Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

ronsteve

stickguy said:

ab348 said:

As a Canadian, could you fill me in on those US stimulus payments? Are they universal or do they have some sort of income test/limit?

Up here the feds rolled out a $2000/mo. support program for those whose income was affected by the shutdown, which I think is supposed to run for at least 3 or 4 months, but you have to have had a loss of income. As someone who is on a pension I don't qualify. I theoretically could if I wanted to be like a certain poster here and not be totally truthful with the feds, but I don't feel great about doing that.

There are earnings limits. AGI of $75,000 or below to get full amount, slides to zero at $100k. For an individual.

It is actually a 2020 tax credit, that they are giving an advance on based on last taxes filed. So won’t know until next spring exactly what you get (might get some more, or might owe some back).

Everything reputable I have seen (H&R Block is the most trusted of my sources) said that there wouldn't be any owed back if your 2020 income increased over 2019. But if your income drops in 2020, you could get some more.

tjc78

All the detailers on You Tube use this for pet hair. Appears to do an amazing job in the videos.

https://www.autogeek.net/lilly-pet-hair-brush.html

stickguy

ronsteve said:

stickguy said:

ab348 said:

As a Canadian, could you fill me in on those US stimulus payments? Are they universal or do they have some sort of income test/limit?

Up here the feds rolled out a $2000/mo. support program for those whose income was affected by the shutdown, which I think is supposed to run for at least 3 or 4 months, but you have to have had a loss of income. As someone who is on a pension I don't qualify. I theoretically could if I wanted to be like a certain poster here and not be totally truthful with the feds, but I don't feel great about doing that.

There are earnings limits. AGI of $75,000 or below to get full amount, slides to zero at $100k. For an individual.

It is actually a 2020 tax credit, that they are giving an advance on based on last taxes filed. So won’t know until next spring exactly what you get (might get some more, or might owe some back).

Everything reputable I have seen (H&R Block is the most trusted of my sources) said that there wouldn't be any owed back if your 2020 income increased over 2019. But if your income drops in 2020, you could get some more.

yes, they will only give you more if the 2020 calculation favors you, but won't take any away.

Sandman6472

My wife used to work for Block years ago part time during tax season bu switched over to TurboTax about 7 years ago and is much happier as she works from her home office. She's been a CPA since she graduated college and seems much happier at TT. Now, she's one of those CPA's that customers can talk with at TT.
When I first retired back in 2012, she had me take the Block class so I'd know more about taxes. Man, without her help, no way would I have passed that class, super hard. Any question I had, and I had a lot, she figured out right away and I always knew she was smart, but never realized how much till then! She also makes more than I do but I'm not intimidated by any of it in the least to be honest. My 3 siblings were all quite smart growing up, my folks were also right up there, while I was the average child. Never dawned on me that I needed to compete with them and never really tried. My mom saw it and always got me extra help and was determined to put me into a nearby private school when I was going in the 10th grade. Fate stepped in and we ended up moving down to Ft. Lauderdale that mid October and there was no more talk of a private school. We were about a 1/2 year ahead in all our classes so made it a bit easier for me.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

jipster said:

oldfarmer50 said:

jipster said:

houdini1 said:

jipster said:

Michael, yes, out the door, for some strange reason, can mean many things to many people.

@graphicguy ...I've seen a lot of these certified one.owner cars with a couple thousand milss. When I look.at the Carfax,.it's stayed with the dealership. So not sure what's going on, other than the dealership makes more money on a certified car so they're wanting to crank them out.

@dino001 - I've read what was on their web site about fine print on warranty. But funny you should mention the fine print. I read that to maintain the lifetime powertrain warranty, you have to bring in your vehicle after 7 years...for a free inspection. You have a 2 month grace.period. After that you get to pound sand.
Looks like Honda Universe a bit slippery too.

@houdini - thanks. If I'm in the neighborhood Ill check out that Civic for you. It honestly surprised me at how much it has grown since 2012. If it has a nice comfy ride...who knows. But its gonna cost you guys at least another week of reading my posts. ;-)

Houdini - on my need for speed....oh, it's there. But, it's buried a bit under my paranoia of not causing any damage to the car. So, generally I'm a somewhat.conservative driver....but there are times I like to put the hammer down.LOL

If I recall, Honda caught a lot of flack for that 2012 Civic. It was an outlier in that Honda must have experimented with de-contenting the Civic that year but not reducing the price. Reviewers panned it so much that Honda had to do a mid year full refresh.

