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'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
We paid way over wholesale book to get it and it sold for thousands of dollars over retail and it was worth it!
A "book buyer" would have never bought it. the guy who did buy it sold HIS 1992 Accord with 265,000 miles to someone else for 2000.00. He was just tickled to find such a car and he plans to drive it into the ground.
Now...a 1987 Blazer doesn't seem to fit that catagory unless it is REALLY something special.
If it has that miserable 2.8 liter V-6 I would run the other way...FAST!
Hope I can get some advice about my situation here...
Last week, I signed a mini deal for a Honda Pilot at a very good price (below invoice) and negotiated an equally good price on the trade-in of my vehicle. The trade-in quote they gave me is one of the higher values out there since I believe that they have a confirmed buyer already in-line. They dealer didn't have my exact vehicle config/color in-stock, but stated that they would be happy to dealer-trade for any model I wanted. After being re-assured that they would be able to make delivery by today, I left a deposit (credit card) on the vehicle. We signed a "contact" which lists my trade-in by VIN (no mileage) and lists the new vehicle as "locate". The color choice is written on the contract which bears and acceptance signature by myself and the dealership.
Fast forward --> now it turns out that they aren't able to dealer-trade for my color and are pushing me towards a second color choice. Unfortunately, none of the other colors really appeal to me and I have my heart set on the original color, especially since they have promised that they would be able to get it. I've looked hard at other colors and none of them really do it for me. Moreover, the dealer has refused to offer any sort of compensation ($ off, free oil changes, detailing, etc) if I choose a 2nd color which is further incentive for me to stick to my guns for my original color choice
After a bit of pushing on my part, they agreed to look into the possibility of trading for an allocated order which has not been shipped to another dealer. They said that they are calling around, but nobody has really given them an answer yet. Even if they find one, it will probably be at least a month before the transaction is completed.
I'm worried about how to best protect myself in this instance. I spent a bunch of time working out the deal and since I signed just before the end of November, I'm eligible for the 2.9% special Honda financing, but only if I complete the deal with them since the financing isn't available any more.
1) As I continue to drive my trade-in, it continues to de-value. I've stated to the dealership that I would be willing to turn in my trade early if they will give me a loaner vehicle and a confirmed VIN and arrival date for the new car. They countered that they aren't willing to issue a loaner until they are sure that they can get my new car in a "certain time frame" which they refuse to specify.
2) If I do end up turning in my trade early, is there any protection for me from the dealer suddenly raising the price of the new vehicle when it finally arrives under the guise of "trade-in not in stated condition" or something similar? The vehicle is mechanically and cosmetically sound and nothing has changed (other than # of miles) since the dealer looked at it 2 weeks ago, but I want to avoid a situation where the dealer has my trade, I'm in a loaner, and now I can't get my new car without paying a bunch of extra $.
3) Anything else I should be on the lookout for to protect myself and the time and energy we (dealership and myself) both invested in this deal?
Thanks in advance for all your advice & help!
Most people will give me a second and even third choice but once in awhile I'll get someone who just HAS to have a certain color.
Since it was such a skinny deal, they probably don't care if you cancel the deal. They may be thinking they allowed too much on your trade in addition to taking a below invoice deal that they are hoping you WILL cancel the deal.
They can't deliver a Pilot that they can't get.
Your trade-in continues to depreciate and there is always the chance "something" will happen to it in addition to the miles you are putting on.
They don't want to give you a free loaner because there was so little profit in the deal that it makes no sense.
Seriously, I would consider a different color.
What color/model is it anyway?
At this point, if you are not flexible in color selection allow them to refund your money and leave them alone.
You probably wont do that because you are now back to square one again....since they are on a marginal deal already they are quickly losing interest in waiting for the color you want and the value of your trade to decrease...then you have a special rate that wont apply if you wait for the color you want.
In this case it appears you can't have everything you wanted because of the time frame.
Lesson to be learned: If you are not flexible on color and equipment please do not wait until the end of the month to buy a car
First email said he could sell me an 05 for XXX and an 06 for YYY, no mention of color. I responded within a half hour asking about the color availability, and asked whether that included all dealer fees except TTL.
Second email said there is a processing fee of $299 (meaning he couldn't really sell to me at the prices he had quoted earlier), and still said nothing about color. I again ask about color.
Third email said they have great finance rates (I'm paying cash) and will give me a good deal on my trade (I don't have one). Still nothing about color.
