers these tips on how to deal with the car-buying challenge. They are sound, in my view, based on my experience selling cars and 20-plus years of covering the industry.

List your wants and needs: Do you need space? Fuel efficiency? Or are style and performance most important? Once you have a handle on wants and needs, you'll find it easier to short-list your choices.

Research: With your wants and needs in mind, it's easier to define what class of vehicle you will shop and in what price range. From there, you will next research features, safety ratings and reviews of models with some appeal. Globe Drive is one place to start narrowing you choices down to a list of appropriate vehicles.

The test drive: Bring the whole family and take it out for at least 20 minutes on the same types of roads that you usually use. Move the seats around, familiarize yourself with the car's features and the pros and cons of each vehicle will quickly surface.

Purchase strategy: Everyone wants a good deal. How do you get one? The short answer: Research pricing and discounting on the models that suit you. "The car seller's job is to try to sell you the car for the MSRP or Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price," says www.carcostcanada.com president Paul Timoteo. "For you to get the best price, you need to know what the factory invoice/wholesale price is and more importantly, you need to know which factory rebates are available on the cars you're considering."

No hassle purchase: Be firm and clear about what you're willing to pay and base that number on what you can afford and the pricing research you have done prior to negotiating. "Most dealers will try to make an eight to 10 per cent profit on the car," says Timoteo, adding, "Fortunately, most dealers are willing to sell new cars for three to five per cent above the invoice price and pass along all factory rebates, if and only if, they feel they have to, when making a deal."

Here's a look at pricing information on four deals, based on the posted information from www.carcostcanada.com:

MSRP: $40,650

Freight, dealer prep, air conditioning tax: $1,420

Dealer discount (estimated): $1,500

Factory discount: $3,500 (stackable cash, factory to dealer discount)

Taxable subtotal: $37,070

Total price with 13% HST: $41,889.10

Factory discount: $3,000 (Cash for Clunkers)

Government discount: $300 (Retire Your Ride)

Factory discount: $1,000 (Loyalty Bonus)

Factory discount: $500 (Canadian Forces Bonus)

Factory discount: $1,500 (Holiday Bonus)

Final price: $35,589.10

MSRP: $82,900

Freight, dealer prep: $2,050

Dealer discount: $4,000

Factory rebate: $3,000 (Non-stackable Trading Dollars)

Taxable subtotal: $77,950

Total price with 13% HST: $88,083.50

MSRP: $39,450

Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,625

Dealer discount (estimated): $1,500

Factory discount: $5,000 (Non-stackable Trading Dollars)

Taxable subtotal: $34,575

Total price with 13% HST: $39,069.75

MSRP: $28,990

Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,650

Dealer discount (estimated): $1,000

Factory discount: $4,000 (Non-stackable Trading Dollars)

Taxable subtotal: $25,640

Total price with 13% HST: $28,973.20

Pricing information source: www.carcostcanada.com. Calculations based on Ontario customers. Please note that while the information above is accurate at the time of publication, incentives are given at the discretion of individual dealers, and may be changed or discontinued at any time. Dealer discounts are negotiated with the customer on a case-by-case basis.

With room for Corgis or groupies, this top-of-the-line luxury car has it all, says Peter Cheney