I think if you search around edmunds there is alot of stuff about carsdirect. But remember, your still buying from a new car dealership...cars direct is just a middleman who adds an additional expense to the sale. I bet if you do a little homework and read some of the advice all over edmunds you can do it on your own and get a better price.
I bought my Civic LX AT, alabaster silver, after about 5 days of worth of e-mail between the 3 closet dealerships. It was so, so, so much better than my last on-the- lot experience (boy was I green, surprised that they didn't get my first-born child.) I researched prices (invoice, TMV, KBB, NADA) and picked the lowest (Edmunds.) I stuck to my guns about my OTD price ($18,000) and ended up with the best price, at the closest dealership (OTD 17,850--Car & Destination fee $17199 + tag $16.50 + 2.5% tax.)I felt like I saved money and they still made money--a fair deal. Now that I realize that very few fees are set in stone, I think I have the confidence/determination to do a face to face. :shades:
After your research, you felt empowered, and that helped you enjoy your car-buying experience. You also bought a good car that should give you a lot of pleasure.
That's what this forum is all about - helping people get a decent price and enjoy buying a car.
So it seem to me that "invoice" is just a made up term that has as little meaning as MSRP does. A dealer may quote prices all over the ballpark and then make his money with "fees". Just one more trick to confuse us rubes into thinking we are clever when we are getting hosed. Only once have I purchased a car without the sales guy trying to lie his way into more of my money. I sure hope that buying by the internet can wash some of this bad taste out of my mouth.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
That is why you should just make an out the door offer. Let the dealership worry about how they are going to allocate the funds to cover all of their fees.
I am the owner of a company called Women's Automotive Solutions, which negotiates car deals for women (and men) who don't want to deal with the haggling themselves. I typically work with either the general manager or internet manager instead of sales people to get the lowest possible price. Sales people want to make money (commission, the GM and internet manager want to move cars.
"Sales people want to make money"...Does your company work and negotiate car deals and "NOT CHARGE a FEE???? It seems to me that anybody that works wants to earn money (unless it is volunteer work)!!!!
What she's saying is that the salespeople tend to focus on margin and markup per car, while the sales manager is also interested in overall sales volume.
And that's true. The commission structure generally motivates the salesperson to try to get as much as s/he can (at least at the beginning of the haggle, when the salesperson will go for the gold until it becomes apparent that s/he can't get it). The sales manager balances those margin goals with the need to manage the dealership's inventory levels and inventory financing, and to hit overall sales targets.
You have to look at how each of them gets paid (they aren't paid on the same basis), and what they are each paid to do. Then it becomes a bit clearer what's up.
What is funny though is when a person calls a small store like mine and asks for the Internet manager.
me: I am sorry sir we don't have an internet manager.
Him: Well then I want to talk to the fleet manager.
ME: We don't have one of those either.
HIM: How can you not have a fleet manager? Who can I talk to to get the best price.
Me: Sir we only sell about 110 new cars a year and there are only five people on our entire sales staff. We have no need for any special managers. Tell me what you are looking for and I will assist you.
That happens about once a month. If you are looking at a small store or a make that does smaller volumes don't expect any special pricing from any special manager.
I was looking at a 04 Navigator that I had saw on-line from a local dealership. The Navi has 26,960 miles and they are asking for $26,995.Do you think it's better to deal with the internet department rather dealing with the saleperson on the floor? I was told you will get better deal by going through the internet department.
Did anyone know if we have to pay for window etching for buying used car. I just realized I'd been charge for it, the saleperson didn't show me the that line. I just saw it when I got home. Do you think I get refund for it because I didn't think it fair for anyone who buy a used car since the first person who buy it already paid for it.
My family is in the business (uncle is GM of a Honda dealership) I moved out of state, and needed a new car. He had done a favor for the GM of another Honda dealership (set his daughter up with a car) and wanted the favor returned for me. By researching the web, and getting various dealer quotes, playing them all against each other, I was able to get a better deal on my own! $500 under invoice! We laugh that you never get a better deal from a friend in the business, always do iit yourself, arm yourself with information! :shades:
I saw an ad online for a black 5-speed 2004 Lancer with 56K on it for $7499. Thought it was a good price. E-mailed that particular Chevy dealer and got a canned response. Replied and got an identical canned email. Let it go for awhile and I happened to be by the dealer a week later (it's 45 miles from home) while working on a Wednesday, so I stopped in to see the car. It was still there and had $11325 on the windshield. Salesman comes out and I asked for the internet guy "J". Salesman says "J" isn't there but he can help since it's a "slow day". He made a copy of my license and we drove the car, the tires were crap and it had a lot of road noise, but it drove well other than that. I figured a $7499 car leaves me enough cash to buy a set of quality tires so I'm all for it.
We go inside and the kid brings me a 4-square with $13,995 as the original asking price (new '06-'07 5-speed Lancers sell for THAT!), then discounted to $11,325 for the "internet deal". I told him it was a bunch of garbage and the car sells for $7499 or I walk.
Sales manager gives him the second pencil at $8500 + tax + title + fees with a big asterisk next to fees. I folded my arms and waited for them to get real.
They went and printed out a screenshot from their website showing the price as $11,325. I pulled out MY printed screenshot at $7499.
Then they came down to $8000. And $7999. And $7995. And I left, knowing they were full of it and knew darn well what their "internet" price was. I told them I was leaving and I wanted my driver's license back. Took 20 minutes, two more salespeople asking me if they could help, and another cry for $7888 before I got out the door and went back to work.
They called me every day, sometimes twice, for the next week, trying to get me back on the lot.
I'm no longer interested in that particular car since we really should get a minivan anyway, and told them this, and the salesman apparently tried to call me TODAY, Thanksgiving Day, and I didn't answer. Left me a voicemail trying to sell me on a $13,000 van when he knows $8,000 is my price range.
Definitely a waste of time in that case.
But internet buying isn't all that bad. Found a Toyota dealer with some cheap minivans. Might have myself a heck of a deal on a $5198 Grand Caravan if it's still there when my wife is ready to see it. Already been to the lot and they got the price right on the first pencil. Didn't even try to screw with me, and they have two more vans in case the one I want sells, and both well within my price range at $5898 and $7028. Should be a good experience no matter which one I pick.
I intend to buy a 2006 Kia Sedona LX by the end of this month and I have obtained an email bid from a local dealer here in kansas city for invoice price $23,176 excluding a $3,000 factory rebate. The final price would be $20,176 plus all taxes and fees. Since these minivans should be on model year clearance, How good a deal is this? I will need to change the seats to leather because of my toddlers and that will be an additional cost to consider.