You do recall correctly. Dealerships around here were overstocked with Civics. It was a nice little car, great mpg...but everything else about it was blahhh.... along the lines of an early generation Yugo.

@stickguy - yeah, Mazda 6 Touring isn't that much more than the base car. The jipster in me keeps wanting to pull me down into those base level cars. I must resist!

In looking at the very bottom page of fine print, on that quote from Wyler Honda in Florence, it states that dealer add ons would be extra....to their OTD price.

For most of my car purchases I’ve gone for base level. Usually because of cost concerns. Usually the higher trims give you leather and an upgraded stereo. If those things are worth the premium then go for it if you can afford it.

For the Mustang the premium was $4k which I couldn’t afford. I would have liked the leather though.

On the Kia I did opt for the mid level trim because I wanted the 2.0L over the wimpy 1.6L. Cost $2k more and gave you fog lights. If there was anything extra in the higher trim I didn’t notice it.

I actually liked the cloth seats in the EX better than the leather in the EXL. Going base level will save me about 4 grand over the EX. I didnt care much for the Accord Sport, which is a step above the base LX and a step below the EX.
I don't really care for sunroofs, they're okay, but I'd prefer an Accord EX without the sunroof and keep the money.

Just asking about cloth seats. I have had cloth, I have had leather, I have had imitation leather.......I prefer leather or man-made leather because if anything spills..........you have a pretty good chance of being able to clean it up. Same with mud or food spills etc. I am pretty good, but people have spilled all kinds of things in my cars...leather or a copy clean up much easier. Cloth makes me a bit nervous!

Better stop having those wild parties in your car.

Or stop driving with those sloppy drunks.

Not even that....just a spilled coffee, it's easy to do. Once in my working life as a sales rep I put a coffee on the instrument panel of my 76 Dodge Grand Fury. In those days sales reps wore jacket and ties. A little gust of wind came up and blew the cup over....most went on my white shirt and tie...some hit the seats....faux leather thank goodness. I got a good sale that day though, the buyer felt sorry for me coming in with coffee stains down the front of my shirt.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

I usually prefer cloth for comfort, but am used to leather at this point. Either is fine to me. But I know what you mean about dog hair, having a lab! one good thing about when we still had the old RDX> I didn't care about the dog hair. Now I don't want to put him in either car! Good thing we don't have to have him in the car normally. But at this point, he goes in the TLX (with the seat cover in it). That's a lease that goes back eventually, so it doesn't really matter!

Whenever I drove my dog I’d put a blanket over the seats. Of course that was before I got married and became a cat person.

oldfarmer50

stickguy said:

ronsteve said:

stickguy said:

ab348 said:

As a Canadian, could you fill me in on those US stimulus payments? Are they universal or do they have some sort of income test/limit?

Up here the feds rolled out a $2000/mo. support program for those whose income was affected by the shutdown, which I think is supposed to run for at least 3 or 4 months, but you have to have had a loss of income. As someone who is on a pension I don't qualify. I theoretically could if I wanted to be like a certain poster here and not be totally truthful with the feds, but I don't feel great about doing that.

There are earnings limits. AGI of $75,000 or below to get full amount, slides to zero at $100k. For an individual.

It is actually a 2020 tax credit, that they are giving an advance on based on last taxes filed. So won’t know until next spring exactly what you get (might get some more, or might owe some back).

Everything reputable I have seen (H&R Block is the most trusted of my sources) said that there wouldn't be any owed back if your 2020 income increased over 2019. But if your income drops in 2020, you could get some more.

yes, they will only give you more if the 2020 calculation favors you, but won't take any away.

Yeah, but the trick is getting it in the first place. I seem to have missed the 4/14 deposit. I’m hoping for something in the next few weeks. They have my direct deposit for social security so I shouldn’t be waiting for a paper check.

Then I see stories of how they are sending checks to wrong accounts and dead people and start worrying.

snakeweasel

ronsteve said:

stickguy said:

ab348 said:

As a Canadian, could you fill me in on those US stimulus payments? Are they universal or do they have some sort of income test/limit?

