I oftentimes hear people talk about hating going to car dealers because either there's too much pressure or salesmen don't take them seriously. Part of the problem lies with the salesmen, but part of the problem is the customer's approach.
If you're really in the initial looking stages, make that clear from the beginning. You may not know whether you want to get a new Chevy Suburban or a used Toyota Tercel, and at that stage you really should gather only general information. Those who complain they get too much pressure oftentimes bring it upon themselves by sending out imminent buyer signals. DO NOT ask for the best possible price on a car if you're not really interested in buying it. If you do this, the salesperson thinks he has a serious buyer who is ready to buy. He will "pressure" you by trying to cut through the clouds of objections you give him and find out what you want to buy the car now.
If you are ready to buy right away, you may find salesmen don't take you seriously if you feign disinterest as a negotiating tactic. I can understand that if you show all your cards and tell a salesman you really want one specific car he has, he will do what he can to negotiate a higher price. That is what he is paid to do (i.e. make a profit for the dealership). On the other hand, if you tell the salesman you aren't going to buy a car for a while no matter what, he will drop you like a hot potato. For example, I had a couple complain to my general sales manager that they were insulted I didn't take them seriously. They came in about 45 minutes before we closed and drove a car. Another one of my customers came in shortly after we got back from the test drive. The husband told me, "We only buy after we've had time to think about it." Within earshot of the GSM, I confirmed this by asking if there was anything we could do to earn their business that night. They said, "No." I thanked them for coming in, asked them to call me when they were ready to make a decision, and then attended to the other customer who came in to buy the car we had been discussing earlier. The next day the husband (in the first couple) called to complain that they wanted to buy a car the previous night but that I was rude in not taking them seriously. Fortunately, he heard our conversation and assured me I did the right thing in dealing with the customer who came in to buy a car rather than play games with the couple who told me they would not buy that night no matter what.
Be rational. Stay calm. Say what you mean and mean what you say. You'll find this takes away much of the bitterness of the dealership experience.
OK, now everyone can tell me why I'm wrong. 
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