When you write, "plus all taxes and fees" ... what is your dealership fees? If they include high(over $50) documenation fees then you may be paying to much. Anything other than tax, title and liscense is negotiable.
Doc fees are highly regional though. You can just say anything over 50 dollars is high because some states have a cap of say 150 or 210 or something.
In our region untill a few years ago doc fees for most area dealers were around 139-169 but a few years ago a lot of dealers went up to 259 or even higher some are approaching 300 and change.
Our doc fee is 239 which is a good bit lower then most dealers in the area.
For some of the deals I have worked 239 barely covered all of the paperwork required.
For example three cars all with pay off being traded in on one car that was being leased through a different company then two of the other cars oh and they are all out of state so everything has to be hand carried to the out of state DMV.
That was three manila folders full of paperwork and two trips to the DMV.
Example 2: It took six trips to the NY state DMV to get this one car registered because the New York DMV just makes up rules on the fly. We probably spent 239 dollars just in gas to to that registration.
After being in the business for 4+ years I can tell you that the best bargaining tool a customer has is sitting in the showroom physically there saying "I will buy the car today if you do X" I've never sold a car over the internet or over the phone. The customer has to come to the lot to buy the car. Internet shoppers are 90% strokers and most of them do nothing but leverage one price against another. It's a great tool for doing research and figuring out what colors and options are available but you cant drive a car until you go to a dealer, nor can you know what your trade is really worth.
I've sold a ton of cars over the internet, both new and used, but hyundai has a point; for every serious buyer you have, you get 25 others keeping their local dealers honest. What bothers me most is jumping through hoops, providing all of the information and not getting a response either way; we use the canned responses to weed out people wasting time, but it really gets annoying when you spend half an hour working up a deal and you don't even get a "no thanks"
First off I wonder if anyone knows if true internet salesmen get a lower commission rate than regular salesmen? I am not talking about deals found on the internet but dealerships with true internet sales departments. We have several around here.
I bought my last truck on the phone. I guess technically you could say that I signed the paperwork at the dealer but I did all the negotiating over the phone. I have to say it was one of the most pleasant deals I have ever made.
Where I live there are probably twenty Toyota (because that is what I am looking at) Dealerships within an hour or two of my house. I can email them and then follow it up with a phone call to let them know I am serious. I can do everything on the internet and over the phone. It is just so much easier and less stress than going to the lot, getting stuck some little cubicle, while so salesman tries to prove to me he is on my side against his big bad boss. I also like the fact I have an email in my hand that says the exact price we agreed on.
I know this won’t win me a lot of friends but just what good does a “traditional” car salesman do for someone like me? I have a good job, good credit and do enough research on the car so I know more about it than the average salesman does. Basically the salesman shows me the car, takes me for a ride, introduces me to his finance manager (If I happened to need one) and acts as a middleman between me and his mysterious boss. I am sure salesmen help the dealership make money or they wouldn’t have them but what do they do for me I can not do for myself? After my last little experience searching for a new car it is internet all the way for me from now on.
negotiating a deal and buying a car are two different things. you have to go to the dealer to drive the car and ultimately to take ownership of the car.
but what do they do for me I can not do for myself?
hmmmm...sell you the car. last i checked a customer still has to go to a dealer to buy a car. what you describe as yourself the buyer makes up maybe 1% of buyers and that is a serious stretch. i cant count how many people ask me ?'s like are these enignes fuel injected? can you do financing right here? do you take trade ins? I mean just totally nuts questions. I wish more people were like you...this is what i want this is what im willing to pay (insert number that is atleast 10% over invoice :-)) and I will buy it right now and take it home. Thank You and gone in 60 minutes.
Also what I am trying to say is that you will not get a lower price from an "internet salesperson" than you will by just walking through the door. I guess it could save time but considering how much the avg netty puts into a decision and how many different dealers they contact and how much time they spend at their kybd doing it...the time saved probably isn't really much
My last car purchase was from an auto auction and it couldn't have gone more smoothly. Plus, it was a much better deal than I ever got haggling with a car salesman.
Even if you do decide to buy your next car from a local dealer, do your research online first and approach the dealer armed with price quotes. They'll likely offer you more competitive prices if they know you've done your research.
It is a lot easier to get the pricing in advance, rather than having to run around in person to several dealerships and negotiate with each of them, like in the old days.
I did contact an out of town dealer to "keep my local dealer honest". I expected to ultimately buy from the local one, but the out of town dealer came back with an email price about $800 below the local one. I did not negotiate at all. All I had done was send an email asking how much they wanted for a specific car that they had in inventory.
I asked the local salesman to match and he basically told me if the other dealer will sell at that price, I should buy it there...so I did. Had the local dealer come within maybe $200-300, I'd not have made the 80 mile drive to buy.
I'm sure the typical customer is a pain in the neck to deal with, but from this side salesmen usually know less about the car than I do. Which I guess is understandable, since their primary job is selling, not informing.
hmmmm...sell you the car. last i checked a customer still has to go to a dealer to buy a car.
Yes but that was not really my point. I am trying to figure out just what the salesperson does for me. It seems like all he does is show me the car. If I want to buy it he has to go talk to his boss, if I want to finance it he has to go finance manager and if I have a trade-in we have to talk to someone else. Another thing is that many salesmen will act like they are doing me a favor by selling me the car. I actually had a dealer tell me, once when I was a kid, that I would never own a toyota truck because no one in the dealership would sell it to me. We had gotten in an argument because he would not give me a price. He only wanted to talk how much per month.
this is what i want this is what im willing to pay (insert number that is at least 10% over invoice ) and I will buy it right now and take it home. Thank You and gone in 60 minutes.
Well good luck on the 10%. I think thats called MSRP but I would not worry about a couple of hundred on the table if I was treated right. I do appreciate your honesty. It is kind of nice to hear even if most of us do not like it. I am sure "traditional" salesmen make the dealers money or they would not have them. I negotiate a couple of deals a year, mostly for friends and family. For me I much prefer the internet route. I can sit at home at the computer or on the phone, beer in hand, with absolutely no stress. I may be able to get a better deal but I doubt it.
