How did you present your offer? ex " I want a Kia Rio LX, option pcks #3 and 4, any color but white, I will pay 2% over dealer cost plus $150 doc. fee." Or, had you already gone out and looked on the dealerships lot and gotten specific vehicle info?
That would be another tool in getting an internet quote, if that is the way one wants to go about it. Nothing says, "I AM A NOW BUYER" more, than making the first offer.
That would be another tool in getting an internet quote, if that is the way one wants to go about it. Nothing says, "I AM A NOW BUYER" more, than making the first offer.
That's the problem. The OP is not buying for 2 months. So not sure why he's asking for prices already. By his own admission, a price today might not be available/valid in 2 months when he's ready to buy.
Yeah pretty much. I gave them some color and trim options where I was flexible, but insisted on the transmission type. I gave them a dollar offer, since I had my own financing already in place.
SF Toyota, at that time, responded quickly, said "yeah, we'll do that price and we have 3 that meet your requirements and here are slight variations in price due to options on the cars".
My favorite story about this experience is that after I made the deal, as I left the place the sales manager came out, dressed to the nines, and handed me his business card and cell phone #, and then BOWED to me as I left. LOL!
This was the same dealer who spat out 88 Prius sales in one month. (not recently, obviously). These guys were on their toes, lemme tell ya.
For a true "new" 07 or 08 I'd treat it as a used car with very low milage. Look it up here on Edmunds Used car appraiser. For a demo I would treat it like a rental car. I never put much stock in that stuff about "it was never titled so it's not used". If it has miles on it, it's used.
Usually the reason those lot queens hang around is that the dealer is crazy and wants full price for his slowly rusting lawn ornament.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
We are thinking of flying to Charlotte, NC next summer. Instead of renting a car, we would buy a new Honda or Volkswagen and drive it around for 3 weeks then drive it back home to California. By next year we'll need a new car anyway. Something like Mercedes has with European delivery. We would like to have a solid contract for the out the door price, the down payment and financing about a month before flying to Charlotte so the car would be ready when we arrive. We'd want to deal with a local dealer here in Orange County. My question: is that possible - and how the sales tax and DMV fees would be handled. The whole idea is to have a nice car for the vacation and cut down on the driving time. The one way distance is about 2,400 miles. If you think this is a dumb idea don't hesitate to tell me.
If you think this is a dumb idea don't hesitate to tell me.
I don't think it's a dumb idea, but you need to figure out if there's a cheaper way to do it.
Price a one way plane ticket, plus a car rental versus a one way plane ticket, an extra car payment, an extra month of insurance. Don't forget to take into account the 2400 miles you will put on your new car.
This is personal preference, but I don't think I would take a brand new car in a cross country trip like that. There's always the possibility that some warranty work will be needed. You don't want to be far away from a dealer if that happens. Plus I really baby my cars during the break in period (I know some people say that modern cars don't do need it, but I take it easy regardless).
We drove cross country over 10 days when we moved from CT to CA and we had a blast. I'm sure you will too.
Jipster- Great idea, I'll make it easier than that, most websites have the VIN or stock number on the website! SO sleep in on sunday and send us your stock number and BAM! Quote! And, Better than telling my Internet Guys your preapproved --- "probably going to pay cash!" But thats not necessary, todays market has changed and many dealers havent got on that page yet - informed buyers are plentiful and my training is geared to that. In fact, my guys have a formula to quote prices-they cant even negotiate! the first price quote is below invoice! Anyway, my point here is to save you all the time of having to come to the dealership AT ALL cause the stock number is the equal to the VIN so even if there is no VIN just send in the stock number--happy shopping!
Hi Stanley dude, The rules of this forum strictly prohibit anyone from soliciting business which you are doing.So please follow the rules and stop promoting your business or else very soon the mods may remove your posts. :shades: And there is no place for unsolicited business promtion on edmunds.Exporting cars from Singapore!! Dude,give us a break!! The mods must be sleeping now [It`s late night here in US,dont know what time it is in Singapore!].But rest assured,once they wake up they will take care of things! :P
I'll buy a couple as soon as my check from the king of Nigeria arrives
pftt Nigeria doesn't have a King. The king was overthrown in a coup and that is why the prince of Nigeria is moving all his money out of the country and paying us to help him route it around customs.
