Any Questions for a Car Dealer?

angbob

I think she drove a V40. It was less of a squeeze, I gather. She is indeed looking at the V50.

Taking a V50 would mean forfeiting $4000. Just returning the XC would mean a good chance of forfeiting $12,000 -- painful, but I suppose the XC70 depreciates spectacularly in three days.

I like the idea of making a wider garage door, for the reasons stated in this group, but she opposes, and it's her house.

toyotasales

I tell you. I bet that if you ahd come in to buy a car from me, and then after you left, someone oftered me $800 more than you did, and I took it, you would come in and threaten to sue the entire place! I think sometimes, the buyers have become the liars...not the salesmen. My father taught me a long time ago, your word is bond as a man. I guess that sometimes, that is not always true for all people.

hansienna

BIG Problem: Once a vehicle has been licensed and titled, it is a USED vehicle with much lower value. Doesn't matter if it has only a few miles. A dealership can drive a new vehicle thousands of miles with dealer plates but can still sell it as NEW because it was never licensed and titled.

qbrozen

Right, which is why its important to get down there ASAP. Unfortunately, if she has waited this long (purchased Saturday and its now Wednesday), its quite possibly too late to stop the paperwork.

stickguy

yup, it can take time for the PW to make it from the dealer to the DMV. If they still have it in house, they can potentially tear it up and start over.

robr2

Not in MA and that's where she is. Typically the RMV paperwork is done before you pick up the car.

stickguy

then she is probably OOL. I still vote for widening the doors. Or just move if you really like the car.

guss

Replace a mirror every year and a half or so like we do on my wife's mini-van. At $200 a shot it's got to be cheaper than widening the doors.

hansienna

One inch clearance on each side should be sufficient for a careful driver. Just remember to NOT turn the steering wheel after entering...either driving in or backing out.
Aren't the Volvo side mirrors hinged to bend backward or forward like they have been on DC minivans for many years? I just measured my 2002 T&C LX side mirrors and they fold backward against the windows giving an additional 5 inches clearance on either side. If Volvo mirrors do not fold, the Volvo designers have been asleep on the job.

british_rover

This is something I have noticed with a couple of my clients who are trading in vehicles with navigation. Make sure that the vehicle navigation system has all of the address books cleared out once it is traded in. This is not so much an issue with a vehicle that is being traded in and retailed out of the same dealership as when a vehicle is sent to wholesale. You would not want someone's home address along with all their friends, business associates and office addresses getting into the hands of anyone who happens to buy the car in the future.

isellhondas

Very good advise and something I hadn't thought about.

grandtotal

The same is true of garage door openers, make sure they are reset so that someone buying your car cannot get into your garage.

badgerpaul

And if you have a car with OnStar, clear out the phone directory too.

volvomax

Mirrors do fold.

cocca

Is $33,500 a good price for a 2003 E320 w/11k miles? CD changer, leather, heated seats. basic E320. THX

steine13

Click&Clack had someone call with a similar problem.. they said get lined up, fold in one mirror, and hold the steering wheel steady.
Removal is the reverse of installation.
Sounds like a good idea to me.
Also, 1" either side is plenty for a careful driver.
Not so easy at 35 mph :-)

-Mathias

jipster

If 1" is "plenty" ...I'd be interested to know what you think would be adequate...an eighth of an inch?

If outside mirrors don't fold, another option would be just to take off the outside trim on the sides of the garage. You could put a strip of clear plastic molding in its place to keep water from penetrating, and would hardly be noticeable. This would give you about 2" on each side and save you 3-4k in garage expansion costs or vehicle replacement.

isellhondas

Man, I don't know about one inch being "plenty". Just a slight bit cockeyed and you'll have a problem. I know I sure wouldn't like that!

zodiac2004

Simple solution is to just to fold back the driver's side mirror (no need to get out of the car to do that), and ergo - another 6 inches of room to work with.

jmonroe

Reply to 14241

bdr127

Good Post !!!

I agree with you 100%, if I didn't know better I would swear I wrote your post.

When will people learn that a seller decides what they Want for an item and a buyer decides if they are WILLING to take that amount out of their wallets or purses?

A couple of more posts like your's, people might actually get the idea.

jmonroe

bobst

Hi Monroe,

You asked, "When will people learn that a seller decides what they Want for an item and a buyer decides if they are WILLING to take that amount out of their wallets or purses?"

In the same vein, you could ask when we will learn to live up to the promises we make.

In our society, we don't do that. We borrow money and promise to pay it back, but then declare bankruptcy to avoid paying off our debts. Nothing new about that. My ancestors who came to Massachusetts in 1630 made a lot of promises to the Native Americans and later decided to break them. That's how we do things.