Hi All, I have helped many friends over the years help buy new cars since they somewhat trusted my patience and negotiation skills for getting them a good price. And although it has worked for them and they have gotten prices they would probably have never even thought of otherwise, I have found the internet way of negotiating the MOST effective dollar wise and more importantly stress wise. In the past I have invariably spend hours/days of my time and energy in haggling for a good price at the dealerships. I have gotten fairly decent deals I think but that has meant tremendous stress for me (salesmen/saleswomen too perhaps) and a downright distrust/loathing for the car salesmen/saleswomen. I know that may not be entirely fair of me to say that since they are trying to earn a living and are trying to make the best possible dollar on a deal. However I might add that I ALSO am trying to get the best best of my hard-earned buck. Enter the internet way of buying - last 2 years I have brought 2 new cars (for myself and a friend - both Toyota minivans) and I will NEVER EVER go back to the traditional way of buying cars). I'll spare the details but I paid less than the invoice on these cars. In fact I had one of the internet car dealers say to me in and I know he was being honest - "you did really well. I can't match that price by a 1000 dollars. If I were you, I would go drive to the other dealership and get the right now". Well I did :-) The work is there - I still spent many hours contacting various dealers and getting quotes and comparing them but in the end, I was convinced that I could not have gotten a better price for that car at the time. I regularly scanned the forums here and I think just one guy beat me by $200 bucks once. Hats off to him. And to this day I still believe I got the best possible price at the time. And you know what, the money I saved WASN'T the best part of the deal. The best part was the service/respect I received when I got at the dealership - walked in, everything was ready - the finance guy showed me a few "unnecessary" options and was out in a few hours. No stress, no sweat. The distrust I had for the car sales people is no longer there. If you do your homework, car buying can be a breeze AND fun - it is NOW for me. I do not (mistakenly or not) loathe the sales guys nor am I intimidate by them. So I guess everybody wins :-)
My suggestion: Go the internet way. And you'd never go back to buying a car the traditional way. Good luck.
what really makes me laugh is the guy that say on an Accent (which has an avg of less than $500 markup) will go to every dealer on the eastern seaboard looking for every penny he can scrounge up. If you buy most of these cars at full sticker how much are you really gonna overpay from net...$300 maybe $500
and as stressful as it is for you buying the car think about the salesperson whose only method of feeding his family is the car he is hoping you will buy and you beat the hell out of him for a few hundred $ and he spends 3+ hours with you for $100. However stressful you think it is buying, it is 10X worse selling
Well maybe you can convince the owner of the dealership to go to a set price model, like Fitzmall. I think a lot of buyers would prefer to just see a set price, posted on-line and on the cars.
Also if you don't like all the work you put in trying to keep that extra $100, just say "no, I can not go any lower than X". Salesman should stop blaming the customers and look at the dealership owners, who all seem to be very wealthy...maybe you should talk to them about getting a bigger slice of the pie.
"If you do your homework, car buying can be a breeze AND fun"
Lookn, that's exactly what I have been saying for years in this DG. There is a lot of information avaliable these days for us buyers and we can learn a great deal just sitting here at our computers with a nice warm drink beside us.
you know if you think this profession isn't worth it (like 10X worse selling) then its maybe time for a career change ... there ARE other jobs out there. Whene you're gone ... the dealership will STILL be there ... the dealership owner will STILL be rich and the cars will STILL be sold on the dealership lots. Times change in every facet of life AND in every profession. The ones that survive are the ones that adapt ... instead of resisting the change you would do well to adapt to it or accept the way todays consumer wants to buys cars ... a little more control/respect/honesty over the car buying process.
and as stressful as it is for you buying the car think about the salesperson whose only method of feeding his family is the car he is hoping you will buy and you beat the hell out of him for a few hundred $ and he spends 3+ hours with you for $100. However stressful you think it is buying, it is 10X worse selling
One thing I do respect about you is your honesty, on here at least. I have a feeling if you were trying to sell me a car it would be a little different. I seem to remember, in a previous post, you saying that you didn't care about the customer. You stated that if they were stupid enough to pay full price and all the other goodies, why should you feel bad about taking it. In the same vein, why should I or anyone else care if you can feed your family?
I do feel some empathy for car salesmen. From what I have heard most are treated like dirt and only a select few make much money at it. Yes it is very stressful for the average person to buy a new car. Most only do it every 3 or 4 years and as you stated before most are clueless. Let's face it the system is set up to prey on the uneducated and the financially challenged. The internet is changing the rules very quickly.
"I do feel some empathy for car salesmen. From what I have heard most are treated like dirt and only a select few make much money at it. Yes it is very stressful for the average person to buy a new car. Most only do it every 3 or 4 years and as you stated before most are clueless. Let's face it the system is set up to prey on the uneducated and the financially challenged. The internet is changing the rules very quickly"
I agree with Shasta67. Traditionally the system is highly unstructured with no pricing consistency even whatsover. Heck - you can't even see the same selling price on the 2 exactly similar cars sold the very same day by the very same slsmn with in an hour. Due to that the uneducated (in car buying) and financially-depraved have been taken advantage of. The internet gives some leverage/knowledge to the previously disadvantaged and the "traditionalists" like hyundai_slsmn aren't able to comprehend/accept the new change in reality. Yes, most salesmen ARE treated like dirt, even more so by their own system/managers/car dealership owners. On the same note, this is a profession where the returns CAN be highly disproportional(rewarding) to one educational/professional status. So yes the money IS there - courtesy - "if they were stupid enough to pay full price and all the other goodies, why should you feel bad about taking it". And if isn't there ... well there are other jobs out there but to berate educated customers over their intelligence/right/choice in deciding/negotiating how they want to buy their own cars is plain wrong.
think about the salesperson whose only method of feeding his family is the car he is hoping you will buy
Oh boo hoo for you. Would you like some cheese with that whine? The "how can I feed my family" line was once used on me by a sales person. How pathetic.
You seem to have no sympathy for "stupid" people who pay MSRP plus. And now you're looking for sympathy from the other end? You can't have it both ways. Sales is not for the feint of heart, maybe you're in the wrong line of work.
The lone time I purchased a car the traditional way, I was 22 years old, making a cash purchase, and I got mauled like the rookie I was. This was pre-internet days.
The next time I bought a car, I was 31 years old, the internet was established, but internet sales were in their infancy. I found Edmunds.com by some random sequence of events, read an article about buying used cars, and another article by a Edmunds writer who posed as a salesman to learn the business from the inside. Armed with my new knowledge, I got a used '96 Maxima for about $5900 off what the "BIG ORANGE PRICE STICKER!" in the window read. Moreover, I dealt strictly with the fleet manager. He appreciated that I was an informed buyer, knew what I wanted, had already checked out the car a few days prior, came back with my own financing, and wasn't going to waste his time. I think I got the whole deal done one weeknight in about 60 minutes, and 30 of that was after closing. It was quick, painless, and he made about $200 dollars over "what he had in the car."
