Been "car shopping" lately?

[walker450]

I highly recommend buying a good one-owner low-milage vehicle from an individual. I have bought several on Craigslist, two out of state. You just have to be smart and cautious. Good luck on whatever you do.

 

[RoMad]

I too noramlly buy used. My wife and I have been married 36 years and she just bought her 3rd new car. We had bought two new vans when our kids were small and we used my dads Chrysler employee discount. Very easy, just hand them a form my dad filled out and they told you the price.
For the last one, we were on our own and we bought a 2014 Honda CRV. We bought it New Years eve about 4pm. The sales lady was very nice and definately not pushy. I wanted my wife to buy a new car as her old one had been wrecked. During the test drive she told the sales lady she liked her old car, the wrecked one, better than the CRV. The sales lady said "well, maybe you should shop around and try out a few different vehicles and make sure you get one you like". I could have choked the lady as we had done a lot of research and my wife had finally picked the CRV and I wanted to make the deal on new years eve. Well, it all worked out and we got a good end of year price and my wife really likes her new car. Everyone I dealt with was very nice. The sales Manager didn't even try to sell me any additonal warranty or anything. I asked him if he was going to and he said, "no, i thought I would be wasting both of our time". All in all a good experience. I am good for another 10 years or so but I will tell all of my friends that it was a good experience.

 

[rwork]

You know guys, I'm kinda on the other side of the fence here, and I understand ther are some, shall we say unscrupulous car salesmen. However this holds true in an awful lot of cases. What about the A/C repairman, the remodling contractor, or even your dentist?!? Do you have any idea of what kind of profit they are making? Highly unlikely.
Do you negotiate what you feel like paying at the grocery store?, the gas station? No!! Try your negotiating skills on your next doctor visit. You know full well your getting ripped, but do you complain?

Now lets suppose you put your tractor up for sale...arent you trying to get as much as you can for it?

I'd like to think there are more honest, professional vehicle sales people, than not.

 

[foreman Etexas]

You know guys, I'm kinda on the other side of the fence here, and I understand ther are some, shall we say unscrupulous car salesmen. However this holds true in an awful lot of cases. What about the A/C repairman, the remodling contractor, or even your dentist?!? Do you have any idea of what kind of profit they are making? Highly unlikely.
Do you negotiate what you feel like paying at the grocery store?, the gas station? No!! Try your negotiating skills on your next doctor visit. You know full well your getting ripped, but do you complain?

Now lets suppose you put your tractor up for sale...arent you trying to get as much as you can for it?

I'd like to think there are more honest, professional vehicle sales people, than not.

Don't take this the wrong way but there prices are labeled up front,do you have every vehicle priced on window,not the msrp sticker but your price? I have seen a lot of used ones marked but not all the new ones...

 

[kenmac]

You know guys, I'm kinda on the other side of the fence here, and I understand ther are some, shall we say unscrupulous car salesmen. However this holds true in an awful lot of cases. What about the A/C repairman, the remodling contractor, or even your dentist?!? Do you have any idea of what kind of profit they are making? Highly unlikely.
Do you negotiate what you feel like paying at the grocery store?, the gas station? No!! Try your negotiating skills on your next doctor visit. You know full well your getting ripped, but do you complain?

Now lets suppose you put your tractor up for sale...arent you trying to get as much as you can for it?

I'd like to think there are more honest, professional vehicle sales people, than not.

I have negotiated A/C plumbing jobs.... No big deal. My profit is no where near the profit of a new vehicle..
Why not price autos like CarMax,,, A fair price.. We all know there are xtra $$$ from the manufacture to the dealer. Hold back $$ , demos, last year mod, just to name a few

 

[rwork]

Don't take this the wrong way but there prices are labeled up front,do you have every vehicle priced on window,not the msrp sticker but your price? I have seen a lot of used ones marked but not all the new ones...