Up here the feds rolled out a $2000/mo. support program for those whose income was affected by the shutdown, which I think is supposed to run for at least 3 or 4 months, but you have to have had a loss of income. As someone who is on a pension I don't qualify. I theoretically could if I wanted to be like a certain poster here and not be totally truthful with the feds, but I don't feel great about doing that.

There are earnings limits. AGI of $75,000 or below to get full amount, slides to zero at $100k. For an individual.

It is actually a 2020 tax credit, that they are giving an advance on based on last taxes filed. So won’t know until next spring exactly what you get (might get some more, or might owe some back).

Everything reputable I have seen (H&R Block is the most trusted of my sources) said that there wouldn't be any owed back if your 2020 income increased over 2019. But if your income drops in 2020, you could get some more.

ronsteve said:

stickguy said:

ab348 said:

As a Canadian, could you fill me in on those US stimulus payments? Are they universal or do they have some sort of income test/limit?

Up here the feds rolled out a $2000/mo. support program for those whose income was affected by the shutdown, which I think is supposed to run for at least 3 or 4 months, but you have to have had a loss of income. As someone who is on a pension I don't qualify. I theoretically could if I wanted to be like a certain poster here and not be totally truthful with the feds, but I don't feel great about doing that.

There are earnings limits. AGI of $75,000 or below to get full amount, slides to zero at $100k. For an individual.

It is actually a 2020 tax credit, that they are giving an advance on based on last taxes filed. So won’t know until next spring exactly what you get (might get some more, or might owe some back).

Everything reputable I have seen (H&R Block is the most trusted of my sources) said that there wouldn't be any owed back if your 2020 income increased over 2019. But if your income drops in 2020, you could get some more.

If H&R Block is your most trusted source I would suggest that you reassess your sources. There is a reason they are called the Blockheads in the industry.

snakeweasel

Sandman6472 said:

My wife used to work for Block years ago part time during tax season bu switched over to TurboTax about 7 years ago and is much happier as she works from her home office. She's been a CPA since she graduated college and seems much happier at TT. Now, she's one of those CPA's that customers can talk with at TT.
When I first retired back in 2012, she had me take the Block class so I'd know more about taxes. Man, without her help, no way would I have passed that class, super hard. Any question I had, and I had a lot, she figured out right away and I always knew she was smart, but never realized how much till then! She also makes more than I do but I'm not intimidated by any of it in the least to be honest. My 3 siblings were all quite smart growing up, my folks were also right up there, while I was the average child. Never dawned on me that I needed to compete with them and never really tried. My mom saw it and always got me extra help and was determined to put me into a nearby private school when I was going in the 10th grade. Fate stepped in and we ended up moving down to Ft. Lauderdale that mid October and there was no more talk of a private school. We were about a 1/2 year ahead in all our classes so made it a bit easier for me.

When I moved into our current home almost 20 years ago I decided to switch where I was doing taxes to someplace a lot closer to home. Now at that time I had about 15 years of tax prep experience including a few years teaching a tax class for another tax prep place. Add to that having an accounting degree and passing the CPA exam I had a resume that would get me hired just about anywhere they do taxes. When I checked out H&R Block they offered me a position and insisted I take their tax course. I went with another tax service.

tjc78

My wife complained about what our accountant charges and suggested another service like HR Block.... I said I think it's worth the extra $$ to make sure it is done right.

graphicguy

@jipster.....do you still get the Hybrid tax credit?

stickguy

tjc78 said:

All the detailers on You Tube use this for pet hair. Appears to do an amazing job in the videos.

https://www.autogeek.net/lilly-pet-hair-brush.html

bored and cooped up, so fired up Amazon and ordered one. Hopefully it does the job on my carpet mats in the TLX and carpets in both cars. I have one heck of a hairy lab that likes to shed.

for taxes, I have always used the same guy. Kinda lazy, and might not know exactly what he is doing, but I he works really cheap! haven't gone to jail yet, so can't be doing too bad a job. The software these days does a good job asking all the right questions. Plus I don't have anything fancy like self employment or rental property to worry about.

stickguy

graphicguy said:

@jipster.....do you still get the Hybrid tax credit?

that is not a plug in, so no credit involved.