2 years later, I purchased a new Toyota Tundra Limited with all the bells and whistles. Using tactics gleaned from Edmunds once again, I negotiated a price 3.44% over invoice, again, dealing with the fleet managers of many local dealerships. The only time I went to the dealership was to close the deal; I did this through autobytel, and the offers came to me. I loved that truck.
Shortly after that, my father wanted a new Land Cruiser. I asked him what he was going to spend where he lived, and told him to let me do his deal in my area, 2 hours from his area. Again, using the internet, I got him within 4% of invoice, but it took a little work; one dealer was pissed - he knew I was shopping deals, but one guy cracked and we took his offer. It is funny how quickly they can suddenly move down in price when they realize you are a serious buyer and you know what you want and how you want it, and you have the ability and wherewithal to find it elsewhere.
Last February, using the "rainy weekday night at the end of the month strategy" I purchased a car I had tracked online for about 3 weeks prior to purchase. I saw the dealer had a selection of about 8 used 2002-2004 I35s; a discontinued model - basically a rebadged Maxima. My wife loved her Maxima, and her Mercedes was a continual pain in the [non-permissible content removed]. So I test drove two of the cars in week two of the tracking process, and then, in week three, I contacted the internet sales/fleet manager, with pretty fair price in my mind. He got back to me with a price that was an additional $500 under what I would have originally offered. I told him I would be in that night, and we after he failed to beat my financing, we finished the deal. I actually bought an extended warranty....I know...I know....but I respected them for being honest with me, and I was already $500 under my original first offer...plus, on service visits Infiniti loans out the G35....mmmm...anyway, I figure this deal went the way it did because the car was not a high-demand car and they had a large supply - how did I know this....the internet. And they knew I knew this, so we didn't have to BS each other and waste time.
Finally, last April I wanted a small, fun car rather than my truck, and I wanted something of comparable value so I could do a near straight trade. I settled on the RSX-Type S either and '02 or an '03 because it holds its value well, and the hatchback allows some utility. I used the internet to contact two dealers. I kind of had to low-ball one, and he was cool about it. I knew I was coming in low, so I wasn't all self-righteous or indignant when they respectfully declined my offer. I still have contact with this fleet manager (the MDX and RDX are potential buys some point - no need to burn bridges, right?). The other guy told me to come down and take a look at the vehicle. Now, this part is what was cool: I told him I was a ready buyer, and I drove about 40 minutes to check out his car. When I arrived, the fleet manager took my license, tossed me the keys, and said, take it out for a spin. I think that when they know you are a researched buyer, they treat you with respect. So I drive this car, but I don't have to have it - I'm holding out for desert silver and this is plain silver - he says let me see what I have in it, we both go into his little back room where obviously customers aren't supposed to go. We look at his number, and there is no profit for him, so we both realize I'm not going to buy the car beacuse for him to make a fair profit, I have to raise my number, but I don't want to pay for that color. There was no BS, no silly little dancing, no posturing like a couple of peacocks. I took up maybe 5 minutes of his time, and he stood to make 200-300 dollars on the sale if we had "met minds." That is why the internet buy kicks [non-permissible content removed]. When I look to buy an MDX or and RDX, I will remember this treatment, and I still have his business card.
The business card...if you are a slime ball or pushy, or play games (remember, an internet buyer can ballpark figure your option list and invoice or wholesale number) I'll ask for your card....just so I can fling it out the window when I drive off the lot. I've met a few of these guys. Clowns. I can't respect that guy/girl. He does't deserve my respect.
I ended up buying an '03 RSX-S about 2 weeks later off a private individual; he had the car on the market two days. I spotted his ad....online.
Bottom Line: let them know what you want, how you want it, and that you are serious up front. Deal with the manager either on-line or over the phone, and if necessary, make an appointment to see him/her. Don't waste time, be cordial, but not over-friendly, and if things don't work out, thank them and either hang-up or walk away. People respect when you are serious and you don't waste time - and that cuts both ways.
Excellent post. Treat everyone with respect and they should return it. Those that don't should be in another line of work. Sales is a tough profession.
I have been searching for a new car for about 6 months using both the internet and in person calls on dealerships in the DC-MD-VA area. I did not know that there is no cooling off period for Virginia car sales. :mad: :mad: I did not know :mad: that Virginia Dealers were so hard up that they will not allow you to return a vehicle that you purchased within 20 hours of signing the papers and within 70 highway miles of wear and tear on the vehicle and get your money back. I did not know that if you have excellent credit and you experience buyers remorse in Virginia the dealership alone has the right to decide whether you get your money back. I did not know that Virginia car dealerships are supported by the Virginia State Attorney General's Office in their ability to recover the car if you have bad credit and make you keep the car if you have excellent credit. I did not know that Virginia internet sales offers could significantly understate the price that a vehicle is offered for sale (nearly $2000 on a supposedly $16000 car). I did not know that in Virginia, car dealerships can influence your credit, and interpret your credit to your detriment, and use your credit rating to determine whether or not to let you return a car to them. I did not know that Virginia car dealerships are so very unlike Maryland and many other states. I would think that persons buying a car from the internet may want to know that car sales from dealerships in Virginia have the right to include in their sales contract a "no cooling off period" and not verbally express that to purchasers from other states during the financing process. I just hope others can learn from my experience. After all I only buy a car every 10 to 15 years, so while I am an attorney I am not an expert in the unique sweetheart deal that the Virginia legislature and courts have given to it's car dealerships. Some days the Bear will eat you....
goes both ways. i dont think there is any car salesman on the planet that will just be rude to someone for no reason. when you have a 462 at your desk trying to beat you up over price and treating you like a dirt bag when you have been nothing but nice to this person who could only get approved with 100% down. or the guy that thinks youre ripping him off on his trade because it's worth less than his payoff or because you wont give him a $25k car for $300/mo with $0 down.
I have no problem with an educated customer. Come in buy a car from me for $0 profit and pay me $100 and be done...great. Anyone who wants to sign up for a new Hyundai let me know. The worst guy is the one who thinks he knows everything about the business but really doesnt know the difference between a fender and a tire.
Just like you shouldnt care about whether or not I can feed my kids I don't care if the payment on your new car completely cripples ones budget if they willingly come to me to buy a car and willingly sign the contract.
I did not know that Virginia internet sales offers could significantly understate the price that a vehicle is offered for sale (nearly $2000 on a supposedly $16000 car).
