Been "car shopping" lately?

[s219]

After I got there they actually tried to boost me to a higher price by claiming the price didn't include extras or options. I explained I have your written price on the vehicle and only have a half hour to wrap it up.

They kept screwing around and after a half hour I started to leave. The look on his face was one of disbelief and they chased me out to the parking lot to try to close the deal as originally agreed. I left anyway and bought the same car from someone else for the same price.

I had something similar happen on my last car purchase -- it was the last day of December in the last year of some pretty good tax deductions for business vehicles. During the negotiation process the week prior, I made it known that I needed to buy the car by the end of December and had no time to screw around. Got to the dealership where I had negotiated a price online, and lo and behold they did not have the car I wanted but were hoping to do a dealer trade. Only they hadn't locked in the trade, and it turns out they wouldn't be able to get the car for a couple days anyhow. After 20 minutes I split and drove 40 miles to another dealer, got the same price, and did the deal in under an hour.

The salesman at the first dealer calls me the next Monday, several days into the new year, and asked if we could still do business if they got the vehicle in stock. It's like he never heard the whole point of me trying to get the car before the end of the year. How dense can someone be?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I negotiate price on the internet/email before I even visit a dealer, usually using edmunds pricing as a reference point. I tell them what I want and what I am willing to pay. On my last one, I was dickering between two dealerships for the exact same vehicle, the one that gave me the lowest price actually got the vehicle from the other dealer. I also go in with financing prearranged with my Credit Union. A couple times the dealer has provided better financing. The only thing I negotiate at the dealer is trade in, but I normally don't trade. There are a couple dealers I will never go back to, these are ones that quote prices well over what I'm willing to pay, and claim there's no way I can get it for that.

 

[sixdogs]

You know, these dealers--well, most of the are never going to get it anyway. Or they just don't want to so you have to be demanding and a little prickly.

Case in point--I wanted to buy a new Kubota B7800 with a 6 ft belly mower and was going to write a check for it. I found a couple dealers maybe 100 miles away that would give me a pretty good price.
So I went to a nearby dealer and asked the price for the same thing that he had on the lot--and had been there a while. I figured to keep business local and support the economy. Now, I didn't want the lowest price because he was a good dealer but I'm not paying retail. Anyway, he gave me a retail price with a setup charge added. Good grief.

So I tipped my hand and explained I could get the tractor for xx amount and he said there's no way they could sell it for that (which was generally BS because I knew the cost basis). I said I'm not trying to be a cheapskate but want to support local people so how about I'll pay $500 more? He agreed and it was pleasant and I bought a lot of parts and ag repairs from him but I came away thinking that they are dinosaurs and better figure out competitive pricing and the real world.

They never sold much and are no longer dealers for the brand. The ones who are going to be around in the future know the drill and will do what they have to get the business. Every customer will get played as far as possible because that's the nature of selling cars. They know if someone is about to walk or won't stand for dealer mischief and act accordingly. If a soft touch walks in, they know that as well and act accordingly.

 

[Pilot]

Go to Edmunds. You get to specify the car you want, including choosing the options. Then you pick the dealers you want to hear from. They email you a quote & you can take it from there. Buying our '13 Accord I had quotes from about 5 dealers and one was clearly better than the others. I stopped by, talked to a salesman, then checked a couple other dealers. One of the salesmen badmouthed dealer #1, telling me what he called a couple tricks they supposedly used to up the price. Went back to #1, challenged him on that, got a satisfactory answer & also went back the badmouther & found they did the stuff they accused #1 as doing.

So back to #1, started dealing (well not much to deal about, really, since his price was already the best by several hundred $). He asked if we wanted fancy floor mats, at something like $200. I responded that I could get similar from Weathertech for about half that price (I had done the research) and they met Weathertech's price. Ended up with just the car we wanted with all the options we wanted and nothing more.

Had tried Costco's auto program and they select the dealer for you to go to. The one they sent me to was owned by a scumbag with several dealerships and I had a bad experience with one of them many years before, as did a coworker. Edmunds got me a better price back there at dealer #1.

I say go thru Edmunds.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Go to Edmunds. You get to specify the car you want, including choosing the options. Then you pick the dealers you want to hear from. They email you a quote & you can take it from there. Buying our '13 Accord I had quotes from about 5 dealers and one was clearly better than the others. I stopped by, talked to a salesman, then checked a couple other dealers. One of the salesmen badmouthed dealer #1, telling me what he called a couple tricks they supposedly used to up the price. Went back to #1, challenged him on that, got a satisfactory answer & also went back the badmouther & found they did the stuff they accused #1 as doing.

So back to #1, started dealing (well not much to deal about, really, since his price was already the best by several hundred $). He asked if we wanted fancy floor mats, at something like $200. I responded that I could get similar from Weathertech for about half that price (I had done the research) and they met Weathertech's price. Ended up with just the car we wanted with all the options we wanted and nothing more.

Had tried Costco's auto program and they select the dealer for you to go to. The one they sent me to was owned by a scumbag with several dealerships and I had a bad experience with one of them many years before, as did a coworker. Edmunds got me a better price back there at dealer #1.

I say go thru Edmunds.

Weathertec matts run around $400 for my car.. w/cargo matt.. $300 w/o.