Foreman,
I believe you are asking if I have my actual selling price posted on the vehicle. No, I do not. Only if it is a "special pricing". There is a good reason for not doing this. You must realize that in vehicle sales, every scenario is different. Do to the fact that the auto industry has gotten itself into the negotiating game, you have to allow yourself some room for margin to work within.
There is a lot more to selling a vehicle than trying to charge too much! First of all we have to find a vehicle that a customer is happy with, then I have to be able to allow them what they feel is "reasonable" for their "eight year old, cream puff, with 180,000 miles, that is all highway miles, and that has only been wrecked twice, and the transmission doesn't slip all the time, and I don't really know what all those check engine lights are, because they've been on for a couple years. Oh, and I almost forgot, I only owe a couple thousand!!!!! Now once I've overcome those minor obstacles, all I've got to do is find a lender that will finance you, and get you at the $250 a month payment you're looking for, Oh and you aren't planning on putting any money down??.............should be a piece of cake!!

Sorry Foreman, if I headed off in another direction! LOL but I do understand your question, hope my answer makes a little sense.

 

[rwork]

I have negotiated A/C plumbing jobs.... No big deal. My profit is no where near the profit of a new vehicle..
Why not price autos like CarMax,,, A fair price.. We all know there are xtra $$$ from the manufacture to the dealer. Hold back $$ , demos, last year mod, just to name a few

see post above.... no negotiating.....fixed pricing......Saturn tried that.....we know where that ended up ! LOL

 

[rwork]

Guys, everyone is asking some very good questions. And I hope I can give you some reasonable answers. I realize that being in the industry, I deal with this about 10 car deals a day, where the consumer may only make a car purchase every three to four years. I would certainly be happy to tell anyone how to go about getting a great deal on a vehicle......fair to both parties.

 

[rwork]

I have negotiated A/C plumbing jobs.... No big deal. My profit is no where near the profit of a new vehicle..
Why not price autos like CarMax,,, A fair price.. We all know there are xtra $$$ from the manufacture to the dealer. Hold back $$ , demos, last year mod, just to name a few

Kenmac, you bring up a good point about CarMax. I actually use a service called TrueCar. Same principal. Upfront pricing, allows you to see what the average selling prices have been for a specific vehicle in your area. Great way to do your homework before hitting the dealerships.

 

[kenmac]

Seems to work with CarMax. I haven't heard of a CarMax going out of business. We have another fix pricing dealer here called drivers way. they are still in business as well. Like I stated. I have no problem with them making a fair profit . They have bills to pay and they can't pay them giving vehicles away. But, there has to be a better way. I don't know why I got in this,,, It doesn't affect me . I no longer buy new. CarMax is my dealer..... Have A GOOD 1. By the way.. we have kin folk in Mississippi.. My son just brought home a couple of real nice Mississippi deer this past week

 

[rwork]

Seems to work with CarMax. I haven't heard of a CarMax going out of business. We have another fix pricing dealer here called drivers way. they are still in business as well. Like I stated. I have no problem with them making a fair profit . They have bills to pay and they can't pay them giving vehicles away. But, there has to be a better way. I don't know why I got in this,,, It doesn't affect me . I no longer buy new. CarMax is my dealer..... Have A GOOD 1. By the way.. we have kin folk in Mississippi.. My son just brought home a couple of real nice Mississippi deer this past week

Good Luck Ken,
It's all about educating yourself !

 

[Depmandog]

You know guys, I'm kinda on the other side of the fence here, and I understand ther are some, shall we say unscrupulous car salesmen. However this holds true in an awful lot of cases. What about the A/C repairman, the remodling contractor, or even your dentist?!? Do you have any idea of what kind of profit they are making? Highly unlikely. Do you negotiate what you feel like paying at the grocery store?, the gas station? No!! Try your negotiating skills on your next doctor visit. You know full well your getting ripped, but do you complain? Now lets suppose you put your tractor up for sale...arent you trying to get as much as you can for it? I'd like to think there are more honest, professional vehicle sales people, than not.

None of the "buyers" invented the "system" of car buying. For that you have to look at the manufacturer's for "suggesting" a retail price "MSRP", and to the dealers for the method they choose to sell said vehicles.

As I mentioned in a previous post, our last vehicle was purchased at a dealer who set a fixed price of $50 over invoice...a no haggle dealer. Not sure what he does on the super "rare" vehicles that often times sell for greater than MSRP. But, I assume they set a fixed price on those also.

So my take is, it is the dealer who has a choice...become a no haggle dealer - the customer pays the price as marked, or the dreaded negotiation process, where salesmen are pitted against the customer to try and squeeze every penny (and vice versa).