I guess most of us would keep our promises until it starts to hurt too much. For example, assume you initialed an offer to buy a new townhouse for $600K. Then another buyer walks in, offers $400K for the identical townhouse next door, and the builder accepts. Would you happily sign the final contract for $600K or would want the builder to reduce it to $400K?

mrarusso

I have a acura tl with 9 months left on the lease and i want to trade it for a 2006 honda pilot. How do i negotiate the deal? what does a payoff figure mean?

cocca

Please advise whether $33,500 is a good price for a 2002 Mercedes Benz E430 4-matic w/33,250 miles in NJ. It's got Navigation, Xenon Lights, Heater leather seats (not just inserts), integrated phone, etc.

Thanks for the help.

rroyce10

..... You should be over at Real World trade-in Values .... but since the Gators are beating Georgia (so far) I'll answer this ...... was this a trade or bought at the auction ...?

Depending on the color, condition and if it has a ~ CPO ... then the dealer probably has the mid/tall $26's low low $27's in it ........ $33,500..? .. thats a fair *asking* price ... but I have a funny feelin' that $29,9/$30,9ish should get it bought ........



Terry.

jmonroe

Reply to 14254

Mark,

Good advice about replacing the garage door with a wider one especially since there is going to be some additional money spent.

If the person involved is looking for a way to justify the additional expense, they should look at it like this.

.... houses APPRECIATE cars DEPRECIATE !!!!!

This may settle it for them. I know where I'd put my money.

By the way, are you in the contracting biz?

jmonroe

mark156

Jmonroe, LOL, no, I'm not in the contracting biz. I just went through a total renovation at my townhouse that took almost 2 years. We bought the townhouse that was attached next door to the current townhouse so now we have the "whole" building as they are set up in "two's". I had the contractor gut the unit to the studs and re-wire and re-plumb the whole place. I also added a garden room on the side and an exercise room and office on the third level....added a pool, jacuzzi and pool house with a gas fireplace... now I'm DONE!

So, watching all of this construction, I see that it's easier to redo something then be stuck with something weird like a garage door opening that is too small.

I think an inch on either side of the car is WAY too narrow. The person who has that garage will always have to worry about the next car purchase and be limited on what they want vs. what will fit. That's crazy to me.

I bet if they don't change the door size, they will just park outside as it will get tiring folding in the mirrors every time and they will probably see that a few scratches have appeared on the fenders.

Mark

jmonroe

Reply to 14289

Mark,

Wow, that was some remodeling job you were involved with. If there is anybody who is qualified to suggest something as simple as replacing a garage door and the possible moving of a wall, it's you.

I've been fortunate enough to have had two new houses built and I also know what is involved with remodeling and I know I wouldn't have the patience to do what you did ( 2 years and all that went with it). Sounds like a great place and I'm sure you are enjoying it. Who wouldn't?

It also sounds like you could have qualified for an 8 week episode on This Old House.

Again, enjoy.

jmonroe

mazda6iguy

There is a small town Chevrolet dealer (located off the lincoln highway - not naming names...) that has a NEW 2004 Chevrolet Silverado on their lot. Window sticker attached, all interior shipping plastics in place, never titled never driven. First of all, is this considered new? Also, won't the buyer be taking a gargantuan hit in value the second he drives off the lot? How often does this happen in the industry, more than one model year old vehicles being sold new?

qbrozen

For chevy dealers, it seems to happen alot. A friend of mine bought a 2-year-old "new" s-10 pickup last year.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes, its still new because it has never been titled. Will the person who purchases it take a bath on it? Depends on what that person buys it for. More than likely, the dealer will not sell it for what it is truly worth at this point (meaning, 2 years of depreciation), so, yes, a new owner would probably hurt themselves buying that rather than a newer one.

mazda6iguy

The windshield had a sign that said "Special Deal!!" so there probably is a special price. It was parked next to a 2006 model so the only styling detail I saw that was different was the grille.

Anyway, the other question is... How does this situation come about? According to the window sticker, the car was shipped to this particular dealer. Did they just seal it away in their warehouse? How does one not sell a new car in their inventory for TWO years? Just wondering.... :-)

qbrozen

I would say, most likely, many people realize its just not worth it. When has GM NOT offered rebates and special offers? So looking at a one-year-newer truck that already has a great discounted offer (and, in this case, now 2-years-newer) is tough competition for a truck that is still sitting on the lot from last year. Seems like GM offers rebates as soon as the new vehicles are shipped. How can last year's vehicles possibly compete with that?

Just my opinion, mind you.

