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Comments
Here's some comparative prices for you Fitzmall
There are 8 Hybrids for you, and they have details including all of the options, as well as their no haggle pricing. This is a competitive area of the country (2nd to CA as far as I can gather), so you may not do as well wherever your locality is.
Sorry for the spam. This is for a 08 RAV4 but I think there may be more members to help me over here... Anyway here is my question.
I got a very good quote from a dealership for a 08 RAV4. The internet sales manager told me that the car is coming to their lot in less than a month but it does not have a VIN yet. He wants me to put down a $500 deposit on it and he said he can guarantee the model, color, and options at the quoted price.
Does the process sound legitimate to you guys? I am just a little concerned because I hate putting down a deposit without even knowing the VIN...
We signed the loan agreement and agreed on an out the door price of $30,000 including GAP/Alarm.
Well, reviewing my loan documents today to my horror I discovered the Cash price of the vehicle was listed as $21,800 or a difference of $1,500 over what is printed on the Manufacturer Window Sticker.
I contacted the dealer today, they basically said that I should come in on Friday and get a co-signer to get a lower rate. The salesman stated, he had to increase the price of the vehicle to get a special financing loan.
I really believe I've been taken advantage of by the finance manager and salesperson. I would not agree to an additional $1,500 added to the sticker price. From what I've learned on this forums, people really do not pay sticker price. In my case they added $1500.00 to it.
I really would appreciate any advice you can give me.
I realize there is no cooling off period, but Dealers are truly taking advantage of this to their benefit.
Eiter way, it's showing poor integrity on the dealers part and I'd consider it highly unethical. If you truly paid more I'd contact a lawyer if they don't correct this.
My complaint here is, had I known there is an additional $1,500 to the price I could have gotten more car at another dealership.
Lawyers cost $'s.
This includes the 200 marketing cash for 08 Camrys.
Also, we've seen newspaper ads often...where only 1 car is available at an advertised price. Usually, it's the lowest model with Manual drive...we've seen this for 16995 for this CE in manual. It it reasonable to wait for such an ad and go into get the automatic knowing what the cost of changing transmission is (probably about 700-800).
thanks!
But bottom line is it sounds like you signed papers to purchase a "pig in a poke" (that may be a West Virginia only saying?)and have to be held accountable. Granted I wouldn't trust a dealer like this in the future and I would make sure the owner of the dealership knew this. Some sales folks think that they have to absolutely get all they can, but going over sticker on a car that should have been discounted is pretty low. Not necessarily unethical, but certainly not a practice if they want to build a long term relationship with you.
But the State Attorney General and the FTC cost nothing.
My complaint here is, had I known there is an additional $1,500 to the price I could have gotten more car at another dealership.
Lawyers cost $'s."
You paid 30k OTD for that car?....I do no understand why you are complaining about the price because you signed the contract.
I suspect the only remotley way you can recoup some of your money is if you hire an attorney however if you signed the contract I think this is a learning experience for you and others who read this forum.
True however the contract was signed so the complaint will be simply be filed in the trash.
I'm complaining about the fact he added $1500.00 more to the price of the sticker because it was not disclosed to me verbally that he intended to do that.
Isn't it important that he state this to me prior to even going inside the finance manager office?
Furthermore, don't expect me to know every single thing related to purchasing a new vehicle when I sit down at the finance office. It's very clear to me, this dealer is relying on the fact there is "no cooling off period in California".
It's like when the finance Manager tells you to your face, "there is no finance charge added to the purchase price of Gap & accessories" when financed.
With your line of thinking, it's a good thing there are places to complain about new car dealership practice.
I do hope, if you ever come across to something similar in your lifetime that you will not just roll over
Anyway, either offer them close to invoice for an automatic, or go and buy the manual. I'd recommend getting the manual.
First, let me state that at this point it's not clear that we know exactly what has happened here, so I am personally withholding opinion as to what should be done if anything to 'fix it'. If you make a copy and black out your personal info, can you post the documents so we can see what is really contracted?
