Dealership keeps calling, wont come down on price

check · Mar 10, 2016

check said:
So the dealer called and wanted me to turn in my 2014 F150 lease early, claiming they could give me the same lease payment for a new (2016) F150, despite the fact that the new ones have gone up in price quite a bit. Went down to see the Lease manager, and he said he was hoping to get an appraisal $3,000 higher than my current payout value, which could then be used as a "down payment" on the new one. (Not enough for me, unfortunately.) So, it seems that even the "used" F150's are going up in value!

Update. The dealer called me back that same night and said that he had a customer who wanted to buy my truck, or at least take over the lease. He even gave me her email address so I could contact her. We will see.

kthompson · Mar 10, 2016

Will that remove you form the lease on ALL obligations? I

joefromga · Mar 10, 2016

These days car dealerships are useless.

You go online and use the car sites. Auto trader, cars. Com, etc, and find the car you want.

When you find a few around the country you email them and they will give you lowest and best price. Usually, 2 more back and forths will give you the lowest price and then you do the paperwork online.

I always know way more about the cars than the salesmen. No need to waste time with them. Like everything else you order online and it's the same product for less.

You have to arrange shipping but that's easy as well as usually is about 500 dollars. Last car I bought I never met any salesman or saw anyone in person. It was fantastic.

ultrarunner · Mar 10, 2016

Does it work when you special order a factory build?

The last 3 new vehicles the family ordered were all factory builds.

Clint S · Mar 10, 2016

I now buy all my cars via e mail. I stop at a dealer look around, test drive and get the salesmen's card and leave. I then knon what I want. When you step foot in the dealership you are on their turf . When you are sitting at their desk you feel worried, anxious and at their mercy. At home via e mail I feel I have more control. No smooth talking salesman or trips to the managers office. I e mail back when and if I want, this puts them waiting on you not you them . I will sometimes forward emails from different salesmen to others to play them against each other. I now buy cars for everyone in my family this way.

ultrarunner · Mar 10, 2016

Do you buy new or used?

I find new cars are very easy to negotiate... 99% of the time there are multiple sources for identical product.

Used are more unique... care, age, mileage, etc...

murphy1244 · Mar 10, 2016

ultrarunner said:
Do you buy new or used?

I find new cars are very easy to negotiate... 99% of the time there are multiple sources for identical product.

Used are more unique... care, age, mileage, etc...

How can you do that when you special order a factory build?

ultrarunner · Mar 10, 2016

I grew up around the car business as a kid...

The new cars had tighter margins as Joe across town had the same offerings... same when ordering a factory build... sometimes even better with BMW as the factory build Euro Delivery have special incentives not available for US inventory vehicles.

Used cars had better margins and less competition... especially the cream puffs... one owner, local and low mileage... and of course rust free and garaged.

These types of cars were not priced on book... they were priced individually... like a super clean GTO Convertible might book for less than the hardtop... yet it would be priced 20 to 25% over book and it would sell...

When people would mention it was over book... the sales staff would say yes... and then say do you know anyone else with a 25,000 mile 9 year old F250 Camper Special?

Of the 50 vehicles I presently own... only two were bought new and both were factory ordered... the Corolla and the BMW... plus the 2016 F250 Diesel my brother took delivery on last week.

Copperhead · Mar 10, 2016

One thing that many seem to not figure in to their vehicle ordering methodology, is pitting dealers against each other. This works even with a ordered factory build. You know what you want, you spec it out, get it all put together ready for the order to be placed and you get dealers to bid on it. No different than if the state wants to build a new bridge or road, or most anything else in life. When I want a rifle, I know which one I want and whoever can get it for me at the lowest cost gets the business. When I ordered my semi truck, same thing. I knew what I wanted, how it was to be spec'd, even how the interior of the cab and sleeper was to be laid out, and I then got with several dealerships and got them to bid on it. If I was going to order up a pickup, no reason it can't be handled the same way. There are what, over 3100 Ford Dealerships, 3600 GM dealerships, and a pretty large number of Dodge dealerships as well. You never want to hurry and place an order. Time is on your side. You are the one shelling out the green for a new ride, do it on your terms not theirs. Make them work for your money. I never place a factory order without having a complete printout of all the specs to confirm they are how I want it. With that in hand, you can get any number of dealers to bid on it. Now in all fairness, the dealer who did the leg work of putting the spec sheets together has top priority and always a chance to meet or beat the lowest bid from another dealer. Business' who buy pickups do it this way, no reason an individual buyer cannot also play in that sandbox. And the ace up your sleeve is that you can always walk away and forget it if no one wants to be reasonable.