 

[Gunny]

T try to do straight out buy deals, no trading. On my trucks, I'll run them into the ground. When they're no longer reliable or fixable, I'll put a For Sale sign in the window and go looking for another truck. For the wife's car, she usually drives them for about 3 years, then we sell them locally or through Craigslist.

That takes a lot of the variables out of a new vehicle purchase, everything is all out the open, in writing, then you start negotiating on those figures.

The dealers must make quite a bit on service. The last SUV we bought required oil and filter changes at 7500 mile intervals to maintain the warranty. The dealership hounds you to change every 3000 miles. Using full synthetic oi, that works out to quite a bit of money in a fairly short period. When we were buying the SUV, the salesman was telling us that the first oil/filter change was free and I explained that I did my own changes. When he said that the company recommended that owners not do their own maintenance, I told him that I wouldn't own a car I couldn't change the oil in and we left. Almost made it to the door before he ran us down and tried to smooth over his statement by saying that it was evident that I was probably much more mechanically competent than their average buyer! If we could have found the same SUV at the same price anywhere else around here, I would have bought it at another dealer, but this was the one the wife wanted, right color and all, so we bit the bullet and I just ignore their scheduled emails reminding me about their oil changes.

We did have our financing ready before we went shopping, but the company was offering no interest. I didn't think my bank would beat that offer, so I went that route.

 

[TomSeller]

The dealers must make quite a bit on service. The last SUV we bought required oil and filter changes at 7500 mile intervals to maintain the warranty. The dealership hounds you to change every 3000 miles. Using full synthetic oi, that works out to quite a bit of money in a fairly short period. When we were buying the SUV, the salesman was telling us that the first oil/filter change was free and I explained that I did my own changes. When he said that the company recommended that owners not do their own maintenance, I told him that I wouldn't own a car I couldn't change the oil in and we left. Almost made it to the door before he ran us down and tried to smooth over his statement by saying that it was evident that I was probably much more mechanically competent than their average buyer! If we could have found the same SUV at the same price anywhere else around here, I would have bought it at another dealer, but this was the one the wife wanted, right color and all, so we bit the bullet and I just ignore their scheduled emails reminding me about their oil changes.
.

Good for you. The warranty is not compromised if the dealers themselves do not do the regular service. Keep your records.

 

[Ken]

When I bought the wife a new car, a Honda CRV EXL which is what she wanted we had looked at them on Sunday as others have done. WE didn't even look at anything else. Well, the tax, title and license had to be paid at the county courthouse rather than dealer. I don't know if this was because I paid cash or not. First car I ever bought in Arkansas and first I ever had cash enough to pay for it. I just assume the same would be true for outside financing also so the price you get at the dealer is what they get for the car. They did the same old routine with manager having to come out and make a counteroffer to my proposal (my proposal was about $1000 under what they would sell for) but overall it was about as pleasant experience as could be as far as buying a car can be.
It is the fully loaded version of the CRV but after getting the car home, I just about have to force the wife to drive it as she prefers to drive her 11 year old Oldsmobile Bravada SUV because it is bigger and higher off the ground. I guess we will let the CRV set mostly in the garage till she wears out the Bravada which has less than 100K miles on it. I have started driving it also and save the miles on my truck but since the only thing ever replaced other than tires is a right front wheel bearing, I can expect to be putting out some repair money on brakes, belts and other little items soon. We will just use the CRV for long trips to save a bit of fuel and use the 18MPG Bravada around here for 20 mile trips into town about once a week.

Gary Did you look in Malvern at the dealer ship that ADVERTISES "we CHEAT FOR LESS"
30 years ago was looking for a used car for the daughter and stopped at his lot. found what was wanting and he was higher than I was willing to give. Told him I drove thru the town every Tuesday going to Hot Springs when he came down to my offer would stop again just park on front of lot easy to be seen. 2 weeks later it was I stopped and purchased,
This dealer has grown to be the largest in the area.
So admitting the he cheats for less is good advertisement.
ken

 

[Western]

Ken, that is funny, I would have to respect that dealer for at least being honest about it. Been through Malvern when I was a kid (we lived on my grandfathers ranch outside Harrison) Well actually drove by it on the interstate going to Hope for some melons:laughing:

 

[tlj87]

In late December 2010, I was in the market for a lightly used high mpg commuter car. I had narrowed down my search to a Honda Civic. I drove one at my home town's dealer who was not willing to deal. A Honda dealer about 40 miles away had several 2-4 year old Civics with 20-40K miles on their lot. Prices ranged from about 13,7-16K. They all looked fine on the website and were similarly equipped. I called the dealership and said I would be up to pay cash for one of these cars if he could get me out the door for under 12K. I drove up there and they had one sitting out for me when I arrived. It was an '07 LX Sedan with 36K mi. I examined it, drove it and went in to sign the papers. $12,139. I was not pleased. He tried very hard to get me to sign for that price as it was "absolute rock bottom". Although $139 is not much, the salesperson assured me on the phone he could get me out the door for under 12K as I requested. In other words, he lied to me. After about an hour, we got it down to 11.9K and a transmission fluid exchange which I had to wait 3 hours for. The car has been great, now with 102K mi on it. I would not buy from this dealership again, based on this experience and how I was treated.