However having said that, even though this might be your first vehicle purchase does not release you from the responsibility to understand what you are signing, before you agree to it and sign it. If you don't understand something, you ask questions till you understand. If you still don't understand, you don't sign. You go get whatever resources you need to educate and support you.
You'll be signing many contracts in your lifetime, which will legally commit you and others to specific terms and conditions.
Who knows how this will work out in the end, 'if' the contract is changed, hopefully it will be fair and reasonable. Chaulk this up as an unfortuantely hard learning experience.
from another poster in other forum
Any issues (especially the hesitation issues some reported for the 2007 model...and if they 'fixed' the transmission issues).
Thanks!!
If it happens to you, I hope you have the courage to fight back. Just because I signed the contract does not release the dealer from any perceived fraudulent activities.
Lead, follow or get out of my way. LOL. I may have drank too much coffee today.
Of course, IMHO.
What do I have to loose for not trying eh?
I agree. If the dealer take your SIGNED contract and change the #, that's fraud.
Keep in mind, I was already thinking I'm home free here. Then..One thing I do not understand is when the Finance Manager tells me for an additional $10/ month I can add Extended warranty to the vehicle. After asking him 3 times what the actual cost of warranty package, he answered $3100! Does not make any sense at all.
As for GAP insurance, esurance.com offered to add to my policy for a rate of $21/ 6 months.
If I can add a bit of advice to first time car buyers? If you have Microsoft Excel, you can duplicate the sales contract and actually plug in the numbers they tell you. This way, it's all clear.
Guess who did it this way?
This was a good price at the time, and I sold my old car myself, so the dealer really did not make that much on my whole deal, and I paid cash and did not buy an extended warranty (a total waste of $ in my opinion and experience).
I have no problems with the car, and I like it as well or better than my past Toyotas (Corollas and Ravs). It was built in January at the Kentucky plant. I am very picky about my cars, but I have found no problems.
From what I am reading here and on other sites, the hesitation issue has been solved with the latest TSB (takes about an hour under warranty.) I do not have that problem, but I have a manual transmission.
I would say $16,995 is a great price, go for it! Let me know what you decide or if you have any other questions!
You have to understand, Finance Managers will say anything to get you to buy that GAP or Extended warranty by saying your payments are only $390, for an additional $10 month you can get extended warranty. Then you ask, how much is extended warranty by itself? he answers after my third time I ask...$3100.
So you're saying, it's okay for people to get taken? What about the people who don't buy cars often??? You say its okay because they signed the deal. Yeah, right.
I completed my negotiation with the Fleet Manager based on sticker price, minus rebate, minus down payment and at 8 %. I inadvertently signed for an additional $1500 on the sticker price with the smooth fast talking finance manager.
Initially I was happy to pay sticker price and get a car w/ a small down payment being a college student. But after I realized I've been taken...its not a good feeling. Do you understand? I negotiated for $20,379, minus rebate, downpayment. Why on earth would the finance manager add $1500 to the Actual sale price of the vehicle?
Anyway, I fought back. But the Dealership for some reason really went out of their way to give me the best deal possible.
Then my laptop , microsoft excel saved me $3100 from the freaking finance manager.
Yes, I'm angry because I almost said yes to the extended warranty.
I'm still not sure what they did for you. If all they did is knock off the $1500 it sounds like you would still have paid list price. That's ripping you off as well. The $1500 was adding insult to injury.
I remember this happening to a co-worker 20 years ago and since then I've counciled a hundred friends in their purchase. It's not difficult to get a good deal, but for some reason some salespeople will indeed take advantage of a first time buyer. It burns me!
It's very easy to deal with the Sales People. The battle begins inside the Finance Manager Office.
With California's no cooling off period law, Finance Manager know that they can easily swindle people into over priced GAP & Extended Warranty Deals.
I am in CA. The dealer gave me the $21,400 (OTD) price for a 08 Camry LE. He told me this is the best offer he can make. Anybody recently got the same car? What is your OTD purchase prices?