Thanks for that. The mehanic may have had my best interest at heart. The company should have had it also. If I was able to drive my truck in. I should have atleast been able to drive it away. How do you charge me the consumer for work done to a vehicle that is not drivable ? Can anyone answer that ? :confuse:
Thanks Jipster and all the others re: the VIN idea. I was gonna say that the dealers by me are probably all open on Sunday morning (godless heathens, LOL), and how I could get eyestrain trying to read the VIN through the windshield, blah, blah, blah. Then I remembered it's on the sticker. Some genius even reminded me that it is usually on the dealers website! But somehow I don't think having a VIN or stock number is going to help me get a price online. I don't know if the dealers are in collusion or what, but nobody has responded to my pricing requests and this includes 2-3 different vehicles from 3-4 different dealers. I have specifically told them what options/pkgs. I was interested in. I have even asked for quotes already on models that show up on a dealers website.
As for those who seem concerned by my time frame, I guess they think I'm not serious now or I'm wasting the salespersons time, I would really like to know what vehicles are in my ballpark range. I know pricing could change in seven to eight weeks, and probably will. But lets face it,like most middle aged homeowners who are still with their first spouse, I could walk in and basically buy the car on two credit cards if I wanted to and pay off the cards with a loan or when my cash arrives. I could certainly put several grand down on a CC and then finance the rest through the dealer and pay that loan off whenever I wanted. My point is not to brag about my credit rating, but just to say that I could move quickly if I thought the deal was great and the model selection very limited. For example, lets say that I could get a new '07 or '08 4Runner for six grand under MSRP, which I don't think is going to happen, I might do the deal today because the supply by me is limited to six of those vehicles.
Maybe I will try to get an internet price on those leftovers by VIN or stock number. I have one son in college and another a year away, and just don't want a large monthly payment. I only feel comfortable with a small (10K) loan.
We still ask that you post in the correct location - In this case, Cash for Clunkers - Does it Work for You? is the appropriate place (and that discussion is right on-topic!)
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
The strange thing is that cars in Singapore are REALLY expensive. We're talking a little old, beat up Sentra costing $50,000 USD (not exact price, but you get the idea). So either they're exporting really crappy cars, or it was a scam.
"Buy from us, and you can finance through our Nigerian subsidiary"
The most important part of the jipster method is you focus in on a specific car - via vin or stock number. When you and the dealer are interacting on an actual vehicle you are being seen as a serious buyer.You stand out from the looky loos and chislers. It worked for me when I bought my murano. Went to the dealership already knowing I wanted one. Looked at the inventory -- had him check other dealers for colors/options. Didn't have exactly what I wanted but we did sit in a nice sapphire blur sl awd/ pano roof which I thought was out of budget. Went home and instead of waiting for him to get one from another dealer phoned the salesman and said "give me your best price on the one in the showroom and I'll buy it today." I got a great price and drove home that day with my car. I was always respectful and low key.
"I don't know if the dealers are in collusion or what, but nobody has responded to my pricing requests and this includes 2-3 different vehicles from 3-4 different dealers" No one wants to waste their time putting together a price because from experience they know that people looking for prices online are not serious or will go with another place that beat them by 5 bucks. Putting a price together takes time something a salesperson can’t afford when they get 100s OTD requests for prices and out of those maybe 1 or 2 will actually purchase. If you are serious just go to the dealer and compare apples to apples and OTD.
"As for those who seem concerned by my time frame, I guess they think I'm not serious now or I'm wasting the salespersons time, I would really like to know what vehicles are in my ballpark range." Use Edmunds TMV.
"I know pricing could change in seven to eight weeks, and probably will." Then why get prices now? ... use Edmunds TMV. When you tell a salesperson this they will understandable losing interest in you really fast.
"I could walk in and basically buy the car on two credit cards if I wanted to and pay off the cards with a loan or when my cash arrives." Extremely unlikely car dealers do not take credit cards for a purchase of a car due to credit card rates.
"I could certainly put several grand down on a CC and then finance the rest through the dealer and pay that loan off whenever I wanted." Read above... perhaps a salesperson can chime in and advise what is the most they can take on a CC.... $500?