Oh, by the way, that friend of mine only paid about $1500 less than a new current-year model would have cost him .... against my very loud protests!

windycity2

For the first time in my life I am planning to buy a car from private party instead of brand new or dealer and have few questions.

i) Where can I get the car inspected? Where can I find the certified mechanic are they at car dealer locations are small companies?
ii) Do we have to pay sales tax if buying from a 3rd party? If so how?
iii) How to we transfer the title? Car is currently financed. Can we get the title from the seller and transfer it by visiting DMV office?
iv) In case if I need where can I get extended warranty for an used car?

Your inputs are appreciated.

jlawrence01

) Where can I get the car inspected? Where can I find the certified mechanic are they at car dealer locations are small companies?

Use your normal mechanic or a shop that you trust. Let them know that you are buying the car. An inspection should cost around $75.

ii) Do we have to pay sales tax if buying from a 3rd party? If so how?

Yes. You pay the DMV when you register the vehicle.

bdr127

ii) Do we have to pay sales tax if buying from a 3rd party? If so how?

Yes. You pay the DMV when you register the vehicle.

I can't say for certain, but I'm pretty sure that every state is different.... You'd need to check on the way your particular state does taxes.

bdr127

I have a acura tl with 9 months left on the lease and i want to trade it for a 2006 honda pilot. How do i negotiate the deal? what does a payoff figure mean?

The new deal would happen exactly the same way as if you were trading in a car that you were financing.... Call your bank and get the "payoff amount" (the dollar amount the bank requires in order to "pay off" the car and release the title). The dealer will then appraise your car. The difference between the two numbers is how much equity or negative equity will be rolled into your new deal.

For example, say that you call Honda Finance and they say that your Acura payoff is $20,000. The dealer appraises the TL at $18,000. When you buy the new Pilot, they add $2000 into the purchase price.

bbq818

Hi,
I am looking to buy a civic si 05, but the closest dealer is 3hrs away. The internet sales lady gave me a price for the car but I am afraid that when I get there, the deal may change with sale tricks.

is there a way that I can make this deal go as planned in the email?

I already had an experience where the internet sales person told me that my 2006 car is in after we agreed on the price, but when I got there it was a 2005 yr model and they tried charging me the 2006 model price. I left.

I am seeing if there is anything I can do to have no surprises in the deal...

volvomax

Get her to fax you a purchase order w/ the full vin, yr, make,model any dealer options. Also all numbers, sale price, tax, license, doc fee if any. Make sure it is signed by the new car manager.

jeep1988

Here is a great web site to get negociating tips on buying new and used cars. You probably already know about it, but here it is anyway. Good luck.

www.carbuyingtips.com

danvance

Hi,

I've verbally agreed to purchase a KIA Sorento for $100 over invoice with No Junk Fees. I asked to have a copy of the invoice faxed to me so I could see what the vehicle had in it. On the invoice column, there is a fee of $547 for marketing allowance. Is this a junk fee or not? Of course, their is also the Destination Fee of 670.00

Thanks,
Daniel

bobst

In my opinion, "$100 over invoice" means invoice + $100 + transportation + sales tax + tag/title fee ($50 in Virginia where we live). Check on Edmunds to see if $670 for transportation is correct.

Of course, the dealer may compute "$100 over invoice" in a different manner, so they may not accept your offer.

If that happens, you will either have to increase your offer or buy a vehicle of lesser quality, if there is one.

audia8q

I'm not a Kia dealer....so I'm not positive, but I suspect the marketing allowance is a manufacturer charged regional ad fee. If that is the case, it's legit. folks who make the mistake of haggling $xXX over invoice often run into these types of fees.. People often don''t realize that there are regional costs offten tacked on the invoice price that are legit but not disclosed on websites like edmunds. They are not disclosed because they vary per region. It is always best to haggle an "Out the door" price. This way there is no surprises like ad fees, mandatory deer whistles, rust and dust, etc...

bob...come on, cut it out. You have been around here long enough to be aware of the traps associated with shopping over invoice prices...you failed to mention to check edmunds fine print about ad fees when checking invoice prices.

mark156

I stopped by a dealer today to look at a potential replacement for my 2002 Mercedes ML500. The salesman was very nice and showed me three vehicles. I let him know right up front it will be about a month before I make my decision. He offered me to take the vehicle for a test drive and I told him that I didn't want to waste his time as I'm not totally ready to buy. I just wanted to check the vehicle out on the inside, etc.

So my question is... and I'm just curious.... when a person gives the salesman a name and phone number, is there any information they can pull on me? I don't mind at all, just wondering if dealers try to run my tag on the car that I brought or look on some kind of data base with my name and phone number.