stickguy

While on Amazon, ordered a hair trimmer and scissors. Supposed to arrive in about 2 weeks. My hair is bad now, by then it is going to look like a (mostly) gray carrot top. I can't stand it.

houdini1

suydam said:

Cloth seats are not good if you have dogs that she’d a lot. Other Lab owners will know what I mean. At least with leather or pleather you have a hope of vacuuming it off.

she'd---darn auto correct !

imidazol97

Autocorrect on my Samsung Galaxy 7 is helpful but sometimes corrects after the text is complete. I can't
get used to having to reread everything a second time after completing it. That slows down the purpose of
texting which is get a post done quickly.

roadburner

jipster said:

The sales manager showed me the paper where they paid $28,something. Said they put.on the add ons to make money as everyone wants invoice. Said cost them $400 for the add ons (which was around $2,000 on msrp....I believe) Said he would take the all weather floor mats and some other things off to save me some money, but I didn't want to do that. He seemed like a straignt shooter. Nice guy. So I said I 'd think about.it
6% sales tax..Dont know about dmv

The Kia Store had a $4000 ADM sticker on their GTS- even though it was advertised at MSRP. Once I saw that I walked; I refuse to patronize a dealer that plays those games. Of course it didn't help that the salesman Mr. Man Bun thought an M2 was a Mercedes...

driver100

Block is OK if your taxes are pretty straight forward, but, if there are complications then an accountant or at least a knowledgeable tax preparer might actually find more money than it costs.

Please press "Like"

houdini1

jmonroe1 said:

houdini1 said:

driver100 said:

imidazol97 said:

tjc78 said:

Our washer/dryer set is the grey. We like it.

I like the look. I can't let my wife see this picture or she'll want to switch them out for the chrome shadow!!!

I really like the gray too. But, white is safer...... Getting colored appliances reminds me of olive green and gold.

Avocado Green and Harvest Gold !

WHOA, hold on there. When we built our first house in 1969, our washer and dryer were Avocado Green and our kitchen appliances were Harvest Gold which went very well with the walnut stained kitchen cabinets. At the time they were la-de-da and we were the talk of the hood, in a good way. Nothing wannabe be about those colors back then. :@

jmonroe

On logging in, you probably forgot and used facebook, google, etc. to log in. Don't do that. Log out and log back in manually, using your original jmonroe info.

explorerx4

I'm not sure if my hair looks more like Ty Pennington or Dave Kindig.

tjc78

stickguy said:

tjc78 said:

All the detailers on You Tube use this for pet hair. Appears to do an amazing job in the videos.

https://www.autogeek.net/lilly-pet-hair-brush.html

bored and cooped up, so fired up Amazon and ordered one. Hopefully it does the job on my carpet mats in the TLX and carpets in both cars. I have one heck of a hairy lab that likes to shed.

for taxes, I have always used the same guy. Kinda lazy, and might not know exactly what he is doing, but I he works really cheap! haven't gone to jail yet, so can't be doing too bad a job. The software these days does a good job asking all the right questions. Plus I don't have anything fancy like self employment or rental property to worry about.

Look up the Detail Geek on YT and he has some “hairy” details where he uses it.

jipster

The leather on my son's 2010 Ford Fusion Premiere split down the middle about 4 months ago. Maybe the perforated leather on the heated seats makes it more susceptible to tearing.

BUT, the front seats on Hyundai Veracruz is a bit stained from too much Taco Bell and other unknown spills. So pros and cons with both.

In looking at Car Gurus numbers today, the price on that Accord Hybrid EX looks to be doable. Really tight, but doable. Invoice is $27,000. Average price paid is $26,773. So, say $26,500 for the price of the car. Around $1,500 taxes. $500 for fees, add one and b.s. So, $28,500.

The sales manager left a message on my voice mail this morning. Said he couldn't move off that Hybrid price. Wanted to know if I wanted to look at their nonhybrid EX. Hmmm. Looks like I'll be breaking out those sub sandwiches after all. He's gonna cave!! ;-)

driver100

Well, one thing Jip, no one can say you didn't do your homework.
Good luck

roadburner

jipster said:

The leather on my son's 2010 Ford Fusion Premiere split down the middle about 4 months ago. Maybe the perforated leather on the heated seats makes it more susceptible to tearing.