So you did not notice that you gave them $18,000 instead of $16,000. :confuse:
I am no where near Virginia, but I have never heard of a "cooling off period" for car purchases.
there is no cooling off anywhere on auto purchase. the only way out is if the dealer for some reason cannot get your contract approved the way it originally went out. like if they call you back and say "hey your rate went up we need you to come back in and sign new papers" you dont have to and you can return the car. hell ive seen people return cars when we called them back to tell them the rate went down
I don't think that is what the guy was talking about though with the $2k thing. Actually I'm not even sure I know what he's talking about
Time and time again I've heard of salespeople complaining that the only thing customers want to do with an internet quote is wave it in front of another dealer. I would like to strongly disagree with this. Though I'm not everyone, I think there are a number of people like me.
When I'm most apt to waste a dealer's time is when I'm actually IN the dealership itself. I'll sit in the cars, see how I like them and kick the tires till the cows come home. In fact, I was once curious how the three car lineup for Scion was, so I test drove all three. Didn't buy one, didn't ask for a quote for one, didn't do anything. In all honestly, I absolutely wasted the dealer's and salesperson's time.
That is not the only time I've ever done that. When I go down to a dealership, I'm there to physically see and test the merchandise, sizing it up to what I've researched online.
However, when I'm ready to buy, I like to cut right to the chase. I test drove a vehicle and that same day I knew that I wanted it. Unfortunately, I lived a state and a half away from the dealership. So when I got home I talked to the internet sales manager and talked numbers. After a week of back and forth e-mails, we agreed on a number, met in the middle and made the sale. No questions asked. Nice and simple.
Not every person who contacts a dealership for an online quote is jerking them around. In fact, I see far more logic in my method of doing things, though I am a bit biased. The grinding penny-pinchers will always be just that and denying quotes to serious buyers will not stem the tide of tinfoil hats. Instead of using blanket assumptions (salespersons, etc, I'm talking to you), consider using discretion.
you should get a job sometime in an internet sales department and see how many contacts turn into sales. if youre lucky youll have a 10% ratio. MAYBE if you are really really good
people that use the net to shop price do so because of convenience. this also makes for very little actual investment by the customer so its very easy for them to stroke several different dealers of several different products. customers always ask "what's your best price?" "well what do you want the price to be, it's your money not mine im not buying the car...what do you reasonably expect the price of this car to be" bingo and i take the offer to my manager no matter how ridiculous i know it is and then i bring the mgr back to my desk to fight over price with the customer.
i love it too when you finally give someone a nothing price they always say "why couldnt you have done that an hour ago?" so i say "well why didnt you just pay sticker, you really only saved $500...after all sticker is quicker" this is usually good for a chuckle but has never gotten someone to pay sticker
Time and time again I've heard of salespeople complaining that the only thing customers want to do with an internet quote is wave it in front of another dealer. I would like to strongly disagree with this.
When have you ever negotiated a price over the net with a dealer and only got a price from one dealer and bought it from that dealer? Probably never. That is the same thing as using their price to do nothing more than leverage it against another dealer
When have you ever negotiated a price over the net with a dealer and only got a price from one dealer and bought it from that dealer? Probably never. That is the same thing as using their price to do nothing more than leverage it against another dealer
Actually, I negotiated solely with that one dealership. The only outside price references I got was from an average of blue book prices from several reputable sources. I talked to one internet salesperson and bought from them as well. I didn't use our negotiations as a starting point for another deal. Am I old fashioned for doing so? Maybe, but I prefer doing things simply.
if what your saying is true then you are the vast minority. most people are bottom feeding leeches more than the dealers themselves are. like the old saying goes Buyers are Liars and Dealers are Stealers
i dont think there is any car salesman on the planet that will just be rude to someone for no reason
You don't have to be rude to show dis-respect. How about talking to the customer in a condescending manner? Well that could be called rude. How about asking the sales person what's the best price they can sell the car to me for and they come back with the four squares? How about refusing to give a price and concentrating on a monthly payment even after insisting otherwise? How about lighting up a cigarette on the test drive without asking? All these have happenned to me in the past.
When have you ever negotiated a price over the net with a dealer and only got a price from one dealer and bought it from that dealer? Probably never. That is the same thing as using their price to do nothing more than leverage it against another dealer
And why not? When we shop for anything else we do price comparisons (TVs, appliances ) Hell, there are web sites dedicated to that: Froogle, Dealtime, etc. What makes you so special, or your product for that matter?
Comments
Terry.
After your research, you felt empowered, and that helped you enjoy your car-buying experience. You also bought a good car that should give you a lot of pleasure.
That's what this forum is all about - helping people get a decent price and enjoy buying a car.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
With your attitude, I doubt that it will. It will probably make you even more miserable than you are now.
And that's true. The commission structure generally motivates the salesperson to try to get as much as s/he can (at least at the beginning of the haggle, when the salesperson will go for the gold until it becomes apparent that s/he can't get it). The sales manager balances those margin goals with the need to manage the dealership's inventory levels and inventory financing, and to hit overall sales targets.
You have to look at how each of them gets paid (they aren't paid on the same basis), and what they are each paid to do. Then it becomes a bit clearer what's up.
me: I am sorry sir we don't have an internet manager.
Him: Well then I want to talk to the fleet manager.
ME: We don't have one of those either.
HIM: How can you not have a fleet manager? Who can I talk to to get the best price.
Me: Sir we only sell about 110 new cars a year and there are only five people on our entire sales staff. We have no need for any special managers. Tell me what you are looking for and I will assist you.
That happens about once a month. If you are looking at a small store or a make that does smaller volumes don't expect any special pricing from any special manager.
I don't think you will get a refund on the etching..they can always claim they were the ones that etched it and you can't prove otherwise.
I agree that it isn't right as the original buyer probably did pay for it........but then you were dealing with a used car salesman. :surprise:
We go inside and the kid brings me a 4-square with $13,995 as the original asking price (new '06-'07 5-speed Lancers sell for THAT!), then discounted to $11,325 for the "internet deal". I told him it was a bunch of garbage and the car sells for $7499 or I walk.
Sales manager gives him the second pencil at $8500 + tax + title + fees with a big asterisk next to fees. I folded my arms and waited for them to get real.
They went and printed out a screenshot from their website showing the price as $11,325. I pulled out MY printed screenshot at $7499.
Then they came down to $8000. And $7999. And $7995. And I left, knowing they were full of it and knew darn well what their "internet" price was. I told them I was leaving and I wanted my driver's license back. Took 20 minutes, two more salespeople asking me if they could help, and another cry for $7888 before I got out the door and went back to work.
They called me every day, sometimes twice, for the next week, trying to get me back on the lot.