Thanks, Mark :surprise:

mikefm58

I'm not in the biz, but think I can help.

i) Where can I get the car inspected? Where can I find the certified mechanic are they at car dealer locations are small companies?
If you don't have a trusted mechanic, look in the yellow pages for an "auto inspector". They should be ASE certified and will come to you. It should cost about $100.

ii) Do we have to pay sales tax if buying from a 3rd party? If so how?
You'll pay the sales tax when you register it at the DMV office with the title in hand properly signed by the seller.

iii) How to we transfer the title? Car is currently financed. Can we get the title from the seller and transfer it by visiting DMV office?
The existing loan will have to be paid off first before the bank will release the title. Here's where it gets hairy. You give the seller (or his bank), the money, then they send the title, usually in about a week, while the car sits in your driveway. The bank will probably send the title to him, then he signs it and gives it to you so you can go to the DMV office.

iv) In case if I need where can I get extended warranty for an used car?
Not much help here. I'd only recommend a manufacturer backed warranty. Search the web for one.

danvance

If it's truly a cost the dealer had to pay, I'm okay with paying it. But if it's some type of way for the dealer to make more money, then I'm not okay with it. I've just never ran into that before.

-Daniel

kyfdx

$570 for an ad fee on a car with the base price of a Kia seems excessive, and would make me wonder..... a lot...

The regional ad fees on BMWs, which cost 2-4 times that, rarely exceed $450...

regards,
kyfdx
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jmonroe

Reply to 14284

bobst,

Sorry I missed your reply to my post 14283. I think you misunderstood my reply to bdr127 (post 14241). I was agreeing only to his comment that, to paraphrase,' if you don't like how a negotiation is going, don't feel pressured into continuing with it, get up and leave'.

I, like a lot of other posters, am not in favor of making a deal and then continuing to shop for a better deal. As has been said many times before by others and myself,

...." there is ALWAYS a better deal out there but how much time are you willing to spend looking for it and how far are you willing to go to get it" ?

If a person likes to do a lot of shopping, that's fine, just do ALL of your shopping before you agree on a price then follow through with it. As we have seen, further shopping only leads to aggravation for the buyer not to mention what this does to the guys in the biz.

As for your comment " I guess most of us would keep our promises until it starts to hurt too much. For example, assume you initialed an offer to buy a new townhouse for $600K. Then another buyer walks in, offers $400K for the identical townhouse next door, and the builder accepts. Would you happily sign the final contract for $600K or would want the builder to reduce it to $400K? I would have to backup over what I just said about this situation. This is way to much for me to absorb because I was not knowledgeable enough about what I was buying !!! I hope you can understand this. There are limits you know.

jmonroe

kdhspyder

As you know it varies from region to region but also it is a cost averaged over a certain number of vehicles. Say..
Honda spends $500000 in a region for 1000 units a month, but
Kia spends $200000 in a region for 300 units a month

boomchek

I usually ask the customer for their name and phone number for a couple of reasons.

First is so that I can follow up and see if they have any further questions regarding the vehicle they looked at.

Second is so that i can let them know of any new or special offers on the vehicle they were interested in, or to let them know if a vehicle came in that they were interested in if it's a special color, model, or a used car that wasn't on the lot at the time they came.

Now this is not to be confused with annoying and hounding calls. I do not call my customers every day and ask them to come in or till they tell me to get lost.

And here in Canada we have no way of running the tags, or credit or stuff like that from the name and phone number (even if we could it's none of my business) nor do we pimp out your name to bogus marketing companies. Name and phone number is strictly for follow up calls and nothing else.

rroyce10

.... **So my question is... and I'm just curious.... when a person gives the salesman a name and phone number, is there any information they can pull on me? I don't mind at all, just .... **

Most "good" salesman will use it for the dealerships log, also for a little follow-up and also to give them a little protection if the customer comes back in 2-3 days .......

Kinda remember most of the time, a salesperson can spend 35/45 minutes with a customer, go for two demo drives, explain 20 features and give the customer 5 business cards and write his name in giant letters over the 7 brochures - and when the customer comes back, (-if- they even remember a name) they ask for Bob -- when his name was Mark and Bob writes up the deal when Mark did all the work ...................



Terry.

1racefan

I often hear ads on tv/radio that sound something like this:

"Push it in, drag it in, tow it in, it doesn't matter if it runs or not, we will give you $X trade in allowance automatically"

Surely there are people that take total POS cars in with absolutely no value when they hear these ads. My question is what does the car dealer do with these? Are they hauled off to a scrap yard if they can't be auctioned? My guess would be that if this is the case, there is enough padding in the deal to take care of the car's disposal, but I am curious as to how this works.