Infiniti G37 Prices Paid and Buying Experience

robso

His name is Freddy Atshon. Tell him you want the same deal I (Robert So) got. Shouldn't be a problem. And don't let him BS you that you don't qualify for the Loyalty rebate because I didn't even press him on that.

rhard49

Congratulations, glad I was of help What color?

robso

Liquid Platinum. I left a message with Fritz yesterday. He got back to me literally seconds after I gave my deposit with my local dealer. Thanks again, Rich.

sandiegodriver

I know the dealers are selling the 08 G35 sedans below invoice, but how close to invoice are the 09 G37 sedans? I am in San Diego and am still debating between an 09 TSX and and 09 G37. Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks.

aamc

I leased my '09 6MT sedan with premium, nav, tech, splash for $500 over invoice.

ricowest

I was checking out Ramsey Infiniti to seek a G35X as well, when i stumbled upon this article: http://64.233.169.132/search?q=cache:UiPnWz4PBo8J:www.nj.gov/oag/ca/press/ramsey- .htm+ramsey+infiniti+price+paid&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=ca&client=firefox-a

interesting!

WildcatFan

i'm looking into either an g35 or m35- any one care to give me their input on the 2 cars? what is the 'bottom' line i can use to haggle with the dealers at this time or year and with the g35?

next question-which is better the auto 5 speed or the manual 6 speed?

Any ideas of what and how much better the g37 is over the g35? i understand there is about 30 more horsepower. that is not a huge deal for me as I want a fun car to drive. dont know how much more power i really need over the base line.

are there aftermarket products that help power or handling over the base models? -within reason?

thanks for any reply.

kyfdx

That article is over three years old.. Did you ever find out if there was any resolution?

blnewto

Have you tested the G & the M? Testing both, I prefer the G for performance (it's about 3/4ths of a second quicker 0-60) and I just found it more fun to drive. Since I really didn't need the room or the extra luxury of the M it was an easy decision for me to get the G. The difference between the G37 & G35 from point A to point B is minimal, about a tenth of a second 0-60 for the 6 speed, and I've heard the 7 speed auto is actually about the same performance as the 5 speed G35 auto, but MPG will be a bit better (about 5% increase).
I think you'd do well getting the G35 w/ 5spd auto, the 6 speed has a quirky clutch, once you get used to it you'll be fine, but it takes some practice. The savings on the G35 should make up for the hit you'll take down the road IMO. For good aftermarket & tuning info www.g35driver.com is "the place".

rhard49

Boy do I hate to say this in public, but I have never considered car dealers to be anything but the scum of the earth. When they have a good product they have no problem raping you trying to charge more than msrp., you are at a disadvantage through out the whole process, you never know if the dealers you are comparing are all under the same ownership. The sales practices are nothing but deceptive, between my wife, myself and my kids I end up in the process every 2 years or so sometimes less. The bottom line buyer beware, understand the process, the fee's that are real or legal and don't be afraid to walk anytime in the sales process, if its not good for them they certainly will. It would be great if there were any loyalty, but for the most part next time you return to the same dealer all the personnel will have changed. I do consider the personnal in the process as they may be necessary for warrenty purposes but ostly in the begining in the event of problems.I have received financial consideration from manufacturer's based on loyalty and owning multiple products from the same manufacturer's especially where it was viable to prove these were the result of design defects, or common issues among models.

redline122

rhard49,
That is quite an abysmal view of dealers, especially when you have to dance the waltz with them every couple of years. "Scum" is a hard word, but I am sure there are many (not all) car dealers that could rightfully deserve the title.

You are correct though - at the end of the day, it's the BUYER that signs on the dotted line in the check book and purchase/lease contracts. As a buyer, we do have the upper hand in these difficult times for the manufacturers. As the saying goes, cash is king and the dealers need the cash more than they need a car sitting on their lots for months at time.

I was talking with the internet sales manager at a local Infiniti dealership and he was concerned with how the "big 3 bailout" is truly changing public perception of not just the big 3, but ALL auto manufacturers and dealers. This concern translates to me as... he can have my cheapest and smartest money today just so he has cash to operate in 2009.

Ultimately, this led to my cash offer price (with standard financing) on a fully loaded (negatively perceived V8) 2008 M45s for a little over $40K.

My spin on the deal was this...
1. The dealer is making creamy money on every single 0.9 G35 deal - I gave them my spreadsheet about how much money they are making on a deal and from where (manufacturer holdbacks, selldowns, and people not taking the cash deal).

2. V8 - oooh, a bad word in these times.

3. The car has been DEPRECIATING heavily on their lot for 3 months. I showed them a KBB and Edmunds retail and wholesale value on the M45. Find out how long a G35, an M35, and an M45 have been on the sales lots. G's are moving faster, but not by much.

The moral of this long winded story. Go in with a documented case for your lowball offers and be willing to walk away. I left the dealer as he is waiting to to talk to the general manager today to okay the $40K deal on a new 2008 M45.

redline122

tanjak,
Did you pull the trigger?

Did you run the numbers for multiple scenarios?
> 34,500 with 0 down and 0.9 financing
> 31,500 with 0 down and 5.0 financing
> 31,500 with 0 down and 6.0 financing

There are times when taking the standard financing with the cash offer prove to be more. I think in your case - the 0.9 saves you about $500 to $600 over the life of the loan (assuming it's a 5 year note).

Did you also ask for what the holdbacks were on the G35 beyond the "invoice price"? Did you also see if there were additional "dealer selldowns" beyond the "invoice price".