The dealer doesn't have the car with the specific color I want on the lot, so the car won't be here for another 4~6 weeks.
I think your OTD is better than mine as CA charges sales tax. I hope this helps.
I am also a college senior going to graduate so I think I can get the $400 rebate.
What type of extended warranty did you get that costs $3100? I got the Platinum Warranty through Toyota for a little under $600 (3 year/50,000 mile). I find it hard to believe any extended warranty is as expensive as you say.
Take it easy. I didn't want to go through tons of posts and just read the last couple you made. I personally don't keep cars that long and was surprised that the warranty was that expensive. I go through new cars every two to three years. $850 sounds like a good deal for a 100,000 mile warranty.
FYI- Bought in KC Region.
Was trying to buy an XLE V6 and the Edmunds and Consumer Reports invoice was right at $27k based on the packages and options listed on the dealer's sites, which are run through toyota. I offered $27,600, which gives them a quick profit of about a grand for almost no work. I've done it in the past to make a deal in a couple of hours.
One dealer internet manager said he couldn't sell it for less than 28,400. I told him this was way to much and I could fly to Fitzmall and drive it back for about 800 less. He was candid and said there were lots of "dealer adds" which is usually useless junk.
Another would not give me a price and finally said he could sell it for invoice, which was pretty confusing since I was offering more than invoice already. I finally got a price out of him and he said invoice was $28k, 1,000 more than it should have been. So he was either being grossly dishonest or using some inflated "invoice" based on dealer add ons. I never did find out which since I really don't want to fool with people like that. BTW, that was Fred Haas Toyota in Spring, TX.
I only got two responses yet as related in my post above. It looks like the dealers are just using this as an opportunity to load up cars with extra junk and try to tell you what a great interest rate you are getting. I wish I could wait another month to get one of these when they realize they can't unload them, but I have to get a car soon, so will be flying to Fitzmall.
I suspect there may even be rebates on the 2007 Camry's next month.
I suggest going on-line to check dealer inventories to see if the car you "built" -- or something very close to it -- can be found anywhere. If it's not, then you'll have to order it from a dealer, or have them get one in from another dealership, and this will likely result in you not getting as good of a deal. If a dealer has one in stock you may be in a better position to dicker on price. Dealers always want to move vehicles they have on the lot first. That seems to be a sacred principle. So the next question is, what price should you offer? I would check around and see what other dealers are offering similar (MSRP'ed) cars for. That will indicate what your price ought to be. Look at dealers in your town, and maybe even surrounding towns (as your time allows). Know your market (and to your internet research!). In my area, I can tell you that it's pretty easy to get 08 TCH's for about 500-800 over invoice (or better) right now. Of course there are dealers who won't budge off MSRP, but those will be short conversations. Keep in mind that if the dealer has to find a car for you, or order it, you may not get that good of a deal.
I don't think paying cash has much of a bearing on the deal. The dealer gets his money -- which is all they're concerned about anyway -- whether it's cash or by financing. I don't see the "incentive" to give you a better deal because you're laying down green. That's just my opinion. BUT, keep in mind that if you finance, the dealer is also getting a "cut" from wherever it is they find you your financing, i.e., more profit for them. So, theoretically, you could use that knowledge to get a little bit better deal on your car, if you go this route.
What it all boils down to is make an offer and see what happens.
Hope this helps.
I am confused! First off, are these good deals? Second, which one is better? Thanks much!
You can get competitive online pricing at www.fitzmall.com. That would be an excellent reference point to compare to your dealer, but may be lower than you can reasonably negotiate in many areas of the country. Out of state purchasers don't pay the 99 doc fee at fitz either.
I test drove the Altima 2.5s equipped with push button start, power driver seats. I am very impressed. The transmission is new technology, and is very, very, very smooth. You'll like the transmission if you climb a lot of hills or mountains. It's a big difference compared to a Toyota vehicle. Oh, if the key is in your pocket, purse you can unlock the door automatically with out pushing anything. great looking car.
Maybe get a 2008 Altima?