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That's alot of words you printed out there.
What say we drop the reverse auction schtick and move on to other FUN topics -
like what is the ratio of free hot dogs to car sales. In other words how many free hot-dogs do you need to give away to get an additional car sold ? Now that's something I would like to know. Or conversely - If I buy a car from you - then how many hotdogs does that entitle me to ??
Or - What is the unit cost of one of those Giant inflatable Gorillas you put on top of the dealership when you have a "Monster Sale" ? Is someone assigned to put up the inflatable gorilla or do you contract it out.
-Jason
<edit> is it possible the shopping spree is at a "reverse auction" online site? <shudder...> the horror...
You can't combine offers, the coupons are broken down into $250 increments, and everything (madly overpriced) in the book starts at $300, plus shipping....
The catalog company, along with the dealer, considering you actually buy a car from them AND order something from the book, still makes money by selling you a $20 trinket, advertised at $300, for $50..plus shipping and applicable state sales taxes...
It's not $1,000 at a real store, while even seeming attractive, has to come from somewhere - like the bottom line of the car deal, raising the price of what you COULD pay without the "gift".
I hope that explanation works for your lady - mine won't just go with the "because it's a scam" or "because I said so" either.
I will find it hard to believe if they go ANY lower than this. Will keep you guys informed if they sell me the car at the final price or not!
I can't believe how right you guys where with all your wonderful advice. Thanks a million. Sure am glad I didn't listen to any of your sarcasm. Although I do appreciate what little good advice you guys gave!
Bill
Terry.
Years ago in Cancun on the way outta the hotel the desk clerk approached the wife - "wouldn't you like to have a free breakfast and this lovely little Cancun beach bag?" I said thanks - but no thanks - wifey says "but I want it "
After breakfast came the tour of the timeshare suites, T.O.'s between two salesman & then the manager ("It's only $15,000, and you can put it on your Visa!").
Only cost me a little time. An hour and a half well invested - she has not been interested in any "free" offers since.
regards,
kyfdx
Edmunds Price Checker
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Oh and the Explorer has a service appt for next Friday (leaky rear hatch and clicky front end). Sooooo, I would say don't plan your dates too close to now.
And, if you are supposed to strive to buy for the lowest price, why is a dealer evil when they try to do the same thing when "buying" your trade?
Overall, this boils down to doing research, being prepared, and having a clue.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
If my car is stolen, I can probably get more from the insurance than I could get from a trade-in. I say, give me the money and I will get a new car.
Besides, who wants their car back if it is stolen? Who knows what unpleasant things happened in the back seat.
-Dan-
And I just said that the scroll wheel works. I apparently couldn't help myself. Back to scrolling.
There have been several Automotive News stories about that guy - he couldn't hang in the car business, got fired from several places, and so he wrote all of that goofy stuff.
Sure, I have no doubt that 1 out of 1,000 dealerships operates like that - sounds to me more like one of those rating attempts, like Dateline.
The Dateline story was more of a scam than the "scam" it uncovered. They sent a lady in to buy a car with no restrictions, no questions, and no objections, and she got hammered. And why not?
However, most of the techniques you have posted are general sales techniques taught and practiced in many industries. In fact, Henry Kissinger (considered by many to be one of the greatest negotiators ever), wrote that the two most powerful words in any negotiation are "if" and "yes."
If you feel your trade is worth more than a dealer can offer, how is the dealer being duplicitous by suggesting you keep it and sell it yourself.
If a dealer can't offer a particular vehicle at a certain price, how is he duplicitous by presenting you one which he can offer at a lower price.
You presented these articles as though they documented some sort of unethical or fraudulent behavior on the part of car dealers when they clearly do not. With all due respect sir, I think it is you who needs to defend your position. I certainly look forward to you attempting to do so because you rock harder than Jack Black!
Yes, there are car dealers who would swindle their own mothers. However, most car dealers are honest hardworking businesspeople.
You'll want to be careful whose website you quote from. One of these 'consumer advocates' has a catch at the bottom of every page of his site. It says if you quote him for any reason, you owe him $10,000.00!
You aren't presenting any new information to people that might come in here sincerely looking for honest, upfront advice. You are copying the article written by someone no different than those who do walmarts**ks or ihatemyjob or whatever type of website. The author is disgruntled and reiterating all the stereotypes and misconceptions about car dealers and salesmen.
Please understand, my last post to you was deleted and I've learned my lesson to try to be civil; however, what I don't understand is none of the salespeople in this forum have said any of the things described in that article. So what's the point? That other salespeople are sleazy? Yeah, we knew that. There are sleazy salespeople. Big deal. Isn't that what edmunds.com is for? To educate people how to avoid those things? How to be a smarter shopper? Then why do when need this other site?
Ha! It's pretty funny that you say this because for the past week, I've heard this radio ad for a large area Chrysler dealer telling us it's not just May, but MONSTER MAY. They even provide the "grrwwwl" effects to convince me. ;-) I drove by yesterday and saw no monsters or gorillas.
"mine won't just go with the "because it's a scam" or "because I said so" either."
Ain't that the truth
-Jason
glad to hear it worked...that tells me that EVERYONE will be convinced with such a ploy...look for my ads soon!!
Heh! I guess I should have said "they even provided the "grrrwwll" effects to TRY convincing me". The only problem is I don't even know why MONSTER May is so much better than good old regular May. Fine, it's MONSTER May, great, I believe you. But, who cares?