Wow. I've never had that happen. Cracked padded dashes on pre '90s cars? I've had that happen a lot.

explorerx4

He hasn't turned in his homework yet, still might get eaten by the dog.

roadburner

jipster said:

The sales manager left a message on my voice mail this morning. Said he couldn't move off that Hybrid price. Wanted to know if I wanted to look at their nonhybrid EX. Hmmm. Looks like I'll be breaking out those sub sandwiches after all. He's gonna cave!! ;-)

Tell him thanks for calling, but that the only Accord you are interested in is the Hybrid.

houdini1

jipster said:

The leather on my son's 2010 Ford Fusion Premiere split down the middle about 4 months ago. Maybe the perforated leather on the heated seats makes it more susceptible to tearing.

BUT, the front seats on Hyundai Veracruz is a bit stained from too much Taco Bell and other unknown spills. So pros and cons with both.

In looking at Car Gurus numbers today, the price on that Accord Hybrid EX looks to be doable. Really tight, but doable. Invoice is $27,000. Average price paid is $26,773. So, say $26,500 for the price of the car. Around $1,500 taxes. $500 for fees, add one and b.s. So, $28,500.

The sales manager left a message on my voice mail this morning. Said he couldn't move off that Hybrid price. Wanted to know if I wanted to look at their nonhybrid EX. Hmmm. Looks like I'll be breaking out those sub sandwiches after all. He's gonna cave!! ;-)

Stick to your price but go for the EXL.

stickguy

can move the goalposts. at least from your new analysis, you are pretty sure that your price is a serious reach, but splitting the difference seems like a win for both sides (well, a good deal for you, their end is not your problem!)

can offer to accept their price on an EXL. Or split the difference on the EX. dodge and weave, keep them off balance! But since it sounds like you prefer the EX, if you really want to get the car in your driveway, I would go back 1 time, tell them you did more research, and offer the split (whatever it was, $28,500 OTD) and say best and final. If they take it, great. If not, start contacting every dealer in the vicinity that has one in stock, and just make the same offer, take it or leave it, until one bites.

using the Bobst rules, if none of them do, you know that your offer (pretty much pulled out of thin air) was a non-starter.

driver100

houdini1 said:

jipster said:

The leather on my son's 2010 Ford Fusion Premiere split down the middle about 4 months ago. Maybe the perforated leather on the heated seats makes it more susceptible to tearing.

BUT, the front seats on Hyundai Veracruz is a bit stained from too much Taco Bell and other unknown spills. So pros and cons with both.

In looking at Car Gurus numbers today, the price on that Accord Hybrid EX looks to be doable. Really tight, but doable. Invoice is $27,000. Average price paid is $26,773. So, say $26,500 for the price of the car. Around $1,500 taxes. $500 for fees, add one and b.s. So, $28,500.

The sales manager left a message on my voice mail this morning. Said he couldn't move off that Hybrid price. Wanted to know if I wanted to look at their nonhybrid EX. Hmmm. Looks like I'll be breaking out those sub sandwiches after all. He's gonna cave!! ;-)

Stick to your price but go for the EXL.

+1 EXL seems worth the extra price, especially in red with beige interior.

driver100

stickguy said:

can move the goalposts. at least from your new analysis, you are pretty sure that your price is a serious reach, but splitting the difference seems like a win for both sides (well, a good deal for you, their end is not your problem!)

can offer to accept their price on an EXL. Or split the difference on the EX. dodge and weave, keep them off balance! But since it sounds like you prefer the EX, if you really want to get the car in your driveway, I would go back 1 time, tell them you did more research, and offer the split (whatever it was, $28,500 OTD) and say best and final. If they take it, great. If not, start contacting every dealer in the vicinity that has one in stock, and just make the same offer, take it or leave it, until one bites.

using the Bobst rules, if none of them do, you know that your offer (pretty much pulled out of thin air) was a non-starter.

All good advice.
I am wondering if it would be worthwhile sending an email to dealers within 100 mile radius........Ready to buy, will pay $XXXX for a 2020 Accord EX or whatever...TODAY!