So my questions are, do dealers really pay any attention to what customers email them? Why is this so difficult? My company sells over $1 billion of goods over the Internet and if we treated customers like this we'd quickly be out of business. If the dealer had just said "we have a blue with parchment for total of XXX" and the price was reasonable, the sale would've been done in about 5 minutes because I don't have time to screw around trying save a hundred bucks. How can a customer get this point across to a dealer?
A TT in gray looks fantastic, so I wouldn't settle for a black one... the whole point of an indulgence is to get it right.
Now a cheap 4cyl 5sp pickup, I'll take what they have if they cut me a deal.
-Mathias
In a dealer trade anything can happen ... it could get sold before the drivers get there, it could get a $500 baby kiss, they could have used the wrong stock# or Vin by mistake - who knows.? ..
Any smart dealer will give you 3 options .. your first, second and third color choice -- or tell me what colors you don't want - period .... anytime you get into the "I want the Spumoni color with the blue wheels" stuff, it leads to brain damage .......
Terry.
You asked, "do dealers really pay any attention to what customers email them?"
My answer is, "Yes, some dealers pay attention to some customers." When we sent emails to local dealers in March, we got a few very good responses. We went to one of the dealers who responded and bought the exact kind of car we wanted. On the other hand, I guess the dealers chose to ignore you. Too bad. So sad.
You also asked, "How can a customer get this point across to a dealer?"
My answer is, "You can't". The dealer does what they want and nothing you can say will change it.
If you continue to get upset because of things you can't control, then, as any well-informed Simpsons fan knows, you will probably suffer the same sad fate as Frank Grimes (aka Grimey).
I know I respond as quickly as possible to emails and I try hard to supply all of the information. It does get maddening when I get a "pen pal" who refuses to give me a phone number or call me.
I can get stuck in an endless loop of back and forth questions that could be answered in one quick, painless phone call.
When/if you do call that dealer, you should point out your frustration with them. No excuse for not answering your questions.
I just can't understand why will such a nice selections of colors they can't have a second choice?
But, that's me!
The reason they’re not answering your color question is because they don’t have your color choice on the lot. If they tell you the truth, they have zero chance of getting you in the showroom. If they can get you in the showroom, they can apply their “sales techniques” on you to try to convince you to purchase the car in a different color. It’s really hard for them to apply pressure on you over email, it’s impersonal.
"I just can't understand why will such a nice selections of colors they can't have a second choice?"
I guess it's because we all have such different needs andwants,some rational some irrational. When my wife and I requisitioned our Rav4 in 04 I had my heart set on a lower volume color called Everglade green--a very pale grayish green. I'm sure it's one of Terry's no-(re)sale colors, but as an artist, it really appealed to me. We did however list a backup color of pearl white because our cars sit outside in the intense OK sun. In the end, Gulf State Toyota couldn't deliver either color, but that was due to our desire to have side impact airbags, which are hard to come by in this region. I had two other reasons for wanting the green, however: I liked the uniqueness of it (few others around) and I figured my wife could find it more easily in shopping centers. She has put the key to our 94 Honda Civic into numerous other Civics--even other generations, as well as the occasional Accord. It's funny ( or is it pathetic?) what drives our choices.
I firmly believe that many consumers want to make a statement and that statement is not confined exclusively to make/model. There are so many white, silver and black vehicles out there. I ought to know, we own two white and one black car. Sometimes--foolishly or not--we long for something other than no-sale black, silver or gray that can be hard to see on overcast or foggy days or red, which seems to be a beacon for law enforcement.
Gogiboy
The longer this situation goes on, the greater the chance the deal will fall apart. Every day new customers come on the lot, buying new Pilots and trading their cars. Eventually the dealer will lose interest (if they haven't already) and will let you walk. If that happens you'll have to start all over at another dealer, knowing you cannot get the same deal as before (the special financing offers has expired so you won't get that).
I'd find out what interest rate you qualify for now that the promotion has ended, then do a cost analysis to determine the payment differential. That will tell you exactly what the vehicle's color is costing you monthly. From there you can decide if its worth it to stick to your guns or close the deal.
You can hope the dealer will find you the perfect Pilot and everything will work out. But low profit deals are easy to blow off. The pressure is on you to decide between the perfect Pilot or the perfect deal. I wouldn't dilly-dally too much. Good luck!
I don't know if he has, but I have.
And I don't do it any more, unless I know the person on the other hand personally.
I don't email either... car dealers and salespeople are almost all face-to-face people. I can't even a friend of mine who owns a UC dealership to read my flippin' emails. What's that Terry says? "Attention span of an asparagus", sounds about right.