"My point is not to brag about my credit rating, but just to say that I could move quickly if I thought the deal was great and the model selection very limited." Then buy today and do not wait!
You will not get a serious price via internet.... purchasing a car is not like shopping at Wal-Mart online....and no... You can not return the car once purchased.
Jipster- Great idea....the first price quote is below invoice!
Thanks joel. :P
I don't put much faith in the accuracy of a dealerships website to check inventory though. It is not updated often enough. You'll be asking for a quote on a car that was sold 4 months ago. :sick:
The most important part of the jipster method is you focus in on a specific car - via vin or stock number. When you and the dealer are interacting on an actual vehicle you are being seen as a serious buyer..... phoned the salesman and said "give me your best price on the one in the showroom and I'll buy it today." I got a great price and drove home that day with my car. I was always respectful and low key.
I think that is a good idea, and mentioned in an earlier "ad" about the Jipst method. You can make that initial contact through email, or go down to the dealership, pick out one or two cars you really like (get vin#, color,options ) talk to a salesman and get his card, go home, take a nap, ,.. then email that salesman to get a quote. If this method wouldn't work with getting an internet quote, then nothing will.
I think when a dealership gets that second contact from a customer, it really shows them they are getting a buyer.
$3000. Good answer. The vast majority of internet leads are nothing more than surfers. Everyone is going to buy in the next 48 hours. If he really wants the best price, he best be ready to commit to a number before he asks. The best way is to have a number in mind and offer slightly less. Be firm, realistic and ready to buy. Phone or visit work will produce better results, In fact all my internet sales are consummated and discussed in person or phone after the initial internet inquiry.
Our max is $2,000 but yeah some where between $2,000 and $3,000 seems normal.
I am working about a dozen internet leads right now from the past week. I send everyone a price even if they say they are a few months out. I usually give them a range of prices for the people really far out as they are often the least exact with equipment level. I make it clear that the price is only good for 10 days and remind them that programs change monthly so I have no idea what the real price will be next month.
Over the last 14 days I have 18 internet leads. All of them have had phone calls if they gave me a number but three of the numbers were fake. All of them have had emails sent to them. About half ever bothered to respond to my emails or phone calls. Two of the ones that did respond emailed me that they already bought another car so they were just using my number to check another dealer.
I managed to sell a car to one of the 18 and have gotten two other people to come in and actually sit down to talk about cars. That is about the best you can hope for and I can see why some people don't want to put in the work for it. I spend a lot of time screwing with email leads even on my day off, even at night at home, even on freaking Sunday.
I only get a couple of deals a month out of it but if one of those deals pushes me to the next bonus level then that is great. A car that I might have sold at no profit or a slight loss and took a long time to put together might be worth an extra 500 or 1000 dollars at the end of the month.
Yeah I have heard that too and I think it is BS. If you can get 10 percent of the people to actually show up for an appointment I think you are doing good. I always thought I was doing well with internet leads if I could close 3 to 5 percent of them.
Here is another thing to consider to all those who think that Internet shopping websites provide such a great service: Every time you, your 5 year-old son, an inmate at local jail, or someone that is just bored submits a quote request through one of these websites - a dealer is getting charged around $25. If you think these websites care about you getting the best deal, or great service - you are sadly mistaken. All they care about is getting you so fill in a form, and send it to as many dealers as they can, so they can make as much money as they can, whether you do or don't buy a car.
Must be paying off though for them to do so. Take 100 internet quote requests, that's $2,500 paid out. If a dealership closes on 5% of those, 5 cars at $501 profit per car, that's a net profit of $5. Plenty of profit for a dealership to operate on IMO.
You aren't making 500 bucks of profit per new car for internet sales at any non-lux or non-exotic dealership. Unless it is a very hard to find or in demand car pretty much every quote goes out below invoice minus incentives. Even with a little funny money coming back from the factory you aren't going to clear $501 bucks net after expenses. You gotta clean the car, gas the car, pay the salesman etc.
Something I noticed a few months ago over the winter as new car sales slowed more and more was that we were getting internet leads from farther away then normal.
