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Any Questions for a Car Dealer?

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Comments

  • prodigalsunprodigalsun Member Posts: 213
    Simply, the second fastest production car Dodge has ever made. it's got gobs of low end torque, a great suspension, and viper "inspired" seats. Car and Driver christened it FrankenNeon. Close ratio 5 speed transmission that likes to play rough. Sport Compact Car magazine ran it on their dynos and got 220+ HP at the wheels, and 250 Ft. Pds. of torque.

    I'm waiting to go with an '04 version for the following reasons.

    1. comes with a Limited Slip Differential
    2. ECU has been tweaked to command even more lowe end torque
    3. Sunroof now available.

    Mark156, you can buy one and tow it behind your Country Coach, or Prevost conversion.
  • lancerfixerlancerfixer Member Posts: 1,284
    Stay away from the car lots.

    :-)
  • mark156mark156 Member Posts: 1,915
    Now I'm educated on a Dodge SRT-4. I'll keep my peeled for one on the streets.

    Mark
    2010 Land Rover LR4, 2013 Honda CR-V, 2009 Bentley GTC, 1990 MB 500SL, 2001 MB S500, 2007 Lincoln TC, 1964 RR Silver Cloud III, 1995 MB E320 Cab., 2015 Prevost Liberty Coach
  • michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    You can identify them since they have dual exhausts, one on either side. A neighbor down the street from us has one in white. Quite a Q-ship, I should think. Will embarrass the heck out of Mustangs and Camaros, not to mention the odd BMW.
  • akanglakangl Member Posts: 3,282
    *Drool* stop it or I'm making a fast trip to the Dodge dealer. They have a perty yellow one sitting on the showroom floor.

    *sitting here feeling a huge need for speed*
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    "the need for speed", run around your house about 78 times. You'll be winded, and probably a little dizzy, and definitely thirsty - get a drink, and you needs will be fulfilled.

    And stay away from the car lots!
  • akanglakangl Member Posts: 3,282
    I'm too busy trying to find my daughter a show pony and find a stallion to breed my arabian to, I don't have time to visit car lots.

    If I want to satisfy my need for speed I'll jump on my Arabian mare and go down the trail......she's a champion barrel racer if that gives you any idea how fast she is, hehehe.
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
  • akanglakangl Member Posts: 3,282
    If ya want to call it that. To top that off, my Explorer got $600 worth of damage done to it the other day, something flew up off the highway and caved the fender in. Body shop just groaned at the color of my truck and said it will be almost impossible to match.

    Steering back on topic......why do car makers have to make vehicles in such strange colors??
  • zueslewiszueslewis Member Posts: 2,353
    I think about Calypso Green and Cayman Green - colors on the Probe and Explorer - very popular in '92-94 when I was with a Ford store, but a pain to match the colors.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Why the strange colors...?

    Ah...because people actually buy them!
  • akanglakangl Member Posts: 3,282
    Desert Violet Metallic, it was a color put on 97 Explorer Limited, lots of frosts and pearls in that color, ugh. So, I can have the dent pulled without repainting it for $110 and it will be 98% or so. OR I can have it fixed the right way for $600 and have a fender that doesn't quite match. OR I can pretend it doesn't have a dent.
  • afk_xafk_x Member Posts: 393
    Don't think so...

    I think your salesperson is confused. Unless like you say - they have a VERY large doc fee and or other misc. fees
  • prodigalsunprodigalsun Member Posts: 213
    I won't actually know until I try and work the deal. She seemed pretty knowledgable about the vehicle, but hard to tell based on one phone call.

    I'm prepared to pay MSRP, but not a 6K sucker sticker. I'm already violating every car buying financial stance I've ever taken on these boards by even CONSIDERING a new car. So the car will automatically loose 8K once I drive it off the lot, NO Thanks!
  • jratcliffejratcliffe Member Posts: 233
    Yeah, it'll drop $8k in value when you drive it off the lot, but just think how FAST you can drive it off the lot. :)
  • jratcliffejratcliffe Member Posts: 233
    Couple on eBay for $21k Buy it Now (bright shiny yellow). That's about $500 above sticker, I think (unless the $20k sticker includes dest charge).
  • landru2landru2 Member Posts: 638
    Of course that $8000 is all talk unless you actually did sell it right after driving off the lot. And who would be be dumb enough to do that? :^)
  • prodigalsunprodigalsun Member Posts: 213
    If I drove it right off the lot into a manure spreader, I'd be up the creek on the insurance, unless they're gonna pick up the sucker sticker as well.

    Jratcliffe: 19995 includes destination charges. So they are 1K above.
  • landru2landru2 Member Posts: 638
    Oh ya, I forgot you can't get waiver of depreciation insurance in the U.S. It costs about $40 a year up here.

    "If I drove it right off the lot into a manure spreader"

    Like I said, who'd be dumb enough to do that? :^)
  • rivertownrivertown Member Posts: 928
    There's always gap insurance.
  • mfletouvamfletouva Member Posts: 166
    Just curious...
    I just bought a 2004 Subaru Forester X Auto for $19,500. MSRP was $22245, Invoice $20365, and the holdback is 3%, or $667. That means I got the car for $865 under invoice, and even a few hundred under invoice+holdback. There are no cash back or dealer to cash incentives on the car.

    One of the dealers I was working would have sold it to me at invoice and said that anyone who sold it in the $19's would be 'losing money,' and actually said that my quote for $19500 was a lie. (Of course it wasn't and I got the car for 19500 (+a $99 doc fee) with no hassle.) I could have had for the same price at another dealer too.

    My question, though, is why the dealer did my deal--I mean, it is $865 under invoice. Is there some sort of incentive on these things that I don't know about? I am in New England, so could Subaru of New England have negotiated a particularly good deal? Just wondering if anyone knew...
  • prodigalsunprodigalsun Member Posts: 213
    Probably your Scintilating smile and devil may care Joie de vivre. Your Je ne sais quois probably played a part as well.

    Seroiusly, perhaps they were looking to hit a volume target for additional money from the manufacturer.

    Rivertown: I thought gap insurance was only applicable in leasing situations. I'd be looking to buy.
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    what is the "protection package" that is offered by Honda Accord dealers?
  • rivertownrivertown Member Posts: 928
    My insurance agent put me into GAP coverage with my before last buy. The cost was $38 a year.

    On my last buy, the F&I (Honda) guy offered a version of GAP ($5K straight payout if the car is stolen and totaled) for $7 a month for the life of the loan (60 mo).
  • carguy1234carguy1234 Member Posts: 233
    I had a similar experience a while back on an F150. Got it for almost 2 thousand less than any rebates, incentives, holdback, etc, could account for. I wasn't even grinding on price at all - that is what they offered me up front.

    The Finance guy basically told me they were pretty much giving away cars to hit sales targets. I hit a great time to buy (late in the afternoon at the end of the fiscal quarter and year).

    For the dealers on here - does this happen a lot? Seems like I've read that you can get better deals near closing times on Fridays, especially near the end of a fiscal quarter.
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    This includes trunk tray, splash guards, and wheel locks.
  • jeffmust2jeffmust2 Member Posts: 811
    fiscal year, late Friday afternoon, just before tip-off for the NBA finals seventh game, with the introduction of next year's new models being set-up under a huge tent out in the parking lot, with search light generators being put into place, and with BBQs getting fired-up to cook the cheapest possible hotdogs and hamburgers along with free beer for all.

    And only if on that same day it happens to be the SM's birthday and wedding anniversary combined - because he was too cheap to celebrate on different dates.

    Otherwise, I don't bother - because it's obvious that The Really Good Deals won't be on the table.
  • mackabeemackabee Member Posts: 4,709
    are had around closing time. End of the month, late at night.
                       : )
                       Mackabee

    p.s. but then again, don't show up at 5 minutes till closing and expect to get a good deal. You might tick people waiting to go home.
  • raybearraybear Member Posts: 1,795
    Right now there is an additional incentive to the dealer after a quota has been reached. While it's less than the amount mentioned, if that car was the one that made the number, it was worth it.
  • sergeymsergeym Member Posts: 284
    A friend of mine wants to buy a car which will be driven by a family memeber. She cannot drive due to health issues. The family member has no credit history and she does not want him to be an owner anyway. So is it possible to finance/lease a car withouht being a licensed driver?
  • afk_xafk_x Member Posts: 393
    You can buy a car without a valid drivers license. They most likely will need to fill out some type of form explaining that they will not drive the car and that the vehicle is being purchased as a gift. In California that form would be called a DMV "Statement of facts"
  • SAR21102SAR21102 Member Posts: 29
    How do dealers really feel about someone who wants to buy a car that's less valuable than the trade-in? In my case, the Edmunds trade-in value is $16,500 and the new car would be around $13,000.

    Thanks for your thoughts!
  • rerenov8rrerenov8r Member Posts: 380
    If the vehicle is an in-demand $16,500 vehicle (say a two-year old {02} Nissan Altima) almost any dealer would be happy to have that on the used car lot.

    Make it an 02 Dodge Intrepid and not even a Dodge store will be happy that's sitting out front....
  • jasmith52jasmith52 Member Posts: 462
    Your situation is somewhat unusual, however if you come in willing to do a valid (profitable) deal then there is no reason for someone not to do business with you.

    Keep in mind that Edmunds trade-in prices may or may not be representative of trade in prices for your market.
  • SAR21102SAR21102 Member Posts: 29
    Thanks, guys. It's an '01 A4 1.8TQ with 49K miles in very good condition.

    So what you're saying is that if the dealer makes a profit on the sale, AND thinks he has a good chance of making a profit on the resale of the trade-in, he'd probably do it?

    Thanks.
  • jratcliffejratcliffe Member Posts: 233
    Definitely, if the deal is profitable, he'll do it. Think of an absurd case: you trade in an almost new Porsche 911 for a Hyundai Elantra. If you're willing to take $25k for the $90k Porsche, and pay $20k for the $10k Elantra, the dealer will be happy to take your 911 keys and hand you the keys to the Elantra and a $5k check. :)
  • landru2landru2 Member Posts: 638
    pretty thin on cash flow to worry about that.

    They will sell the new car for whatever profit they make. They will also profit on the sale of the trade-in as long as they buy it right. Just like with any deal. The fact that the trade is worth more than the new one shouldn't make a difference.
  • peeetepeeete Member Posts: 136
    Should a purchaser expect to pay the same or less for a car that is factory ordered, when the car is not a "hot model."

    Specifically, I am thinking of factory ordering a 2004 Crown Vic or Grand Marquis. Not a particularly hot model, which from what I can tell normally sells at between $200-$500 over invoice before any rebates on in-stock units.

    Given that this is not a demand vehicle, would it be fair to assume that a factory order should result in a lower price? If so, what would be fair to the dealer? My assumption is that this sort of deal is only of value to the dealer for the following two reasons: 1. It creates volume for the dealer with Ford in their monthly/quarterly quotas; 2. There are little or no financing/floor plan costs as it goes right out the door after delivery.

    Thus the profit to the dealer might be less, but their financing costs in the car are also far less.

    I would appreciate your thoughts on this

    Pete
  • CarMan@EdmundsCarMan@Edmunds Member Posts: 38,514
    Hi Pete. One would think that dealers would love to sell ordered vehicles because they can turn them over as soon as they come in and they don't have to worry about paying any floorplan interest on them. However, in reality most dealers seem to prefer to sell vehicles that they already have on their lots. I suppose that the two main reasons for this is that they want to close your deal and have you drive off in your new car as quickly as possible so that you don't get cold feet or find a better deal and try to get out of your order. Also, they love to unload their existing inventory to make room on their lots. Having said this, you probably would be able to get a dealer to order you one of the cars that you mentioned in your post for $200-$500 over invoice if that is what you decide to do.