I'm no longer interested in that particular car since we really should get a minivan anyway, and told them this, and the salesman apparently tried to call me TODAY, Thanksgiving Day, and I didn't answer. Left me a voicemail trying to sell me on a $13,000 van when he knows $8,000 is my price range.
Definitely a waste of time in that case.
But internet buying isn't all that bad. Found a Toyota dealer with some cheap minivans. Might have myself a heck of a deal on a $5198 Grand Caravan if it's still there when my wife is ready to see it. Already been to the lot and they got the price right on the first pencil. Didn't even try to screw with me, and they have two more vans in case the one I want sells, and both well within my price range at $5898 and $7028. Should be a good experience no matter which one I pick.
I would love any advise I can get.
thanks
In our region untill a few years ago doc fees for most area dealers were around 139-169 but a few years ago a lot of dealers went up to 259 or even higher some are approaching 300 and change.
Our doc fee is 239 which is a good bit lower then most dealers in the area.
For some of the deals I have worked 239 barely covered all of the paperwork required.
For example three cars all with pay off being traded in on one car that was being leased through a different company then two of the other cars oh and they are all out of state so everything has to be hand carried to the out of state DMV.
That was three manila folders full of paperwork and two trips to the DMV.
Example 2:
It took six trips to the NY state DMV to get this one car registered because the New York DMV just makes up rules on the fly. We probably spent 239 dollars just in gas to to that registration.
It sounds like you have the problem with buying over the internet... not the customer..
If you embrace it, you might sell more cars..
Just a thought..
kyfdx
not the host here
Edmunds Price Checker
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I bought my last truck on the phone. I guess technically you could say that I signed the paperwork at the dealer but I did all the negotiating over the phone. I have to say it was one of the most pleasant deals I have ever made.
Where I live there are probably twenty Toyota (because that is what I am looking at) Dealerships within an hour or two of my house. I can email them and then follow it up with a phone call to let them know I am serious. I can do everything on the internet and over the phone. It is just so much easier and less stress than going to the lot, getting stuck some little cubicle, while so salesman tries to prove to me he is on my side against his big bad boss. I also like the fact I have an email in my hand that says the exact price we agreed on.
I know this won’t win me a lot of friends but just what good does a “traditional” car salesman do for someone like me? I have a good job, good credit and do enough research on the car so I know more about it than the average salesman does. Basically the salesman shows me the car, takes me for a ride, introduces me to his finance manager (If I happened to need one) and acts as a middleman between me and his mysterious boss. I am sure salesmen help the dealership make money or they wouldn’t have them but what do they do for me I can not do for myself? After my last little experience searching for a new car it is internet all the way for me from now on.
but what do they do for me I can not do for myself?
hmmmm...sell you the car. last i checked a customer still has to go to a dealer to buy a car. what you describe as yourself the buyer makes up maybe 1% of buyers and that is a serious stretch. i cant count how many people ask me ?'s like are these enignes fuel injected? can you do financing right here? do you take trade ins? I mean just totally nuts questions. I wish more people were like you...this is what i want this is what im willing to pay (insert number that is atleast 10% over invoice :-)) and I will buy it right now and take it home. Thank You and gone in 60 minutes.
Also what I am trying to say is that you will not get a lower price from an "internet salesperson" than you will by just walking through the door. I guess it could save time but considering how much the avg netty puts into a decision and how many different dealers they contact and how much time they spend at their kybd doing it...the time saved probably isn't really much
Even if you do decide to buy your next car from a local dealer, do your research online first and approach the dealer armed with price quotes. They'll likely offer you more competitive prices if they know you've done your research.
Apollo
Astounding Values on Great Cars
I did contact an out of town dealer to "keep my local dealer honest". I expected to ultimately buy from the local one, but the out of town dealer came back with an email price about $800 below the local one. I did not negotiate at all. All I had done was send an email asking how much they wanted for a specific car that they had in inventory.
I asked the local salesman to match and he basically told me if the other dealer will sell at that price, I should buy it there...so I did. Had the local dealer come within maybe $200-300, I'd not have made the 80 mile drive to buy.
I'm sure the typical customer is a pain in the neck to deal with, but from this side salesmen usually know less about the car than I do. Which I guess is understandable, since their primary job is selling, not informing.
Yes but that was not really my point. I am trying to figure out just what the salesperson does for me. It seems like all he does is show me the car. If I want to buy it he has to go talk to his boss, if I want to finance it he has to go finance manager and if I have a trade-in we have to talk to someone else. Another thing is that many salesmen will act like they are doing me a favor by selling me the car. I actually had a dealer tell me, once when I was a kid, that I would never own a toyota truck because no one in the dealership would sell it to me. We had gotten in an argument because he would not give me a price. He only wanted to talk how much per month.
this is what i want this is what im willing to pay (insert number that is at least 10% over invoice ) and I will buy it right now and take it home. Thank You and gone in 60 minutes.
Well good luck on the 10%. I think thats called MSRP but I would not worry about a couple of hundred on the table if I was treated right. I do appreciate your honesty. It is kind of nice to hear even if most of us do not like it. I am sure "traditional" salesmen make the dealers money or they would not have them. I negotiate a couple of deals a year, mostly for friends and family. For me I much prefer the internet route. I can sit at home at the computer or on the phone, beer in hand, with absolutely no stress. I may be able to get a better deal but I doubt it.
I have helped many friends over the years help buy new cars since they somewhat trusted my patience and negotiation skills for getting them a good price. And although it has worked for them and they have gotten prices they would probably have never even thought of otherwise, I have found the internet way of negotiating the MOST effective dollar wise and more importantly stress wise.
In the past I have invariably spend hours/days of my time and energy in haggling for a good price at the dealerships. I have gotten fairly decent deals I think but that has meant tremendous stress for me (salesmen/saleswomen too perhaps) and a downright distrust/loathing for the car salesmen/saleswomen. I know that may not be entirely fair of me to say that since they are trying to earn a living and are trying to make the best possible dollar on a deal. However I might add that I ALSO am trying to get the best best of my hard-earned buck.