Our overall volume of leads was staying about the same maybe a slight drop but the distance they were coming from was increasing. That didn't make much sense until I thought about it some more. The lead providers were trying to keep their revenue stream constant so they just expanded the geographic area that they would use to funnel leads to dealers. As volume dropped off they just forwarded leads to dealers that would normally be well out of the local area to keep the volume close to even.
I would call these people tell them where I was calling from and they would be furious. "I don't want to buy a car out of state why are you calling me leave me alone."
"Hey don't blame me blame whoever you sent your inquiry through I am just responding to what they sent me and they never said anything about instate or local dealers only."
The Internet has killed the New Car Sales business but most of the salesmen at the showrooms haven't figured it out yet. The whole business is a scam, where management pretends that new employees can make decent money. After about 3 months, 80 percent of the newbies are gone, and the Dealership recruits a fresh batch of suckers.
They will also lie to the salesman, saying that they aren't making any money on the deals that they are making. Then why are they approving them for? Some dealers aren't even paying salesmen a minimum commission of $100 anymore! The truth is that the dealers are getting oodles of "Secret Cash" from the the manufacturers (stair-step, etc) and not telling the customer or the salesman. The whole industry is a big rip-off.
I just test drove a nice Mazda 6 this weekend, and the salesman had been there about two weeks and didn't know anything about the car. He will be gone in a month or so.
They should adopt a CarMax sort of business model, at least they aren't deceiving people there, and you have some people who can become knowledgable about the product.
The Internet has killed the New Car Sales business but most of the salesmen at the showrooms haven't figured it out yet.
Where are you getting this information from? How can the itnernet kill the new car sales?
The truth is that the dealers are getting oodles of "Secret Cash" from the the manufacturers (stair-step, etc) and not telling the customer or the salesman.
So what? OTD is what matters... we all pay it... I could care less how much the dealer makes. I guess the "Secret Cash" is no longer a secret.
I just test drove a nice Mazda 6 this weekend
You seem to "test drive" alot... do you actually ever purchase or do you do this for fun?
Carmax is all about the process. You funnel all the customers through one entrance to a greeter. The greeter sets up the process gets some basic info directs you were you want to go. You can go out and look at the cars but only after you get past the greeter. The whole lot is fenced or walled off so no one can look at the cars without being touched by the greeter first.
You want to drive a car or even look in one you have to get one of the guys on the lot to get a key to open the key box on the car. Then you can drive and head back into the closed lot then go through the other side of the process. The sales people know nothing about the cars they just work the process get as much info as possible about the customer and what they want. Then they hand the customer off to a manager . Maybe they get some of the trade info if there is a trade.
They work every customer through the same process and that is how they get sales.
You may run across the occasional product knowledge guy there but they won't stay long. They will get frustrated with the lack of money and the system so they will go to a regular dealership.
The Internet is great for the consumer, no question about that. I am talking about people who work in the Sales Department, I know you don't care about them.
What other cars have I tested in the last six months? Answer: none.
Every town is different. In Florida it is very transient and people come and go on a monthly basis. There is no product knowledge when you are only there a month, and are being paid a minimum wage "draw". Perhaps in smaller towns it is different, I would hope so. Maybe not so much turnover.
First of all it`s not the buyer`s concern to know about the salesman`s finances or earnings.Should be neither of your concern.You want to buy a car-Do some basic research on www for about 2-3 hrs and voila you have all the info available.Select a car with the options you want,test drive it ,be courteous and polite to the salesman and expect the same ,give them your offer ,that`s it.They can take it or leave it. Ultimately,it`s your money,no one can force you. And I think a lot of people miss the actual point here.The salesman is just the face of the dealership.His attitude,tactics,professionalism etc are all indicative of the dealership,not his.If the owner implements high pressure tactics,aggressive attitudes to buy now--well that shows what type of owner he is.The salesman just follows orders.He is what the owner wants him to be. If the management is a no pressure,easy going ,courteous one-then automatically the salesman would be the same. So I think it`s unfair to the salesman to be called names-.He just represents the dealership management.