If a dealer has made this choice, then he gets my "A" game negotiation skills, with me trying for the best deal possible. I have no desire to leave any profit for the dealer, and will use all available "intel" to make the best most informed decision. Once I have "saved" as much as I think is possible - I then choose to accept the deal, or head on down the road to battle with the next dealer.

 

[D7E]

I will not buy from dealerships . I live for auctions

 

[rwork]

Depman, you are correct in the statement about the manufacturers creating the whole negotiating system. They also created the "rebate" mess as well.

With that being said, what is a "good deal" ? Do you really know that you made a good deal, obviously not. It's only a state of mind. If you are happy with the product you purchased and you are happy with the price you paid, then its a good deal. ....Even though the dealer could possibly have made thousands on you ??????

$50 over invoice???? is that a "good deal", maybe.....maybe not so good.

I've probably paid too much for a lot of the things I've purchased in my life, but if I wanted it, and am happy with it, it's all good !

Why would you not expect someone to make a reasonable profit from your transaction? Do you not want them to be in business down the road to take care of your future needs???

 

[foreman Etexas]

For example my sticker was around 59,000msrp,I gave 47,000,now I think got a good deal because they put such a high msrp to make me think I did. And you know they always ask do you have a trade so they can adjust new price to think you got good price on trade:laughing:

 

[rwork]

For example my sticker was around 59,000msrp,I gave 47,000,now I think got a good deal because they put such a high msrp to make me think I did. And you know they always ask do you have a trade so they can adjust new price to think you got good price on trade:laughing:

Foreman, go by the manufacturers MSRP on the window sticker. Addendums as they are called are indeed additional dealer markup. Most manufacturers are pretty big on making sure consumers are made aware of any applicable rebates, always ask up front for all incentives that may apply to the vehicle you are interested in.

 

[Depmandog]

Depman, you are correct in the statement about the manufacturers creating the whole negotiating system. They also created the "rebate" mess as well. With that being said, what is a "good deal" ? Do you really know that you made a good deal, obviously not. It's only a state of mind. If you are happy with the product you purchased and you are happy with the price you paid, then its a good deal

No arguing this point. As a buyer, you take all knowledge that you can glean and negotiate or agree to make a purchase. I can honestly say (as would many) that I am not making the purchase without thinking I made a good deal.

That said, I am not naive. Of course the dealer is making money on each typical sale, he has to or can't stay in business. I don't want to leave profit for the dealer the same way the dealer wouldn't stop me or anyone else plopping down full sticker price on a sale. The salesman, sale manager nor GM isn't going to come rushing to my rescue if I overpay! Wait sir, this is too much money. If we are in agreement with that, then it's also true that I alone am going to "battle" for the cheapest price possible.

When I said profit, I am referring to net profit. You know the kind of profit that equates to big fancy houses, country estates and a stable of shiny toys.

 

[rwork]

I had an older gentleman I was dealing with a few weeks ago, and when I told him what I could allow him on his trade, his reply was " why that's almost an insult!", to which I replied, "if you want to get insulted, take that nice new cellphone that you bought four months ago for $400 back down to the phone store and trade it in on the latest model, you'll be lucky to get $80 bucks for it! " He chuckled, and said "you're probably right". I gave him a little more for his trade, we made a deal, and everyone was happy!

 

[rwork]

No arguing this point. As a buyer, you take all knowledge that you can glean and negotiate or agree to make a purchase. I can honestly say (as would many) that I am not making the purchase without thinking I made a good deal.

That said, I am not naive. Of course the dealer is making money on each typical sale, he has to or can't stay in business. I don't want to leave profit for the dealer the same way the dealer wouldn't stop me or anyone else plopping down full sticker price on a sale. The salesman, sale manager nor GM isn't going to come rushing to my rescue if I overpay! Wait sir, this is too much money. If we are in agreement with that, then it's also true that I alone am going to "battle" for the cheapest price possible.

When I said profit, I am referring to net profit. You know the kind of profit that equates to big fancy houses, country estates and a stable of shiny toys.

So.....are you saying no more money for tractors and nice attachments, etc, etc. ?? LOL

 

[Depmandog]

So.....are you saying no more money for tractors and nice attachments, etc, etc. ?? LOL

Haha. Hey for me it's all good! The money I saved on my last truck purchase I could afford a new toy