Enter the internet way of buying - last 2 years I have brought 2 new cars (for myself and a friend - both Toyota minivans) and I will NEVER EVER go back to the traditional way of buying cars). I'll spare the details but I paid less than the invoice on these cars. In fact I had one of the internet car dealers say to me in and I know he was being honest - "you did really well. I can't match that price by a 1000 dollars. If I were you, I would go drive to the other dealership and get the right now". Well I did :-) The work is there - I still spent many hours contacting various dealers and getting quotes and comparing them but in the end, I was convinced that I could not have gotten a better price for that car at the time. I regularly scanned the forums here and I think just one guy beat me by $200 bucks once. Hats off to him. And to this day I still believe I got the best possible price at the time. And you know what, the money I saved WASN'T the best part of the deal. The best part was the service/respect I received when I got at the dealership - walked in, everything was ready - the finance guy showed me a few "unnecessary" options and was out in a few hours. No stress, no sweat. The distrust I had for the car sales people is no longer there. If you do your homework, car buying can be a breeze AND fun - it is NOW for me. I do not (mistakenly or not) loathe the sales guys nor am I intimidate by them. So I guess everybody wins :-)
My suggestion: Go the internet way. And you'd never go back to buying a car the traditional way. Good luck.
Lookn4van
and as stressful as it is for you buying the car think about the salesperson whose only method of feeding his family is the car he is hoping you will buy and you beat the hell out of him for a few hundred $ and he spends 3+ hours with you for $100. However stressful you think it is buying, it is 10X worse selling
Also if you don't like all the work you put in trying to keep that extra $100, just say "no, I can not go any lower than X". Salesman should stop blaming the customers and look at the dealership owners, who all seem to be very wealthy...maybe you should talk to them about getting a bigger slice of the pie.
Lookn, that's exactly what I have been saying for years in this DG. There is a lot of information avaliable these days for us buyers and we can learn a great deal just sitting here at our computers with a nice warm drink beside us.
Times change in every facet of life AND in every profession. The ones that survive are the ones that adapt ... instead of resisting the change you would do well to adapt to it or accept the way todays consumer wants to buys cars ... a little more control/respect/honesty over the car buying process.
One thing I do respect about you is your honesty, on here at least. I have a feeling if you were trying to sell me a car it would be a little different. I seem to remember, in a previous post, you saying that you didn't care about the customer. You stated that if they were stupid enough to pay full price and all the other goodies, why should you feel bad about taking it. In the same vein, why should I or anyone else care if you can feed your family?
I do feel some empathy for car salesmen. From what I have heard most are treated like dirt and only a select few make much money at it. Yes it is very stressful for the average person to buy a new car. Most only do it every 3 or 4 years and as you stated before most are clueless. Let's face it the system is set up to prey on the uneducated and the financially challenged. The internet is changing the rules very quickly.
I agree with Shasta67. Traditionally the system is highly unstructured with no pricing consistency even whatsover. Heck - you can't even see the same selling price on the 2 exactly similar cars sold the very same day by the very same slsmn with in an hour. Due to that the uneducated (in car buying) and financially-depraved have been taken advantage of. The internet gives some leverage/knowledge to the previously disadvantaged and the "traditionalists" like hyundai_slsmn aren't able to comprehend/accept the new change in reality. Yes, most salesmen ARE treated like dirt, even more so by their own system/managers/car dealership owners. On the same note, this is a profession where the returns CAN be highly disproportional(rewarding) to one educational/professional status. So yes the money IS there - courtesy - "if they were stupid enough to pay full price and all the other goodies, why should you feel bad about taking it". And if isn't there ... well there are other jobs out there but to berate educated customers over their intelligence/right/choice in deciding/negotiating how they want to buy their own cars is plain wrong.
Oh boo hoo for you. Would you like some cheese with that whine? The "how can I feed my family" line was once used on me by a sales person. How pathetic.
You seem to have no sympathy for "stupid" people who pay MSRP plus. And now you're looking for sympathy from the other end? You can't have it both ways. Sales is not for the feint of heart, maybe you're in the wrong line of work.
The next time I bought a car, I was 31 years old, the internet was established, but internet sales were in their infancy. I found Edmunds.com by some random sequence of events, read an article about buying used cars, and another article by a Edmunds writer who posed as a salesman to learn the business from the inside. Armed with my new knowledge, I got a used '96 Maxima for about $5900 off what the "BIG ORANGE PRICE STICKER!" in the window read. Moreover, I dealt strictly with the fleet manager. He appreciated that I was an informed buyer, knew what I wanted, had already checked out the car a few days prior, came back with my own financing, and wasn't going to waste his time. I think I got the whole deal done one weeknight in about 60 minutes, and 30 of that was after closing. It was quick, painless, and he made about $200 dollars over "what he had in the car."
2 years later, I purchased a new Toyota Tundra Limited with all the bells and whistles. Using tactics gleaned from Edmunds once again, I negotiated a price 3.44% over invoice, again, dealing with the fleet managers of many local dealerships. The only time I went to the dealership was to close the deal; I did this through autobytel, and the offers came to me. I loved that truck.
Shortly after that, my father wanted a new Land Cruiser. I asked him what he was going to spend where he lived, and told him to let me do his deal in my area, 2 hours from his area. Again, using the internet, I got him within 4% of invoice, but it took a little work; one dealer was pissed - he knew I was shopping deals, but one guy cracked and we took his offer. It is funny how quickly they can suddenly move down in price when they realize you are a serious buyer and you know what you want and how you want it, and you have the ability and wherewithal to find it elsewhere.
Last February, using the "rainy weekday night at the end of the month strategy" I purchased a car I had tracked online for about 3 weeks prior to purchase. I saw the dealer had a selection of about 8 used 2002-2004 I35s; a discontinued model - basically a rebadged Maxima. My wife loved her Maxima, and her Mercedes was a continual pain in the [non-permissible content removed]. So I test drove two of the cars in week two of the tracking process, and then, in week three, I contacted the internet sales/fleet manager, with pretty fair price in my mind. He got back to me with a price that was an additional $500 under what I would have originally offered. I told him I would be in that night, and we after he failed to beat my financing, we finished the deal. I actually bought an extended warranty....I know...I know....but I respected them for being honest with me, and I was already $500 under my original first offer...plus, on service visits Infiniti loans out the G35....mmmm...anyway, I figure this deal went the way it did because the car was not a high-demand car and they had a large supply - how did I know this....the internet. And they knew I knew this, so we didn't have to BS each other and waste time.