If someone is worried about haggling,they can always go to Carmax or fitzmall.And if there is none in their area,then can drive to the nearest Carmax that is 200 miles away.Why?A car is a major purchase that you buy roughly once every 5 years or more. Also carmax is a great place for new cars.Good prices,no haggle,no negotiating. But for used cars,it is totally crap.Why?Their used car prices are so expensive and over the top.A 2 yr used car at carmax can be more expensive than a brand new car without rebates.Go figure! Yes,it`s the best place to get a trade in value-which is written offer good for 7 days-You can use that offer to buy a car from a different place..Not New cars but old cars most certainly. Just MHO.
Were you a salesman who worked at this dealership? Or do you know someone who worked at such a dealership? If yes to any of these,please share some interesting dealership questions. This forum is getting slow..Need some queries and replies!! :shades:
Wasn't doing a floorplan check, was taking inventory for an audit of the financial statements. It was a group of 3 or 4 dealerships that the accounting firm was having difficulty with so they wanted to get as accurate a year end inventory count as possible at the same time. It was believed that the managers were shifting inventory around to boost the balance sheets. As it turned out they were way short in the parts inventory.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Gonna be a lot of dealers in that kind of shape by the end of the year. Dealers that are on the edge for floorplan are going to lose their floorplan and probably go under.
are you talking about the plastic garbage that described the pontiac of the '90s or just simple strips of rubber down the side of the door to help protect from door dings??
Yes, the dealer should be able to install a keyless entry fairly easily. Either that or take it to a stereo shop and they'll do it for you as well. As for the side moldings, if the car was designed to have them (most cars are, just a lot times they are removed for asthetic reasons), then the dealer can also do that as well. Just expect to pay extra for the services of the dealer doing it.
I mean, would you recommend it to your son or daughter if they were not inclined to go to college, get educated, etc. etc.
Is it something that a person could do for thirty, thirty five years, have kids, provide for a family etc.etc?
The reason I ask is that it seems to attract many younger adults, and I have the feeling they don't stay. But I do see a large contingent of middle aged professional men too.
Are commissions that low that the new car industry can't attract a stable base of people who make a profession of it?
What exactly is the range on commisiions. I mean money in the salespersons pocket? I realize this could vary greatly.
About how many cars can a salesperson expect to sell per month? Again, I realize that this could vary greatly and am just wondering about an average range.
You all really have my respect. I know dealing with the public is not easy, nor are lots of nights and weekends.
To answer your question, no I don't think so. At least not at the mass market level. Salemen get paid on commission and that is generated by gross profit. such profit is hard to come by on the average new car anymore. It's gonna go to more of a Walmart entry level salary position. Now, at the luxury level you can make a good living. there it is more about relationships and the profit structure is far better. Of course, you have to be a more accomplished individual to get into a high line store. A lot of the sales people at the luxury level have come over from other professions, both inside and outside the sales arena.
No, you can't make a living. Everyone who is in the business is a masochist. They are all uneducated, ignorant folks who can't and won't provide for their family.
They are all fly by night types, in and out, never holding a job for more than 6 months.
Commissions typically range from $25-43 per car. You're right, there is a big variance.
Salespeople can expect to sell about 2 cars a month, 3 if they are really working at it.
Tough business, but the masochists have to have something to do....
It would seem to me that working at a dealership thats sells say, BMWs, Lexus, or even Toyotas or Hondas is pretty much a no brainer. I think the cars sell themselves. I realize that there is competition, but I would think that if the price is fair, and the deal is transparent, the customer would buy from wherever he or she is treated fairly and the dealership is convenient.
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That would be another tool in getting an internet quote, if that is the way one wants to go about it. Nothing says, "I AM A NOW BUYER" more, than making the first offer.
That's the problem. The OP is not buying for 2 months. So not sure why he's asking for prices already. By his own admission, a price today might not be available/valid in 2 months when he's ready to buy.
SF Toyota, at that time, responded quickly, said "yeah, we'll do that price and we have 3 that meet your requirements and here are slight variations in price due to options on the cars".
My favorite story about this experience is that after I made the deal, as I left the place the sales manager came out, dressed to the nines, and handed me his business card and cell phone #, and then BOWED to me as I left. LOL!
This was the same dealer who spat out 88 Prius sales in one month. (not recently, obviously). These guys were on their toes, lemme tell ya.
For a true "new" 07 or 08 I'd treat it as a used car with very low milage. Look it up here on Edmunds Used car appraiser. For a demo I would treat it like a rental car. I never put much stock in that stuff about "it was never titled so it's not used". If it has miles on it, it's used.