Email is a great medium for inventory questions etc. but because of the huge amount of junk email, and because of the attention-span problem.... it don't work.
-Mathias
We only wanted a silver car and, in our area, a silver EX 5-sp was easy to find. No problem. We think the car is absolutely beautiful.
Of all the colors, silver is (in my area anyway)the most popular of colors.
People are SO funny about colors. The Black Currant color you think is a "yuk" color was a must have for some people.
On a daily basis, I will hear...
" Ooh, look at that beautiful shade of blue!"
And...
" Oh, YUCK...that blue color is HORRIBLE!"
Just amazing and frustrating when a person lands on one color and won't move.
I guess this is why restaurants have menus?
In each of the several months since then I've gotten at least two e-mails from the Mazda dealership telling me about the terrific deals available. I must've gotten on some sort of automated mailing list from Hell
My plan was actually to call the dealer once I know they have what I want. During the week I am on conference calls and in meetings virtually all day every day. While can respond to an email during a conference call (which is exactly what I did), I can't sit on the phone while the dealer puts me on hold to see what's available or just talks my ear off when I don't have the time or interest.
"The reason they’re not answering your color question is because they don’t have your color choice on the lot."
Thank you for that answer. I hadn't thought of that. No doubt they're just trying to get me into the shop, trying to sell me something I don't want. Gee, I wonder what would happen if I tried that on my customers .......
You'd probably make an extra $20,0/$25,000 more a year and your customers would respect you more for being more assertive ......... :surprise:
Terry.
Exactly why I don't want it, or any close variation (that silver-blue, champagne, etc.) Honda's best palette was the 2nd generation CRX - all the colors looked great on that car. IIRC, they all had the same black interior. Honda's worst was the 1st gen Accord - gold, silver and medium blue. Gold and silver came with a black interior so every Accord in Texas was blue. We had to put a whip antenna on ours to identify it.
Anyway, I am just as amazed and frustated when dealers don't understand I want the car in a certain color and am willing to wait and/or pay for it. Almost makes me want to buy European again - as soon as list the options I want, the salesman pulls out the order sheet.
I have never had an Acura/Honda dealer actually commit to ordering a vehicle. So my "question for a car dealer" is - CAN you order a Honda product? because the local dealers here have lost two sales because they wouldn't order for me.
The commonly accepted rate of 4 to 5% suggestes that many thousands of them are...
My '04 Amanti is 13 months old. Not a scratch anywhere. Oil changed every 3K (or less...) Non-smoker, too. Also, I don't "clean the mats", I get new ones when they get dirty. Yes, the tires get rotated and balanced. I meet or exceed each of your criteria...
That is why there IS such a thing as an "excellent" used car. Also, I make a point of selling my "used" ones myself. That way I don't have to argue with dealership people who refuse to admit reality.
If you truly believe that NO car is excellent, you surely won't mind NOT getting mine, will you??
Not to hurt ones feelings ... but ..
These things have the resale value (and the reliability) of a 3 day old Taco ....
If this bad boy glows in the dark, has been covered by a 200 year old hand knitted Amish blanket every night -- and you've dropped 16 coats of Mag 26 on it every month, and you've hired little short people so they don't crease the seats .. and it's never seen the sun between 8am and 6pm everyday of it's life, and the Pope does the oil changes every other day ...... it still will never be "excellent" .. it wasn't excellent new, how can it be excellent "used" ..?!?
Dealers buy these things by hordes in any auction in America for the 13's ..... excellent.? ... maybe in Guatemala (at night) ....
Terry.
My business is distribution. The only difference between us and our competition is service - the same product is available elsewhere at virtually the same price. Assertiveness is one thing - Repeatedly ignoring my customer's questions will not increase my income.
"I cant understand why a person who wants to purchase a new car would want to email the dealer for a price. Why not just go to the dealer and ask?"
Let's see, three dealers in the region, about 100 miles to get to all three and back, 2-3 hours of time - vs. 5 minutes to email. And as I said, I was emailing for availability as much as anything else.
Hmmm, since it's going to be the second largest purchase of your life, I would think that you would want to be there ..
Sooo whats your next step, a mail-order Russian wife ....??
Terry.
There is a mentality that is prevalent in some answers here on this board. I too am in Distribution and know EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. Don't try to explain it to those that sale cars how you must treat others in the real business world. If you do, you will just get a "quick one-liner" answer!
