Secrets to car buying anyone?

[Dargo]

DocHeb, that is a good article. I have been in and around the auto industry for longer than I would like to say. The author of that article worked in two dealerships and had two very different experiences. I've personally worked with over 700 dealerships in the last 20 years. No, I've not exactly been employed by that many, but have done business with that many and know them well. I could likely write a book longer than War and Peace of the experiences I've seen. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Some dealerships are honest and some are considerably less than honest.

As PineRidge mentioned, knowledge is power. Most honest dealerships with which I deal welcome a well educated and well informed customer to their dealership. That customer realizes that the dealer has to make a fair profit, and most of the negotiations then are around what is fair. Some of the less than honest dealerships will claim that the "invoice" information you get from Consumer Reports and several other internet services is not accurate. However, by large, the invoice prices I've seen from CR and other internet places have been plenty close. The more you know, the better your chance is to get a fair deal from a fair dealer.

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> Anyone have any secrets to getting the best deal possible off a car dealer? </font>

Yes. Buy used from a private seller! Let someone else eat the depreciation. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Just kidding. Good luck in your negotiations. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[edski]

I didn't see this "secret" in the earlier posts.
As the buyer you only have one advantage over the dealer...the money is in your pocket. And unlike the the dealer, you can get up and walk out the door.

Donald Trump was asked when is the best time to negotiate. His reply was, When your willing to walk away.

 

[BB_TX]

<font color="blue"> the invoice prices I've seen from CR and other internet places have been plenty close. </font>
The last 2 trucks I bought, I printed out the MSRP and invoice price list for the base truck and all options I wanted from Edmunds.com. I took that list to the dealer. He printed out his invoice for the truck I wanted. Almost without exception, the list I had from Edmunds matched down to the cent to the list he printed for the base price and each option.

 

[ALBALD1]

I bought one of those consumer buyers guides to get the wholesale & retail prices of each option. I built the truck "I" wanted in the book. Most makes have some sort of discount plan. example gm has gm supplier price, ford has an "x" plan, that I qualified for because of the company I work for. What I figured out was that plan gave me low end price I came up with in the book, so anyone can get it. It's just a matter of negotiating. The biggest problem I had, was they kept wanting to give options I didn't want. When I found the dealer with exactly what I wanted, I told him what I would pay & he accepted. Maybe someone else could have gotten more off, but I really doubt it. There is going to be a stopping point on price reduction and there is always someone going to say, "I could get it lower". I say you are the only one who has to be satisfied w/ the deal.

 

[DannyD]

We had been looking at the used sporttrac for sometime when we bought it. It had been on the lot for several weeks. Well worked out that I took the wife to work one day and I had the day off. I went down to the lot, Ford Dealer, and the sporttrac was not only there, it was 2 gran less. Looked it over, gave the sales guy a few things to think on (looked around a bit etc). I knew their first price was retail, sale price was off of this, so I bought. At the table (no offices, just a room full of tables) he came off with 2 gran for my 1997 Mercury with over 100,000 miles. I told him I wanted 3 g for it, he like to had a fit, but I signed the deal......came back 2500 for the merc and I bought the truck. Total of about an hour. Their finance rate was 5% so I took that. They sold my car at the auction, dont know and dont care what they got for it.

Surprised the wife with the truck when I picked her up in it.

My last tractor deal was done on the phone, retail for retail, I bought it and they delivered it, signed the papers the next week, when I finally had a call in the area. I would do business with both dealers again, no doubt. I know they both made money on me, they are in business to do that, dont worry about it. The question is do I need it, or want it and can I afford it.

 

[LBrown59]

However, anybody ever bought a Mitsubishi product?
================
I. Have owned 3 Dodge D-50 pick ups. Still have 2 of them.
All 3 have been some of the best vehicles i ever owned

The little D fifties are 1 of the most underrated import pick ups.

 

[AndyM]

<font color="blue"> I. Have owned 3 Dodge D-50 pick ups. Still have 2 of them.
All 3 have been some of the best vehicles i ever owned

The little D fifties are 1 of the most underrated import pick ups. </font>

Hey Larry, I'm going to agree with you! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I bought a 4 wheel drive Dodge D-50 for $200 several years ago. It was rather rusty, but I drove it until the bed fell off. I then put a stake bed on it, and drove it for a couple more years until the frame broke. I sold it for $400! They'll run forever if you can keep up with the rust. I even had to resort to using license plates to cover up the holes in the floor boards!

I also had a Datsun truck (with a diesel engine) and a Ford Courier that I bought for $200 and $100, repectively, and I more than got my money's work out of each one of them.

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Hey Larry, I'm going to agree with you! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif )</font>

I do believe that the world as we know it is coming to an end..... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Jagmandave]

"I know they both made money on me, they are in business to do that, dont worry about it. The question is do I need it, or want it and can I afford it."

Finally, some one with common sense............

I think people get too involved in what is a "great deal" when it comes to buying vehicles. I think the "right" price is the one that allows you to buy the vehicle that makes you happy. I think people need to spend more time figuring out what they want and what they can afford rather than how much the dealer is making on them.

If the sticker price on a vehicle you want is $30,000, does that $1000 saving make or break the deal? Then maybe you can't afford that $30,000 vehicle! Maybe you need to buy a used one...........