Usually the reason those lot queens hang around is that the dealer is crazy and wants full price for his slowly rusting lawn ornament.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I don't think it's a dumb idea, but you need to figure out if there's a cheaper way to do it.
Price a one way plane ticket, plus a car rental versus a one way plane ticket, an extra car payment, an extra month of insurance. Don't forget to take into account the 2400 miles you will put on your new car.
This is personal preference, but I don't think I would take a brand new car in a cross country trip like that. There's always the possibility that some warranty work will be needed. You don't want to be far away from a dealer if that happens. Plus I really baby my cars during the break in period (I know some people say that modern cars don't do need it, but I take it easy regardless).
We drove cross country over 10 days when we moved from CT to CA and we had a blast. I'm sure you will too.
The rules of this forum strictly prohibit anyone from soliciting business which you are doing.So please follow the rules and stop promoting your business or else very soon the mods may remove your posts. :shades:
And there is no place for unsolicited business promtion on edmunds.Exporting cars from Singapore!! Dude,give us a break!!
The mods must be sleeping now
Dang it. The hosts always wake up before me and delete all the good stuff. Cheap cars from Singapore sounds teriffic.
I'll buy a couple as soon as my check from the king of Nigeria arrives.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
pftt Nigeria doesn't have a King. The king was overthrown in a coup and that is why the prince of Nigeria is moving all his money out of the country and paying us to help him route it around customs.
Get your facts straight. :P
Is the $3500/$4500 deducted before or after taxes?
Thanks.
As for those who seem concerned by my time frame, I guess they think I'm not serious now or I'm wasting the salespersons time, I would really like to know what vehicles are in my ballpark range. I know pricing could change in seven to eight weeks, and probably will. But lets face it,like most middle aged homeowners who are still with their first spouse, I could walk in and basically buy the car on two credit cards if I wanted to and pay off the cards with a loan or when my cash arrives. I could certainly put several grand down on a CC and then finance the rest through the dealer and pay that loan off whenever I wanted. My point is not to brag about my credit rating, but just to say that I could move quickly if I thought the deal was great and the model selection very limited. For example, lets say that I could get a new '07 or '08 4Runner for six grand under MSRP, which I don't think is going to happen, I might do the deal today because the supply by me is limited to six of those vehicles.
Maybe I will try to get an internet price on those leftovers by VIN or stock number. I have one son in college and another a year away, and just don't want a large monthly payment. I only feel comfortable with a small (10K) loan.
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The strange thing is that cars in Singapore are REALLY expensive. We're talking a little old, beat up Sentra costing $50,000 USD (not exact price, but you get the idea). So either they're exporting really crappy cars, or it was a scam.
"Buy from us, and you can finance through our Nigerian subsidiary"
No one wants to waste their time putting together a price because from experience they know that people looking for prices online are not serious or will go with another place that beat them by 5 bucks.
Putting a price together takes time something a salesperson can’t afford when they get 100s OTD requests for prices and out of those maybe 1 or 2 will actually purchase.
If you are serious just go to the dealer and compare apples to apples and OTD.
"As for those who seem concerned by my time frame, I guess they think I'm not serious now or I'm wasting the salespersons time, I would really like to know what vehicles are in my ballpark range."
Use Edmunds TMV.
"I know pricing could change in seven to eight weeks, and probably will."
Then why get prices now? ... use Edmunds TMV. When you tell a salesperson this they will understandable losing interest in you really fast.
"I could walk in and basically buy the car on two credit cards if I wanted to and pay off the cards with a loan or when my cash arrives."
Extremely unlikely car dealers do not take credit cards for a purchase of a car due to credit card rates.
"I could certainly put several grand down on a CC and then finance the rest through the dealer and pay that loan off whenever I wanted."
Read above... perhaps a salesperson can chime in and advise what is the most they can take on a CC.... $500?
"My point is not to brag about my credit rating, but just to say that I could move quickly if I thought the deal was great and the model selection very limited."
Then buy today and do not wait!
You will not get a serious price via internet.... purchasing a car is not like shopping at Wal-Mart online....and no... You can not return the car once purchased.