Did you get your response if the automobile you wanted was in stock? You can also check the dealers web site. You will be making a big purchase (for most people) so if it were me and I wanted a OTD price I would actually go to the dealers 100 miles or more. Paying "cash" can mean different things whether it is a teller check, bank check or even actual currency I would imagin most dealers perfer you to finance so they can take a cut of the rate. Dealers will get the money anyways if you finance or pay "cash". I wish you luck in your endeavors of getting the best price via e-mail.
I'd rather pay an extra few hundred $ and get the confirmation of availability by e-mail than spend my time driving all over town.
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Of course you will - you bought an 03 MB CL600 with cash.... you are not the average car buying public.
Using this approach, I have had experiences where with 1 or 2 phone calls I have gotten all of the pricing out of the way, and was able to go to the dealer and do the test drive and paperwork - and have been in and out painlessly in about an hour.
I have also encountered some dealers that will not mention price at all over the phone. For these situations, I go to the dealer and take it from there.
...But either way, I do deal with the salesperson with which I originally made phone contact.
You gotta be kidding. Actually he would probably lose about $20-25k a year(or his job) for lieing to his customers, losing their respect and wasting their time.
Maybe that type of practice is acceptable in the automotive sales business...but it doesn't work in the real world.
I'm sure he did pay attention to your email. I'm also sure he doesn't have the color you want, so that's why he's avoiding the question. He trying not to scare you away. Annoying, but go somewhere else.
You've got a dealer that's giving you a great deal and is bending way over backwards to find a car that doesn't seem to exist, and you're worried about protecting yourself? Put yourself in the dealers shoes for a sec. The car doesn't exist, you won't budge on the color, but you want the same trade-in price on a car that will have who knows how many more miles and parking lot kisses in a month or two. That's IF Honda makes the car with that color/options.
Do yourself a favor - pick a different color or pay for a few extra options/packages so you can get the color you want. Otherwise, this deal, which sounds like a good one, is definitely going to fall through.
1. Face to face.
2. Telephone.
3. Fax.
4. E-mail.
Attempting to multi-task during your business day by communicating with someone who greatly prefers face-to-face interaction will get you nowhere, as you (and many others) are finding out. Yeah, it would be better for some shoppers if dealers took e-mail more seriously, but they don't. You can fight it by complaining to strangers on internet chat forums or you can change your preferred method of communication to move the business transaction forward.
AFAIK, the MOST IMPORTANT PERSON on a car dealer's lot is the customer with checkbook in hand who is ready to buy TODAY. Everyone else, everything else, is a lower priority.
Maybe that type of practice is acceptable in the automotive sales business... but it doesn't work in the real world ...**
Again, you're trying to put words in somebodys mouth .. no one said anything about lying or distorting the truth - so (again) the only exercise you're getting here is jumping to conclusions ....
What you don't know is .. most customers have never even driven their next vehicle .. they read C&D, Motor Trend, etc, they talk with the guy they play golf with every other Saturday, then they read a few post on Edmunds - and Wango Tango they become a car buyer ...
Thats all well in fine .. but they haven't checked the legroom, the seat comfort, towing capacity or what the colors "really" look like .. and most important, they haven't checked with the Boss (the Mrs.) ..
You would be amazed on how many people come in with a briefcase full of info and 2 hours later they leave with something totally different as far as vehicle, totally different in price (some higher, some lower) .. and that researched color that they thought they couldn't live without, goes by the wayside and they pick something totally different - it's called human nature and it's common, "very common" ..... that my friend "is" the real world ... that must be some aquarium you live in ...
Terry.
those are words of wisdom.....very true statement. It took years for me to figure that out.
That's what we saw when we bought our Acura RSX in November 2003.
When we came in, we had to wait a few minutes because our salesman was dealing with a couple who had a bunch of paper in front of them. When he got free, we made out OTD offer, it was accepted, we took the car for a test drive, had it cleaned up, paid for it, and were ready to leave.
By that time, the other couple had pulled out even more paper from their briefcase and were still negotiating.
The sales manager said to us, "They come in every year and buy a car. After dealing with them, you feel like you need to take a shower." I always thought only us buyers said things like that.
It is very difficult to predict when and if there'll be sales or incentives.
As for the best time of the year to buy, I'm convinced that it's when you are ready and able to buy, whatever it may say on the calendar.
I am not being rude (just curious).... do you mind letting me know who is the "we" when you talk in your acquarium. I hope you are talking about a large facility acquarium and not a fish bowl in your room. That would be weird.
I never said anyone lied to me. I asked why a dealer wouldn't answer my questions about availability of certain colors. The best answer I got, which I happen to agree with, is that he didn't have what I wanted and was trying to get me to come into the dealer.