Sandman6472

Bring your lunch...and your checkbook. Looks like you'll be driving home a new 2020 Accord tonight! Which one??? That still remains to be seen but, you'll be driving one home I suspect. But trust me, get the one you really do want, the little extra in $ won't even matter in a few weeks to be honest. By then, you'll be on to the next issue in your life that comes up. Funny how things happen in life...we go from issue to issue, hardly ever looking back!
That's what I told me kid last December after he first auto accident. And it's true. She's moving to a new apartment the end of the week! Movers come on Thursday morning and I've been instructed to be down there late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, doing the latter. Really thought she'd stay where she was, they wanted her to but in a different unit. But, think she wanted a change so, up to her, so she's moving on the other side of the mall.

28firefighter

Make the offer to meet in the middle to the first dealer. Give them that courtesy. If they don’t, move to the next closest that has what you want.

Spamming all dealers within 100 miles simply doesn’t work anymore. Most Internet Reps can spot them and will simply ignore them or lowball you to get you in the door.

driver100

A friend once had a house he was selling.....the market was pretty hot at the time.
Realtors were calling and making all kinds of promises....I have customers willing to buy now....etc.
I like what he did. He told them all......I am not going to sign an agreement, but, the one who brings in a customer who actually buys it....gets the full commission.
He had lots of showings and sold the house pretty quickly.

I'd give the dealer until Monday as a courtesy, see if they come back by then. But, sending out an email won't always work....but, if a dealer really had to move a car, it might make them move on it. I like to be fair to the dealer too, but, they use all the tools at their disposal, so I have to use all my skills too.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

jipster said:

The sales manager showed me the paper where they paid $28,something. Said they put.on the add ons to make money as everyone wants invoice. Said cost them $400 for the add ons (which was around $2,000 on msrp....I believe) Said he would take the all weather floor mats and some other things off to save me some money, but I didn't want to do that. He seemed like a straignt shooter. Nice guy. So I said I 'd think about.it
6% sales tax..Dont know about dmv

The Kia Store had a $4000 ADM sticker on their GTS- even though it was advertised at MSRP. Once I saw that I walked; I refuse to patronize a dealer that plays those games. Of course it didn't help that the salesman Mr. Man Bun thought an M2 was a Mercedes...

GG should sell copies of his purchase order to wave in the faces of people like that.

oldfarmer50

roadburner said:

jipster said:

The leather on my son's 2010 Ford Fusion Premiere split down the middle about 4 months ago. Maybe the perforated leather on the heated seats makes it more susceptible to tearing.

Wow. I've never had that happen. Cracked padded dashes on pre '90s cars? I've had that happen a lot.

The only two cars I ever had with leather were the 95’ Lincoln and the 2000 Sebring. The Lincoln’s were 22 years old when I sold it and still intact. The Sebring’s must have disintegrated at some point because the ones in there now don’t resemble anything I’ve ever seen before. Good shape replacements though. I don’t think Chrysler leather was as good as Lincoln.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

can move the goalposts. at least from your new analysis, you are pretty sure that your price is a serious reach, but splitting the difference seems like a win for both sides (well, a good deal for you, their end is not your problem!)

can offer to accept their price on an EXL. Or split the difference on the EX. dodge and weave, keep them off balance! But since it sounds like you prefer the EX, if you really want to get the car in your driveway, I would go back 1 time, tell them you did more research, and offer the split (whatever it was, $28,500 OTD) and say best and final. If they take it, great. If not, start contacting every dealer in the vicinity that has one in stock, and just make the same offer, take it or leave it, until one bites.

using the Bobst rules, if none of them do, you know that your offer (pretty much pulled out of thin air) was a non-starter.

All good advice.
I am wondering if it would be worthwhile sending an email to dealers within 100 mile radius........Ready to buy, will pay $XXXX for a 2020 Accord EX or whatever...TODAY!

Didn’t a few of our sale people friends say that kind of solicitation was generally laughed off as not being serious?

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

stickguy said:

can move the goalposts. at least from your new analysis, you are pretty sure that your price is a serious reach, but splitting the difference seems like a win for both sides (well, a good deal for you, their end is not your problem!)

can offer to accept their price on an EXL. Or split the difference on the EX. dodge and weave, keep them off balance! But since it sounds like you prefer the EX, if you really want to get the car in your driveway, I would go back 1 time, tell them you did more research, and offer the split (whatever it was, $28,500 OTD) and say best and final. If they take it, great. If not, start contacting every dealer in the vicinity that has one in stock, and just make the same offer, take it or leave it, until one bites.

using the Bobst rules, if none of them do, you know that your offer (pretty much pulled out of thin air) was a non-starter.