Thanks joel. :P
I don't put much faith in the accuracy of a dealerships website to check inventory though. It is not updated often enough. You'll be asking for a quote on a car that was sold 4 months ago. :sick:
I think that is a good idea, and mentioned in an earlier "ad" about the Jipst method. You can make that initial contact through email, or go down to the dealership, pick out one or two cars you really like (get vin#, color,options ) talk to a salesman and get his card, go home, take a nap, ,.. then email that salesman to get a quote. If this method wouldn't work with getting an internet quote, then nothing will.
I think when a dealership gets that second contact from a customer, it really shows them they are getting a buyer.
$3000. Good answer. The vast majority of internet leads are nothing more than surfers. Everyone is going to buy in the next 48 hours. If he really wants the best price, he best be ready to commit to a number before he asks. The best way is to have a number in mind and offer slightly less. Be firm, realistic and ready to buy. Phone or visit work will produce better results, In fact all my internet sales are consummated and discussed in person or phone after the initial internet inquiry.
I am working about a dozen internet leads right now from the past week. I send everyone a price even if they say they are a few months out. I usually give them a range of prices for the people really far out as they are often the least exact with equipment level. I make it clear that the price is only good for 10 days and remind them that programs change monthly so I have no idea what the real price will be next month.
Over the last 14 days I have 18 internet leads. All of them have had phone calls if they gave me a number but three of the numbers were fake. All of them have had emails sent to them. About half ever bothered to respond to my emails or phone calls. Two of the ones that did respond emailed me that they already bought another car so they were just using my number to check another dealer.
I managed to sell a car to one of the 18 and have gotten two other people to come in and actually sit down to talk about cars. That is about the best you can hope for and I can see why some people don't want to put in the work for it. I spend a lot of time screwing with email leads even on my day off, even at night at home, even on freaking Sunday.
I only get a couple of deals a month out of it but if one of those deals pushes me to the next bonus level then that is great. A car that I might have sold at no profit or a slight loss and took a long time to put together might be worth an extra 500 or 1000 dollars at the end of the month.
Every time you, your 5 year-old son, an inmate at local jail, or someone that is just bored submits a quote request through one of these websites - a dealer is getting charged around $25.
If you think these websites care about you getting the best deal, or great service - you are sadly mistaken. All they care about is getting you so fill in a form, and send it to as many dealers as they can, so they can make as much money as they can, whether you do or don't buy a car.
Must be paying off though for them to do so. Take 100 internet quote requests, that's $2,500 paid out. If a dealership closes on 5% of those, 5 cars at $501 profit per car, that's a net profit of $5. Plenty of profit for a dealership to operate on IMO.
Something I noticed a few months ago over the winter as new car sales slowed more and more was that we were getting internet leads from farther away then normal.
Our overall volume of leads was staying about the same maybe a slight drop but the distance they were coming from was increasing. That didn't make much sense until I thought about it some more. The lead providers were trying to keep their revenue stream constant so they just expanded the geographic area that they would use to funnel leads to dealers. As volume dropped off they just forwarded leads to dealers that would normally be well out of the local area to keep the volume close to even.
I would call these people tell them where I was calling from and they would be furious. "I don't want to buy a car out of state why are you calling me leave me alone."
"Hey don't blame me blame whoever you sent your inquiry through I am just responding to what they sent me and they never said anything about instate or local dealers only."
Try reading and recording the VIN for every car in a dealership at 11PM new years eve when its 20 degrees out and snowing.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
They will also lie to the salesman, saying that they aren't making any money on the deals that they are making. Then why are they approving them for? Some dealers aren't even paying salesmen a minimum commission of $100 anymore! The truth is that the dealers are getting oodles of "Secret Cash" from the the manufacturers (stair-step, etc) and not telling the customer or the salesman. The whole industry is a big rip-off.
I just test drove a nice Mazda 6 this weekend, and the salesman had been there about two weeks and didn't know anything about the car. He will be gone in a month or so.
They should adopt a CarMax sort of business model, at least they aren't deceiving people there, and you have some people who can become knowledgable about the product.
Where are you getting this information from?
How can the itnernet kill the new car sales?
The truth is that the dealers are getting oodles of "Secret Cash" from the the manufacturers (stair-step, etc) and not telling the customer or the salesman.