    Car_man
    Host
    Smart Shoppers / FWI Message Boards
  • lumbarlumbar Member Posts: 421
    OK, I'm considering three different vehicles, and want to drive them all. The test drive *matters*--I'm not just using it to confirm a purchase decision I've almost decided on. Also, I'm not just taking the car out on a lark. By the time I go in for the test drives, I'll be prepared to buy--but not necessarily "on the spot" (unless possibly if the last of the three is the clear winner). In short, it's unlikely I'll want to undergo a hard sell inside--something that seems immediately to follow many test drives--until I've weighed the three choices. However, I'd like to be considerate of the salesperson's time and effort, or I wouldn't be posting this. As a general matter, what's the best way to handle this? I definitely understand that, at least at some dealers, by taking the car out I become a serious prospect who shouldn't be allowed off the lot without the car.

    To be more specific on a slightly different angle, is it better to talk price first to avoid a situation where you test drive at one dealership and find a second dealership has a clearly better price for the same car? I imagine a lot of people don't think twice about this but I have no desire to waste somebody's time including my own.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    Tell the salesman you want to test drive a car, but you are not going to buy a car right now. If they let you take a test drive, then do it. Afterwards ask the sales man for his card, thank them, and leave.

    Once you decide what kind of car you want, then do some research to determine what price you are willing to pay. See if a dealer will accept your price. If not, then increase your offer until they accept it.

    By the way, the only way I know for sure my offer has been refused is to walk out the door and see if they change their mind. Therefore, I only make one offer on each trip to the dealer.

    Good luck.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Until you know you like the car!

    Simply tell the salespeople that you've narrowed it down to three or four cars and that you intend to drive them all.

    This will (or should, anyway)stop any hard sell.
  • manamalmanamal Member Posts: 426
    another thing to do if you can is to go at a quiet time at a dealer. Sat afternoon, they want to move cars...tuesday afternoon is usually quiet
  • rivertownrivertown Member Posts: 928
    you can e-mail the internet sales manager, tell him/her you're new car shopping, and ask him/her if you can set up a test drive appointment. What you get back will tell you a lot about whether you wanna do any further business with that dealership.
  • cfg1cfg1 Member Posts: 85
    Why do the manufacturers do European delivery? Do they get some kind of tax advantage? Why is there no Japanese delivery?
  • landru2landru2 Member Posts: 638
    that many North Americans have been dreaming of a Japanese driving vacation.
  • grandtotalgrandtotal Member Posts: 1,207
    I'd love to go back to Japan on vacation but both my "Japanese" vehicles were made in Canada.
  • rodc1rodc1 Member Posts: 36
    This is a horrible story about immoral dealer behavior. it was posted today on toyota sienna-prices paid board #2176. Short story-after ordering a vehicle with an agreed upon price the vehicle arrived and dealer wanted to screw a couple out of their deal. My question is how can you protect yourself from this happening. Also are there any "real" way you can fight this and get your deal. Forget better business bureau or regional manager. In the long run you still don't have your vehicle at an acceptable price.
  • masspectormasspector Member Posts: 509
    I am not a dealer, but when I ordered a toyota this spring I had a signed buyers order from the dealership at the time the car was purchased. I was expecting some problems too, but the transaction went great. Probably my best car buying experience ever.

    I guess the sales mgr could have tried something once the car got there, saying that he had not approved the salesman's price, but they did not.

    My guess is that since it is a sienna, the couple may have ordered before any were on the ground and the dealer once they got it and after having sold a few others realized that they could get more money for it. I agree, that is totally unethical and bogus. But if the couple only had a verbal agreement, than that is all they had. Even with an in stock unit the price is only good if it is in writing and signed by someone at the dealership.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I'll try to get over there for the story.

    Of course, there are always two sides to every story. Assuming the dealer did, in fact, try to raise the price or change the terms, there is no excuse whatever for that!

    And there is a good way to fight this...Walk Out!

    Lots of Toyota dealers out there!
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