My friend is the soon-to-be-hired IT director for this store. He worked previously at another Chrysler store in marketing and IT. He left when they kept letting people go and giving him their work. I hope I can convince him to stop the nonsense!
i gave bill my 2 cents worth when he was still in the "asking your opinion" phase. since then he's moved on to lecturing and baiting you guys.
the sad part is you all fall for it. if you want to move on, scroll by his postings.
how many 2000 word essays can you read in one day?
I personally change the station as quick as my fingers can find the buttons on the radio but they must work because they keep airing them.
Just curious is there a central clearing house for these type of ads because it always seems to be the same 'guy' on them. You all know the voice I am sure but why on earth use the scream tactics.
If I get stuck on the ad long enough to get the name of the dealer I certainly would strike them from my 'shop-there' list.
JR
My issue with this is simple. What I thought at the beginning of Bill's postings was here is someone who seems sincere in helping a car buyer. However, the more Bill posted, the more suspicious I became about his real motive.
What I now see is someone who is really not interested in constructive feedback. Everyone else has weighed in quite eloquently on this aspect. However, I think what's really torquing most folks is that Bill totally misrepresented himself from his first post. IMHO, Bill is guilty of the same "crime" he charges most car dealers with--deceptive practices. Kinda like the pot calling the kettle black. Kinda like take a look in the mirror. Well, I think everyone gets my, no pun intended, drift.
BTW, just purchased two GM vehicles one week apart from small dealership in DE--awesome dealer for sales and service from previous purchase and years of service. Did I get the best deal--yes I did. Did I pay the least I could--probably not. But I remember from Business 101, or was it Intro to Business, or was it Common Sense 101, a business has to make money to stay in business.
Remember, life is not "one size fits all", and neither is the car buying experience.
Where did you get his info? Sure wasn't the Dateline segment!
Let's try 7 out of 10 at least in my opinion. And my opinion makes more sense with all the history the profession has behind it.
I am not saying their deceptive all the time. All I am saying is some way or another a tactic or two usually more is used to close a deal on a customer through most given dealerships! To me that only hurts your business! Because now you made the buyer mad even though she or he bought the car "if you didn't drive them away that is" there still going to pass the story around to friends and family about what you tried on them. I know for a fact this happens because my friend that bought the SUV has been telling people all day long. So now this dealership has pretty much half a military squadron informed about how they try to use devious tactics on their customers.
Bill
If you don't respond, the conversation ends.
Those of you complaining about the length of this recent dialog are doing absolutely nothing but continuing it by answering the posts you don't like. If you feel someone is misrepresenting themselves and is contributing nothing to the overall discussion, IGNORE THAT PERSON!! It's THAT simple.
Everyone: knock off the repetition and move on, please!
kcram
Host
Smart Shopper and Wagons Message Boards
Kram I have a high respect for Edmunds.com being #1 when it comes to consumer help! I have promoted your site to many many people who never even heard about you guys before.
As for what's going on here I apologize for being out of hand sometimes but I feel all consumers has a right to hear why car dealers have to be so under handed sometimes.
All their doing is proving to everyone that something must be shady because none of them want to talk about why these things happens to people when their at the dealership. They wouldn't on Dateline and they won't here.
Thanks for your time...
Bill
Also, I am a student, and was thinking abt registering my vehicle in my school's state, instead of my home state b/c the tax rate is 2% less at school. Any drawbacks to this?
Lastly, can any1 tell me abt the Toyota $400 graduate incentive (for graduates in the last 2 yrs or those abt to graduate in 6 months)? If I want this rebate, how will this be checked? It would be a splitting of hairs to determine if I'm w/in that time frame. Also, if I'm not, does any1 think it's still possible to negotiate the additional $400 anyways? I feel like if the factory or dealer can offer $400 off to some, they could do it for me.
Thanks so much for any help.
You need your school records for the extra rebates and the vehicle has to be registered in the home address ..
Terry.
Driving a vehicle with ABS during an emergency stopping situation is night and day from a vehicle without them. Your entire technique for braking and steering have to change. If you never had them and can handle a car properly to avoid skids then maybe you don't need them. But to say cars with and without them are the same is totally inaccurate.
Re: the airbags, I would get them if they were not too expensive. A little more 'insurance' for perrsonal safety is worth a few bucks and you could likely get discounts on your insurance to offset the cost.
Obioulsy you'll decide for yourself what makes sense but as I said I would shop elsewhere.
JR
Also, look at the IIHS crash stats. They are finding that Side Airbags make a big difference in side impacts. To the point where some cars go from poor to the top rating when equipped with side air bags.
As for ABS, if you can remeber to pump the brakes when skidding, you do not need them. However, if you are like most of us, and just pound the brake peddle in a panic stop, they are worth it.
When will the safety equipment be more common on the base models? I understand that many dealers say that consumers don't want them because of the extra cost, but I believe they could sell quite a few more if they were made available.
It would also help if the manufacturers, like Mazda, wouldn't require a lot of other options in order to get side curtains.
I think that pretty much sums up the case for side airbags. Great post! Oh, and mystf18, I think you'll find that the cost of the side airbags will be nearly offset by the college rebate, if you qualify.
it is a manufacturer incentive that is subsidized by the federal gov't. ever wonder why all of them are exactly $400?
also, if they could afford to give it to everyone, it would be a regular rebate and not restricted to just recent college grads. they have to draw the line somewhere.
I did 10 years on active duty, but because I didn't retire, I don't get that extra $750 some manufacturers offer - because I'm not eleigible...
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Unfortunetly, that's a fact Jack .. customers would rather pay for a spoiler, Nav system (that they will get tired of in 30 days) or a XM Satellite Radio before they will ever pay for the safety extra's .. sad, but true.
Terry.