So what? OTD is what matters... we all pay it... I could care less how much the dealer makes.
I guess the "Secret Cash" is no longer a secret.
I just test drove a nice Mazda 6 this weekend
You seem to "test drive" alot... do you actually ever purchase or do you do this for fun?
You want to go to Carmax for product knowledge?
Carmax is all about the process. You funnel all the customers through one entrance to a greeter. The greeter sets up the process gets some basic info directs you were you want to go. You can go out and look at the cars but only after you get past the greeter. The whole lot is fenced or walled off so no one can look at the cars without being touched by the greeter first.
You want to drive a car or even look in one you have to get one of the guys on the lot to get a key to open the key box on the car. Then you can drive and head back into the closed lot then go through the other side of the process. The sales people know nothing about the cars they just work the process get as much info as possible about the customer and what they want. Then they hand the customer off to a manager . Maybe they get some of the trade info if there is a trade.
They work every customer through the same process and that is how they get sales.
You may run across the occasional product knowledge guy there but they won't stay long. They will get frustrated with the lack of money and the system so they will go to a regular dealership.
What other cars have I tested in the last six months? Answer: none.
Who peed in your corn flakes today?
Ultimately,it`s your money,no one can force you.
And I think a lot of people miss the actual point here.The salesman is just the face of the dealership.His attitude,tactics,professionalism etc are all indicative of the dealership,not his.If the owner implements high pressure tactics,aggressive attitudes to buy now--well that shows what type of owner he is.The salesman just follows orders.He is what the owner wants him to be.
If the management is a no pressure,easy going ,courteous one-then automatically the salesman would be the same.
So I think it`s unfair to the salesman to be called names-.He just represents the dealership management.
Also carmax is a great place for new cars.Good prices,no haggle,no negotiating.
But for used cars,it is totally crap.Why?Their used car prices are so expensive and over the top.A 2 yr used car at carmax can be more expensive than a brand new car without rebates.Go figure!
Yes,it`s the best place to get a trade in value-which is written offer good for 7 days-You can use that offer to buy a car from a different place..Not New cars but old cars most certainly.
Just MHO.
The rest of your post really made no sense, so I won't address it.
If yes to any of these,please share some interesting dealership questions.
This forum is getting slow..Need some queries and replies!! :shades:
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Gonna be a lot of dealers in that kind of shape by the end of the year. Dealers that are on the edge for floorplan are going to lose their floorplan and probably go under.
My dealer tried to charge me for the full tank of gas that the invoice said came free.
And I didn't even cost him $25 to get my lead.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Yes, the dealer should be able to install a keyless entry fairly easily. Either that or take it to a stereo shop and they'll do it for you as well. As for the side moldings, if the car was designed to have them (most cars are, just a lot times they are removed for asthetic reasons), then the dealer can also do that as well. Just expect to pay extra for the services of the dealer doing it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Is it something that a person could do for thirty, thirty five years, have kids, provide for a family etc.etc?
The reason I ask is that it seems to attract many younger adults, and I have the feeling they don't stay. But I do see a large contingent of middle aged professional men too.
Are commissions that low that the new car industry can't attract a stable base of people who make a profession of it?
What exactly is the range on commisiions. I mean money in the salespersons pocket? I realize this could vary greatly.
About how many cars can a salesperson expect to sell per month? Again, I realize that this could vary greatly and am just wondering about an average range.
You all really have my respect. I know dealing with the public is not easy, nor are lots of nights and weekends.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
At least not at the mass market level. Salemen get paid on commission and that is generated by gross profit. such profit is hard to come by on the average new car anymore. It's gonna go to more of a Walmart entry level salary position.
Now, at the luxury level you can make a good living. there it is more about relationships and the profit structure is far better. Of course, you have to be a more accomplished individual to get into a high line store. A lot of the sales people at the luxury level have come over from other professions, both inside and outside the sales arena.
They are all fly by night types, in and out, never holding a job for more than 6 months.
Commissions typically range from $25-43 per car. You're right, there is a big variance.
Salespeople can expect to sell about 2 cars a month, 3 if they are really working at it.
Tough business, but the masochists have to have something to do....
Am I wrong?