Finally, last April I wanted a small, fun car rather than my truck, and I wanted something of comparable value so I could do a near straight trade. I settled on the RSX-Type S either and '02 or an '03 because it holds its value well, and the hatchback allows some utility. I used the internet to contact two dealers. I kind of had to low-ball one, and he was cool about it. I knew I was coming in low, so I wasn't all self-righteous or indignant when they respectfully declined my offer. I still have contact with this fleet manager (the MDX and RDX are potential buys some point - no need to burn bridges, right?). The other guy told me to come down and take a look at the vehicle. Now, this part is what was cool: I told him I was a ready buyer, and I drove about 40 minutes to check out his car. When I arrived, the fleet manager took my license, tossed me the keys, and said, take it out for a spin. I think that when they know you are a researched buyer, they treat you with respect. So I drive this car, but I don't have to have it - I'm holding out for desert silver and this is plain silver - he says let me see what I have in it, we both go into his little back room where obviously customers aren't supposed to go. We look at his number, and there is no profit for him, so we both realize I'm not going to buy the car beacuse for him to make a fair profit, I have to raise my number, but I don't want to pay for that color. There was no BS, no silly little dancing, no posturing like a couple of peacocks. I took up maybe 5 minutes of his time, and he stood to make 200-300 dollars on the sale if we had "met minds." That is why the internet buy kicks [non-permissible content removed]. When I look to buy an MDX or and RDX, I will remember this treatment, and I still have his business card.
The business card...if you are a slime ball or pushy, or play games (remember, an internet buyer can ballpark figure your option list and invoice or wholesale number) I'll ask for your card....just so I can fling it out the window when I drive off the lot. I've met a few of these guys. Clowns. I can't respect that guy/girl. He does't deserve my respect.
I ended up buying an '03 RSX-S about 2 weeks later off a private individual; he had the car on the market two days. I spotted his ad....online.
Bottom Line: let them know what you want, how you want it, and that you are serious up front. Deal with the manager either on-line or over the phone, and if necessary, make an appointment to see him/her. Don't waste time, be cordial, but not over-friendly, and if things don't work out, thank them and either hang-up or walk away. People respect when you are serious and you don't waste time - and that cuts both ways.
I did not know that there is no cooling off period for Virginia car sales. :mad:
I did not know :mad: that Virginia Dealers were so hard up that they will not allow you to return a vehicle that you purchased within 20 hours of signing the papers and within 70 highway miles of wear and tear on the vehicle and get your money back.
I did not know that if you have excellent credit and you experience buyers remorse in Virginia the dealership alone has the right to decide whether you get your money back. I did not know that Virginia car dealerships are supported by the Virginia State Attorney General's Office in their ability to recover the car if you have bad credit and make you keep the car if you have excellent credit.
I did not know that Virginia internet sales offers could significantly understate the price that a vehicle is offered for sale (nearly $2000 on a supposedly $16000 car).
I did not know that in Virginia, car dealerships can influence your credit, and interpret your credit to your detriment, and use your credit rating to determine whether or not to let you return a car to them.
I did not know that Virginia car dealerships are so very unlike Maryland and many other states.
I would think that persons buying a car from the internet may want to know that car sales from dealerships in Virginia have the right to include in their sales contract a "no cooling off period" and not verbally express that to purchasers from other states during the financing process.
I just hope others can learn from my experience. After all I only buy a car every 10 to 15 years, so while I am an attorney I am not an expert in the unique sweetheart deal that the Virginia legislature and courts have given to it's car dealerships.
Some days the Bear will eat you....
I have no problem with an educated customer. Come in buy a car from me for $0 profit and pay me $100 and be done...great. Anyone who wants to sign up for a new Hyundai let me know. The worst guy is the one who thinks he knows everything about the business but really doesnt know the difference between a fender and a tire.
Just like you shouldnt care about whether or not I can feed my kids I don't care if the payment on your new car completely cripples ones budget if they willingly come to me to buy a car and willingly sign the contract.
So you did not notice that you gave them $18,000 instead of $16,000. :confuse:
I am no where near Virginia, but I have never heard of a "cooling off period" for car purchases.
I don't think that is what the guy was talking about though with the $2k thing. Actually I'm not even sure I know what he's talking about
When I'm most apt to waste a dealer's time is when I'm actually IN the dealership itself. I'll sit in the cars, see how I like them and kick the tires till the cows come home. In fact, I was once curious how the three car lineup for Scion was, so I test drove all three. Didn't buy one, didn't ask for a quote for one, didn't do anything. In all honestly, I absolutely wasted the dealer's and salesperson's time.
That is not the only time I've ever done that. When I go down to a dealership, I'm there to physically see and test the merchandise, sizing it up to what I've researched online.
However, when I'm ready to buy, I like to cut right to the chase. I test drove a vehicle and that same day I knew that I wanted it. Unfortunately, I lived a state and a half away from the dealership. So when I got home I talked to the internet sales manager and talked numbers. After a week of back and forth e-mails, we agreed on a number, met in the middle and made the sale. No questions asked. Nice and simple.
Not every person who contacts a dealership for an online quote is jerking them around. In fact, I see far more logic in my method of doing things, though I am a bit biased. The grinding penny-pinchers will always be just that and denying quotes to serious buyers will not stem the tide of tinfoil hats. Instead of using blanket assumptions (salespersons, etc, I'm talking to you), consider using discretion.
You just might make a few extra sales if you do.
people that use the net to shop price do so because of convenience. this also makes for very little actual investment by the customer so its very easy for them to stroke several different dealers of several different products. customers always ask "what's your best price?" "well what do you want the price to be, it's your money not mine im not buying the car...what do you reasonably expect the price of this car to be" bingo and i take the offer to my manager no matter how ridiculous i know it is and then i bring the mgr back to my desk to fight over price with the customer.
i love it too when you finally give someone a nothing price they always say "why couldnt you have done that an hour ago?" so i say "well why didnt you just pay sticker, you really only saved $500...after all sticker is quicker" this is usually good for a chuckle but has never gotten someone to pay sticker
Time and time again I've heard of salespeople complaining that the only thing customers want to do with an internet quote is wave it in front of another dealer. I would like to strongly disagree with this.
When have you ever negotiated a price over the net with a dealer and only got a price from one dealer and bought it from that dealer? Probably never. That is the same thing as using their price to do nothing more than leverage it against another dealer
Actually, I negotiated solely with that one dealership. The only outside price references I got was from an average of blue book prices from several reputable sources. I talked to one internet salesperson and bought from them as well. I didn't use our negotiations as a starting point for another deal. Am I old fashioned for doing so? Maybe, but I prefer doing things simply.
You don't have to be rude to show dis-respect. How about talking to the customer in a condescending manner? Well that could be called rude. How about asking the sales person what's the best price they can sell the car to me for and they come back with the four squares? How about refusing to give a price and concentrating on a monthly payment even after insisting otherwise? How about lighting up a cigarette on the test drive without asking? All these have happenned to me in the past.
And why not? When we shop for anything else we do price comparisons (TVs, appliances ) Hell, there are web sites dedicated to that: Froogle, Dealtime, etc. What makes you so special, or your product for that matter?
I know, you have to feed your family.