All good advice.
I am wondering if it would be worthwhile sending an email to dealers within 100 mile radius........Ready to buy, will pay $XXXX for a 2020 Accord EX or whatever...TODAY!

Didn’t a few of our sale people friends say that kind of solicitation was generally laughed off as not being serious?

Generally, yes, I think most dealers would ignore it....BUT, if the offer is realistic, and the email sounds pretty sincere, as in "ready to buy", and with a pretty cold market, if I saw the email come in I would reply. And, nothing to lose.....and might just work.

28firefighter

What you have to lose is being blacklisted as a time waster at dealers that may actually have the car you want. It does happen. I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything.

stickguy

just show up in person. Verify car is in stock, and have them pull it up. Then present the offer. Especially in this depressed market, standing there, checkbook in hand, in front of a car that can be sold immediately, gives a powerful incentive for the dealer to make the deal happen. Something they don't get from an obviously blast Email.

stickguy

but I would go back to current guy with the last and final offer (splitting the difference) to see if that can work.

explorerx4

One of my BIL's, at some point, switched banks and didn't get his $1200 check.
Yesterday, he got a letter from his 'old' bank letting him know of the deposit.
He thought that account had been closed, but luckily for him, it had not been.

driver100

28firefighter said:

What you have to lose is being blacklisted as a time waster at dealers that may actually have the car you want. It does happen. I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything.

I still think it is legitimate and fair. He has told his dealer what he is willing to pay. If he has given them his best price, has waited a reasonable time, then he is free to take his price elsewhere. I am saying to blast a few dealerships within 100 mile radius.......not all of them. Find a comparable model from their stock, see if a realistic low price works. He is being fair and he legitimately wants to buy....just at a price he wants to pay....doesn't want to do the dance and have to sit around eating a submarine sandwich. They can turn him down....but, if they really do have to sell a car this is a guy who wouldn't have bought a car from them anyway.
I don't think they are going to send his email to other dealers and warn them.
I think it is a special circumstance......he isn't desperate, he has a budget he doesn't want to go over, he is stretching his budget a bit....that is the most he really wants to pay.......why would a dealer that wants to move a car ignore him?

roadburner

28firefighter said:

What you have to lose is being blacklisted as a time waster at dealers that may actually have the car you want. It does happen. I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything.

When I worked at BMW the "cold" emails were virtually always a colossal waste of time. If I knew the sender it was a completely different situation.

28firefighter

roadburner said:

28firefighter said:

What you have to lose is being blacklisted as a time waster at dealers that may actually have the car you want. It does happen. I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything.

When I worked at BMW the "cold" emails were virtually always a colossal waste of time. If I knew the sender it was a completely different situation.

If I was making an email offer, I typically follow it up with a call so they know I’m serious.

driver100

28firefighter said:

roadburner said:

28firefighter said:

What you have to lose is being blacklisted as a time waster at dealers that may actually have the car you want. It does happen. I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything.

When I worked at BMW the "cold" emails were virtually always a colossal waste of time. If I knew the sender it was a completely different situation.

If I was making an email offer, I typically follow it up with a call so they know I’m serious.

For sure....or could call first and let them know you are sending the email.
In sales I learned to make cold calling warmer....get in touch first so they expect your call.

explorerx4

@driver100,
You sure change your story a lot. Blast every dealer within 100 miles, blast only some dealers within 100 miles, work with the current dealership.

pensfan83

@28firefighter @jmonroe I'm hearing and reading The O has closed. Hoping it's not true but it sure looks that way.

28firefighter

pensfan83 said:

@28firefighter @jmonroe I'm hearing and reading The O has closed. Hoping it's not true but it sure looks that way.

Temporarily or permanently?

Memories...

fintail

I remember that happened to me with MB of Tacoma when they saw I knew how mf worked in a lease.

28firefighter said:

What you have to lose is being blacklisted as a time waster at dealers that may actually have the car you want. It does happen. I’m not speaking from personal experience or anything.

fintail

Still relevant for probably another month: