What gets my goat nowadays is with this new FTC do not call law, I get a lot of e-mails with no phone numbers. Sometimes I will have an old age unit that needs to find a home fast and it matches the desires of some of these customers. Well I can't call them and sometimes their e-mail is bad and messages get returned. Some e-mails are easy to figure out you know, a switched letter here and there but some are just not that easy, like loquicioas3249@aol.com or something like that. Probably loquacious but if the numbers are screwed up think of how many possible combinations they can be. Don't have the time for those, so they just get put into the "did not respond" or "no agreement reached" category.
Then there are the fake phone numbers like 555-1212, I even had a fake email address! The guy wanted a price but didn't want me to email it to him? He actually called to complain!
Raybear -- that's crazy. Why would they give you a fake e-mail address. You never know, there are always crazy people out there.
I actually have only contacted three dealers, two of whom I went on test drives with and one recommended by a colleague and I actually did them in order. I didn't ask for a quote; I made a firm offer to each of them. The first was the closest and the salesperson I spent the most time with. Unfortunately his quote was so outrageous that I didn't have any choice but not to use him. The second was somewhat better but still a ways away from what I believe is fair value. So I'm now working with the third. My colleague bought his car from this third dealer but he also talked to the first dealer I contacted (different salesperson). He said the difference between the two dealers, including trade-in, was more than $5000! I don't feel comfortable just sending mass e-mail/faxes out. I want to know who I'm dealing with first. All the dealers I've contacted so far have been recommended to me. Don't think I'll ever want to just randomly request quotes.
You said that you made firm offers to three dealers. Were all three refused?
If so, then it should be very clear that you have to increase your offer if you want to buy that type of car.
Personally, I don't think much of asking the dealer for a quote. I think it is waste of your time and energy.
When we were looking for an Acura RSX in October, I called one dealer to see if they had a red one is stock. He said they did and he would give me a great deal on it.
I said, "OK, what is it?" After awhile, he said $22000 OTD. I thanked him, and hung up.
A few days later I went there and offered $20500 OTD and they snapped it up.
The moral to this story? Just compute the price you are willing to pay and see if they accept it.
Raybear: Would you pay more than $500 for documentation fee, on top of dealer prep, advertising fee, and "computer programming" fee? These are all "fees" that two of the dealers are charging and they add up to about $2000.
Bobst: Like you, I think asking for quotes is a waste of time and energy too. I did make firm offers to 3 dealers, not all at the same time. They all made counter offers to me. These are all dealers relatively close to me so I wanted to give them a shot first. I know three people who got cars similar to the one I want at a dealer a couple of hours away and they ALL got it for $2000 less than my best counter offers becuase they didn't have to pay those ridiculous fees I mentioned above. They all had great experience and worked with a very professional salesperson. All these deals were done on cars being special ordered and all were done recently so there were no special rebates or discounts that my friends got. I also did a lot of research on this forum as well as a few others and know that the price I'm offering is average, not even on the low end. I want salespeople to make money too because they're not there to give away cars. But I think charging more than $500 for documentation fee, for instance, is unreasonable, not to mention that this is on top of 3 OTHER fees that they are trying to charge. Think my next step is to contact the other out-of-town dealer. I probably wouldn't do it for a couple hundred dollars, but for $2000???
If you used Edmunds.com to research a vehicle you bought from a Denver-area dealership and would like to talk about your experience on camera Saturday, January 31, 2004, please contact jfallon@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information and the name of the dealership. Responses must be in by Friday, January 30, 2004 for consideration. Thanks! Jeannine Fallon PR Director Edmunds.com
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
You said that your friends got cars similar to yours for a good price.
If you want to get a decent deal, first get answers to these two questions.
Exactly how were their cars different from the one you want?
Exactly how much did your friends pay for their cars? If they paid cash, they probably know. If they financed, they might have been tricked to thnk they are paying less than they actually are.
Once you answer these two questions, I will tell you what the next step is.
I think as long as you are (in your email) polite, specific and serious, and make it clear that you are not sending out 100 emails, there's nothing wrong with asking the dealer for a quote. I did that using Edmunds and was happy with my shopping process (quick and easy negotiation via email).
Color -- both interior and exterior, but they are mostly mainstream color such as black, silver, dark blue and all of my friends' cars are special ordered anyway, it's not like a dealer struck a good deal trying to move something off the lot.
Heated Seats -- I want heated seats and only one of my three friends has that option.
Xenon Headlights -- I want this option but one friend didn't get this.
And that's it. No other differences. Same model, same engine, all 2004 models! Two of my buddies paid for in cash, as I will as well, and only one financed it. All three of them got anywhere between $900 - $1100 over invoice, inclusive of all fees other than taxes and licenses. Of the three counter offers I have now, the best one is $2900 over invoice plus taxes and licesnses.
These next step is to take their price and add on the price for any additional features that you want. That will give you a total price you would expect at their dealer.
Then add on $100 or $200 because you want to buy the car closer to where you live.
Walk into your local dealer and offer that price.
If they accept, then buy the car.
If they don't accept, then come back here for more advice.
There is nothing wrong with asking the dealer for a quote.
You might get a good price.
On the other hand, you might get a poor price or you might get the run-around, making the whole effort a waste of your time and energy. That's how it has worked for me.
For starters, let's make sure someone has the proper pricing .. and that starts with actually "seeing the sales order" from the "friends" that bought the same/like vehicle, don't take their word, see it .. the 2 biggest lies on the planet, what someone paid for their home and what they paid for their vehicle ..
Bobst, let's be honest here, there has to be 200/500+ posts on how folks are paying $200 over invoice on the new TL, how they got this great price on their new RX330 and 2 weeks in Hawaii and paid $150 over, it ain't happening .. I know your trying to help, but your really making things 10 times harder for the buyer and the seller, plus the customer has lost all creditability with the dealer when they drop prices that aren't even in the zipcode, your a nice guy, but your trying a little too hard to get to the "Far Side" ......
Guess they ask that question for the same reason customs official ask if you've got any undeclared items. You might break down and confess to bumping the price up $200. ;-)
Maybe it's somewhat brand-sensitive. I've found Caddy customers tend to ask it that's my best price, whereas Subaru shoppers will tell me yea or nay within a week. I do much better with Subaru than Cadillac.
........ It's a funny world and a crazier market, 3-5 years ago you couldn't "Give away" a Subaru in the south, I mean flat dead cold, roll up the windows and say goodbye .. but now, Subu's are a wanted vehicle all over the place, they have done a great job ...
I first started looking around at a new vehicle last summer. Wanted an SUV for the long road trips my husband and I take and the need to accommodate two dogs. I did a few months worth of research online and narrowed down my choices to the Highlander, Pilot, 4Runner. I LOVED the styling of the 4Runner but was concerned with how it would drive considering it was truck based. ANYWAY on our way home from a restaurant there was a strip of quite a few dealers, my husband suggested that we stop in Toyota and Honda and look at the prospects in person, and that we did. After explaining that I was just looking and wanted to know of the features on both the Highlander and 4Runner, I was encouraged to drive both vehicles. Well I LOVED the Limited 4Runner but it had a sticker price of somewhere in the early $40K, I was just blowed away! I mean I can buy a GX470 for that price (it is a 470 right? I mix up the numbers). I explained to the saleslady that I still had my current car that I need to sell/trade before I can think about purchasing. They offered me a decent price on my trade but took off about $1000K for the vehicle. It still seemed high too me compared to what I had remembered seeing on the net, and since I wasn't really prepared to deal with numbers right then and there I had no printouts for recourse. So I came home and did some more research and lo and behold edmunds TMV was nowhere near what she offered, the MSRP at the dealership seemed so highly inflated. I later e-mailed the fleet manager at a few delearships including that one... long story short she quoted me $7K off sticker and was even lower than Edmunds TMV, she also stated that if my car was evaluated for trade-in value already that she can honor it. Needless to say I wanted to buy right then and there but ran into a snag because we moved from FL to VA and car is still registered in my father's name from when he bought it for me 10 years ago! Go figure. My young brother really wants to purchase the car from me but won't be able to until June so I had to thank the fleet manager for her time but inform her of my situation. I told her that I would definitely keep her in mind when it comes time for me to buy. Well that was four months ago! And now my husband has decided he wants an Avalon and guess who we are dealing with now? Not to mention I still have her in mind for when I get my 4Runner in a few months. A little directness goes a loooooooong way with some customers and I seem to get to the bottom line faster with internet/fleet managers. She was just one example all the quotes I received back on the Runner at the time was lower than what the dealership salesperson insisted she could go until I told her thanks and good day, then of course the "let me talk to my manager" deal started, but I left anyway. With the Avalon we e-mailed around and got some no-responses, some "come on in", and two with quotes, her's was the lowest and it was an out the door price. We are going to pick it up tomorrow! Sweet deal for all IMO!
I'm looking to buy this 1999 BMW 528i with 70K miles on it. I will test drive the vehicle this weekend and if I like it, I will also take it to a machenic for an inspection. The dealer is selling at a special internet price of $16,994 and my target price is $17,000 CASH including tax and everything. Would that be a good deal? Should I go up to $17,500 if they won't sell it at my target price? Thanks!
First of all, the dealer doesn't care if you pay cash or finance it. They get paid the same.
The dealer has no control over taxes and registration costs so why include them with your offer?
Don't worry about the price until you know it's the right car for you. By all means, have it inspected my someone who KNOWS BMW's and not the corner gas station. Know what you are buying...these are nice cars but they are VERY expensive to maintain.
Isell - I include taxes and reg in my OTD offers because some dealerships "misunderstand" and try and slip their doc fees into the TT&L. By including everything I eliminate these "misunderstandings".
kleemit - go to the Real World Trade-in Values thread and post a detailed description of the 528i including all options, mileage, and location and Terry can give you an accurate price.
I am buying a car from Arizona through an online classified. (I live in Texas). The dealer is adding Arizona sales tax to the price of the car and also charging me for a 30 day drive-out sticker. Now, once I get the drive-out sticker (no plates).. Is it legally ok for me to drive it back to Texas..? Also, once I register the car in Texas, do I have to pay the Texas sales tax all over again? How is this supposed to work? Any pearls of wisdom is appreciated. thanks Karthick
I have a question on whether or not I speak to a salesperson and an internet person from the same dealer is this a conflict of interest.
I have been in contact with several internet people from different stores would this be rude or just good business as far as getting the best price. I am not stringing them along and advised up front that i am not serious yet.
I'd work with the internet salesperson if that's who you've already been in contact with, assuming you're comfortable with them (or more to the point, they haven't done anything that makes you uncomfortable). Ultimately, all the salespeople in the store answer to the same sales manager to get deals approved, so it probably doesn't matter much as far as "best" price goes.
Be sure to check in with Edmunds.com's Phil Reed during one of his two chat session tomorrow on "More Strategies for Smart Car Buyers" tomorrow (Wednesday) Aug 25 at noon PDT/3pm EDT and 6pm PDT/9pm EDT. Use the link at the top of the page or go to the Town Hall home page for more info.
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I have narrowed down to the vehicle I want. I have looked at options and prices but am not sure how to go about it. I am considering going through a few dealers by internet but also have the salesperson that i spoke to in mind as well.
I just wondering what the courteous thing to do was and if getting more people from the same dealer would cause a problem with anything commission... thanks i will check out the chat tomorrow
Hi whzrd. Since the Internet salespeople that you have spoken with have already spent time with you, I would make sure to mention that you are working with them if you actually physically go in and visit any dealers. If you don't, your deal may result in a split commission for both of the salespeople that you work with. Of course, you always should work with a salesperson that you feel comfortable with. If you did not like the salesperson that you initially spoke with you should indeed ask for a new one. I am sure that your dealer would rather have you switch salespeople than completely lose you as a customer.
What is annoying is to spend a lot of time with a customer. Go on test drives, have a good rapport etc and then have the customer go through the internet. They will talk to an internet person,thinking maybe they will get a lower price...they won't...say nothing about working with me only to have the internet person find this out way into the transaction.
that is the feedback that I'm looking for I don't want to see any one lose any commission or their time.
I am telling each person I talk to that I have spoke to other dealers.
I also need to drive the vehicle, so I speak to 1 salesperson and then do my searching on the net with the other dealers to see how my deal sets against theirs.
Hello, My question is how binding is an internet quote? In my opinion I have it in writing, they should honor it. A little background: I'm right at the end of my car quest. I researched, test drove, and finally requested internet quotes based on a "wish list" you fill out re: packages, color, etc. I received one response with an incredible deal. The dealer was not near me, however, so I went to my local dealer to see if they would match it and they're telling me they can't, the quote's too low, and that the other dealer will probably not honor the quote once I show up. What's going on?
...the problem that comes up is that a lot of the time you can't be sure that the quotes from the other dealers are kosher or apples to apples. For example, say that the invoice on the Blahmobile is $20K according to Edmunds, but it doesn't include a local ad fee imposed on the dealer by the manufacturer (and thus in their invoice). That fee is, say, $500. So Dealer A says they'll sell you the car for $20,700. Then you email Dealer B and they say they'll sell the car for "$300 above invoice". Not knowing anything about the $500 fee, you're thinking $20,300 based on Edmunds alone. Wow, $400 less. So you go down to Dealer B and lo and behold the actual sale price is $300 above $20,500, not $20K, for a total of $20,800. You'd have been better off at Dealer A and you've just wasted time and gas finding that out. And that's just one example.
The way to get the "best" price is to go to (or send an email) every dealer in your area and get quotes on the car from every one. Then go to the one with the best quote and determine if the deal is as good as it sounded. If it is, great, if not go to the next best and repeat. This is the way to ensure that you got the best, rock-bottom price.
If this sounds like too much work to you (it does to me), instead figure out the max you're willing to pay for the car out-the-door (OTD) (including everything - tax, registration, doc fees, whatever). You can do this by looking at invoice and TMV and talking to people on the forums. Go to your nearest (or favorite) dealer and offer a few hundred less than that OTD. Go back and forth once (your offer, counter-offer, last offer). If the price you end up at is at or less than your max, buy the car. 10-15 minutes time spent on negotiating.
Yeah, you might be able to get $200-400 less the hard way, but is it worth it?
Could be a low-ball offer just to get you to come out. Then once you get there they say "oh, I though you meant the manual, no air-conditioning one. The auto with air is $2000 more." No way to know for sure until you go, so you've got to weigh the distance (how far we talking?) and the difference in price vs. your local dealer. If the distance is more than 15-20 miles and/or the difference is less than $200-300, go with the local guy.
Or, just call the dealer and ask for the details in writing (email or fax). Be specific, as in X car with VIN, what it includes, MSRP, and all costs including doc fees, etc.
If they can't/won't give you that for a credit card deposit, probably not a legit deal.
That's exactly what I did. I used Consumer Report's "Price This Model" site and sent it out to whoever would respond. This is the only quote I got back. He has a copy of my request, as do I. It is signed by the E-Business Manager and the quote is thousands less than what I'd researched. In the e-mail he states that they have a great selection and even notes that the quote is "applicable to all in stock cars that are equipped as you requested." I didn't ask for anything unusual either. I have copies of everything that I plan to take with me. I was going to reply, by e-mail, that we had decided to buy the car and would like to come finalize the deal on Sat. Should I quote the offer back to him or just say I accept? Should I e-mail (records) or talk to him by phone?
....... Computers and the internet are some wonderful things .. but Consumer Report's, Edmunds, Cars direct, Autobytel, Cars R' You, Cars R' US don't sell the vehicles - dealers do..!
I think one of the most confusing things that has been generated is the "idea" of the "internet" or the "fleet" manager ... depending on the size of the store, it's usually just one of the salesman, he's usually working off one of the computers and he knows what his limits are, based on store policy .. some stores get 5/6 emails a week, some get 30/40 a day depending on the area and the product ..
Most of the emails read like this: "I need a loaded 545i with the sport package, don't want cold pack, only heated rear seats, I will pay $900 over invoice, only if it's black with dove interior, will be buying in 2 days, brother-in-law in biz, have 5 prices already, can you beat it.? I will give you name and number when you give price ...."
Dealers don't know if their talkin' with an Indian Chief or a Cuban refugee .. So, we know where this ones going .l.o.l. into the circular file ... most dealers get Dozens of these and then folks wonder why they get little or no response on their 20 offers, or get some whacked figure .. thats why "internet managers" have the life span of Goldfish .......
Pick-up the phone and Get with the person you been mailing with and work your best deal ... just because CR's says it should sell for this or that is meaningless, they don't own the vehicles, the dealer does .. the dealer might have 2 in the ground and -0- coming in, the dealer 12 miles away might have 22 on the ground and 20 coming in, thats what makes the difference, not some stupid guy like me printing stuff .l.o.l....
There's definitely nothing wrong with shopping around for your new car, whzrd. Of course, you have to test drive it before you purchase as well. What I would do in this situation is test drive the vehicle that you are interested in at a dealer, then shop around and see what sort of prices you are quoted. When you have a few price quotes in hand, go back or at least call the dealer that you took the test drive at and give them an opportunity to match your best quote. After all, they were the ones that took the time to let you drive the vehicle and put miles on their demo. The least you can do is give them the opportunity to get your business. If they won't match, no big deal, just purchase from the dealer that will sell you the car at the price that you want.
I really like using the internet to purchase a car over the traditional method. It's a lot less stressful. I might have gotten a lower price for the 05 Corolla LE I helped my mom buy today, by going in there and hammer away at the salesperson, but it's not worth it in my opinion.
I just emailed every dealership in my area, including the one we test drove at, for their best OTD price. Ended up find a dealer close to my mom's job that offered invoice-500 after a rebate. In and out in 1 1/2 hours. Best experience I've ever had looking/buying a car.
Comments
The (gasp) telephone still works well too!
: )
Mackabee
: )
Mackabee
I actually have only contacted three dealers, two of whom I went on test drives with and one recommended by a colleague and I actually did them in order. I didn't ask for a quote; I made a firm offer to each of them. The first was the closest and the salesperson I spent the most time with. Unfortunately his quote was so outrageous that I didn't have any choice but not to use him. The second was somewhat better but still a ways away from what I believe is fair value. So I'm now working with the third. My colleague bought his car from this third dealer but he also talked to the first dealer I contacted (different salesperson). He said the difference between the two dealers, including trade-in, was more than $5000! I don't feel comfortable just sending mass e-mail/faxes out. I want to know who I'm dealing with first. All the dealers I've contacted so far have been recommended to me. Don't think I'll ever want to just randomly request quotes.
A quick round of emails offering your price may show you what the market really is and it saves a heck of a lot of time and trouble.
If so, then it should be very clear that you have to increase your offer if you want to buy that type of car.
Personally, I don't think much of asking the dealer for a quote. I think it is waste of your time and energy.
When we were looking for an Acura RSX in October, I called one dealer to see if they had a red one is stock. He said they did and he would give me a great deal on it.
I said, "OK, what is it?" After awhile, he said $22000 OTD. I thanked him, and hung up.
A few days later I went there and offered $20500 OTD and they snapped it up.
The moral to this story? Just compute the price you are willing to pay and see if they accept it.
Bobst: Like you, I think asking for quotes is a waste of time and energy too. I did make firm offers to 3 dealers, not all at the same time. They all made counter offers to me. These are all dealers relatively close to me so I wanted to give them a shot first. I know three people who got cars similar to the one I want at a dealer a couple of hours away and they ALL got it for $2000 less than my best counter offers becuase they didn't have to pay those ridiculous fees I mentioned above. They all had great experience and worked with a very professional salesperson. All these deals were done on cars being special ordered and all were done recently so there were no special rebates or discounts that my friends got. I also did a lot of research on this forum as well as a few others and know that the price I'm offering is average, not even on the low end. I want salespeople to make money too because they're not there to give away cars. But I think charging more than $500 for documentation fee, for instance, is unreasonable, not to mention that this is on top of 3 OTHER fees that they are trying to charge. Think my next step is to contact the other out-of-town dealer. I probably wouldn't do it for a couple hundred dollars, but for $2000???
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If you want to get a decent deal, first get answers to these two questions.
Exactly how were their cars different from the one you want?
Exactly how much did your friends pay for their cars? If they paid cash, they probably know. If they financed, they might have been tricked to thnk they are paying less than they actually are.
Once you answer these two questions, I will tell you what the next step is.
Duncan
Color -- both interior and exterior, but they are mostly mainstream color such as black, silver, dark blue and all of my friends' cars are special ordered anyway, it's not like a dealer struck a good deal trying to move something off the lot.
Heated Seats -- I want heated seats and only one of my three friends has that option.
Xenon Headlights -- I want this option but one friend didn't get this.
And that's it. No other differences. Same model, same engine, all 2004 models! Two of my buddies paid for in cash, as I will as well, and only one financed it. All three of them got anywhere between $900 - $1100 over invoice, inclusive of all fees other than taxes and licenses. Of the three counter offers I have now, the best one is $2900 over invoice plus taxes and licesnses.
These next step is to take their price and add on the price for any additional features that you want. That will give you a total price you would expect at their dealer.
Then add on $100 or $200 because you want to buy the car closer to where you live.
Walk into your local dealer and offer that price.
If they accept, then buy the car.
If they don't accept, then come back here for more advice.
You might get a good price.
On the other hand, you might get a poor price or you might get the run-around, making the whole effort a waste of your time and energy. That's how it has worked for me.
For starters, let's make sure someone has the proper pricing .. and that starts with actually "seeing the sales order" from the "friends" that bought the same/like vehicle, don't take their word, see it .. the 2 biggest lies on the planet, what someone paid for their home and what they paid for their vehicle ..
Bobst, let's be honest here, there has to be 200/500+ posts on how folks are paying $200 over invoice on the new TL, how they got this great price on their new RX330 and 2 weeks in Hawaii and paid $150 over, it ain't happening .. I know your trying to help, but your really making things 10 times harder for the buyer and the seller, plus the customer has lost all creditability with the dealer when they drop prices that aren't even in the zipcode, your a nice guy, but your trying a little too hard to get to the "Far Side" ......
Terry.
Terry.
Terry.
: )
Mackabee
Would you be satisfied if a I said the 40ishK?
UGH technicalities :-P
The dealer has no control over taxes and registration costs so why include them with your offer?
Don't worry about the price until you know it's the right car for you. By all means, have it inspected my someone who KNOWS BMW's and not the corner gas station. Know what you are buying...these are nice cars but they are VERY expensive to maintain.
Isell - I include taxes and reg in my OTD offers because some dealerships "misunderstand" and try and slip their doc fees into the TT&L. By including everything I eliminate these "misunderstandings".
kleemit - go to the Real World Trade-in Values thread and post a detailed description of the 528i including all options, mileage, and location and Terry can give you an accurate price.
Any pearls of wisdom is appreciated.
thanks
Karthick
I have been in contact with several internet people from different stores would this be rude or just good business as far as getting the best price. I am not stringing them along and advised up front that i am not serious yet.
Going through the internet doesn't automatically get you a lower price. I would deal with a salesperson you feel comfortable with.
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I have narrowed down to the vehicle I want. I have looked at options and prices but am not sure how to go about it. I am considering going through a few dealers by internet but also have the salesperson that i spoke to in mind as well.
I just wondering what the courteous thing to do was and if getting more people from the same dealer would cause a problem with anything commission... thanks i will check out the chat tomorrow
Car_man
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What is annoying is to spend a lot of time with a customer. Go on test drives, have a good rapport etc and then have the customer go through the internet. They will talk to an internet person,thinking maybe they will get a lower price...they won't...say nothing about working with me only to have the internet person find this out way into the transaction.
Not a big deal, just frustrating sometimes.
I am telling each person I talk to that I have spoke to other dealers.
I also need to drive the vehicle, so I speak to 1 salesperson and then do my searching on the net with the other dealers to see how my deal sets against theirs.
kosher,smart or underhanded?
thank you
My question is how binding is an internet quote? In my opinion I have it in writing, they should honor it. A little background:
I'm right at the end of my car quest. I researched, test drove, and finally requested internet quotes based on a "wish list" you fill out re: packages, color, etc. I received one response with an incredible deal. The dealer was not near me, however, so I went to my local dealer to see if they would match it and they're telling me they can't, the quote's too low, and that the other dealer will probably not honor the quote once I show up. What's going on?
The way to get the "best" price is to go to (or send an email) every dealer in your area and get quotes on the car from every one. Then go to the one with the best quote and determine if the deal is as good as it sounded. If it is, great, if not go to the next best and repeat. This is the way to ensure that you got the best, rock-bottom price.
If this sounds like too much work to you (it does to me), instead figure out the max you're willing to pay for the car out-the-door (OTD) (including everything - tax, registration, doc fees, whatever). You can do this by looking at invoice and TMV and talking to people on the forums. Go to your nearest (or favorite) dealer and offer a few hundred less than that OTD. Go back and forth once (your offer, counter-offer, last offer). If the price you end up at is at or less than your max, buy the car. 10-15 minutes time spent on negotiating.
Yeah, you might be able to get $200-400 less the hard way, but is it worth it?
If they can't/won't give you that for a credit card deposit, probably not a legit deal.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I think one of the most confusing things that has been generated is the "idea" of the "internet" or the "fleet" manager ... depending on the size of the store, it's usually just one of the salesman, he's usually working off one of the computers and he knows what his limits are, based on store policy .. some stores get 5/6 emails a week, some get 30/40 a day depending on the area and the product ..
Most of the emails read like this: "I need a loaded 545i with the sport package, don't want cold pack, only heated rear seats, I will pay $900 over invoice, only if it's black with dove interior, will be buying in 2 days, brother-in-law in biz, have 5 prices already, can you beat it.? I will give you name and number when you give price ...."
Dealers don't know if their talkin' with an Indian Chief or a Cuban refugee .. So, we know where this ones going .l.o.l. into the circular file ... most dealers get Dozens of these and then folks wonder why they get little or no response on their 20 offers, or get some whacked figure .. thats why "internet managers" have the life span of Goldfish .......
Pick-up the phone and Get with the person you been mailing with and work your best deal ... just because CR's says it should sell for this or that is meaningless, they don't own the vehicles, the dealer does .. the dealer might have 2 in the ground and -0- coming in, the dealer 12 miles away might have 22 on the ground and 20 coming in, thats what makes the difference, not some stupid guy like me printing stuff .l.o.l....
Terry ;^)
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I just emailed every dealership in my area, including the one we test drove at, for their best OTD price. Ended up find a dealer close to my mom's job that offered invoice-500 after a rebate. In and out in 1 1/2 hours. Best experience I've ever had looking/buying a car.