After invoice pricing, holdbacks, and selldowns - the dealer could still make a small profit of $300 to $800 depending on the type of vehicle and options desired.

rhard49

I agree harsh words if I could edit it I would, slime is a lot less offensive. I love V8's
hitting myself in the head "I coulds had a V8" joking aside what was the retail on the M45? I do love V8's and fast pretty cars. Good Luck

amoviefan1

Redline,
How do you find out on a new car what the holdbacks and selldowns will be?
Is a selldown the same as "dealer or manufacturer's cash". I know Edmunds shows dealer cash and invoice.

How do you figure out how long the car has been on the lot?

Is all of this information available on the internet? And is it free?

Thanks.

redline122

Hehehe... could have had a V8...>

As for the MSRP on the M45s it is $56,170.

Thanks for the luck. The general manager is still mulling over my "analysis".

redline122

The simple answer is to simply ask. I've always followed the mantra... if you never ask, the answer is always NO.

After reviewing my number with the Consumer Reports buying guide, Edmunds TMV, and KBB, the dealer vocabulary came to me. I simply asked what the cash discounts, the dealer selldowns, and holdbacks are. The holdbacks would be the last thing the dealer will probably give to us as a buyer. But then again, this is a BUYER's market.

As for how long a car has been on the lot, just ask for the dealer print out on a particular vehicle. Once he/she says yes to the printout, then ask how long the car has been on the lot. For Infiniti, it's the "ETA". The one I am eyeing came to the lot in the end of September.

The cash discounts, selldowns, and holdbacks are free info - IF YOU ASK THE DEALER. They will tell you. Remember, these items can apply on top of the invoice price. The invoice price is NOT the number that the dealer paid for the car.

Hope this helps.

rhard49

you do realize I will be incredibly jealous if you succeed

redline122

rhard,
I closed the deal at 41,350 for the M45s

rhard49

Wow! great deal that should be a blast Enjoy it. I''m amazed they took the offer but looking at the kbb and nada resales your approach was right on.

topgun7

"After reviewing my number with the Consumer Reports buying guide, Edmunds TMV, and KBB, the dealer vocabulary came to me. I simply asked what the cash discounts, the dealer selldowns, and holdbacks are. The holdbacks would be the last thing the dealer will probably give to us as a buyer. But then again, this is a BUYER's market"

I think it is meaningless to bring up the hold back, the amount of money they can potentially make etc in a negotiation. Dealer are in the business of making money. We never ask how much the previous home owner make when we buy a house. And we never ask how much BBY make when we buy a TV from them. So why is car dealer so special that we want to liimit how much money they can or should make? I also buy cars every 2 years or so. And I just take the approach that supply and demand will dictate my puchase price. My job is to find out the market condition of the cars that I like, pick the one that I most likely can get the best deal and negotiate the best that I can. It is really not my place to detemine or get upset if a dealer make some money. After all I decide to buy or lease at the price that we agree. I leased an 07 G35 for two years and I paid 400 above invoice. I just leased an 08 Lexus LS460 last Friday with 15K below MSRP or 6+K below invoice. It helps a great deal that I live in S.F. bay area where there are a lot of competition. But back in 2001, I really wanted a Lexus SC430 and I pay full MSRP for the car when it first come out. I don't feel sorry for the dealer if they loss money on any of my deal. I also don't get upset if they make money off of my purchase. After all that is the best deal I can get within my specific location. My job is to get the best deal that I can afford, not running delear's business.

redline122

Wasn't too meaningless to me to bring up the holdback, seller buydowns, etc.

rhard49

These are very different times and there is much to be said for his approach based on that. If you look in the m35 m45 lease forums you will see people whose cars are coming off leases being offered 6-12k off the residuals if they will purchase their vehicles at the end of the lease, . Do you think you will ever see them coming back to people who initially purchased them.There are also new 2007' M45's on some lots. Near Luxury and Luxury vehicle resales have plummeted since september. These are unquie times and if you are purchasing rather than leasing you should consider the resale of a leftover when you drive it off the lot. KBB for example lists the trade in value of and 08 M45 with 500 miles at 31k NADA suggests 35k, a 20k hit driving off the lot. if you lease it doesn't it matter because you return it and the manufacturer deals with the equity issues. But you certainly should consider all you can know about the dealers cost, They decide wether to take the offer all they can say is no.

dae928

I am new to this site and have been doing extensive car searches. I am wondering if you guys could share your input on the deal I just received from a Chicagoland dealer.

Brand new 2008 G35X with Premium and wood trim. MSRP $38,530. 39-months lease with 12,000 miles/yr. $0 down and all taxes & fees rolled into the payments for $498/month.

Price factored into the lease: $34,500
Money factor: .00119
Residual: 54%

Any input would be much appreciated.

txvinyl1

Is it better to lease than purchase? I haven't even considered leasing because I had always heard that it was better to purchase, if you plan on keeping your car a long time. I would like to buy an 08 G37 coupe and plan on keeping it a long time, but would it be better to just lease for now and buy at the end of the lease? What would be cheaper in the end?

P.S. Anyone heard of any new December incentives on the G37, or is it the same crap from November?

Thanks.

redline122

rhard,
I typically wouldn't have dealt with the transaction the way I did, but as you said the "economic climate" urged me to have the dialogue I had with the dealership.

Actually, as this dealership was mulling over the number I was ultimately presented with. I contacted 4 other dealers in the area to see if they could meet or beat the deal. I gave each of them 20 minutes to think it over with their respective general managers. I did get call backs from each one - and all saying the same thing... to take the deal if it's for real.

My style for negotiations has forever changed with regards to vehicle acquisitions and would probably flow on over with my already aggressive methods with acquiring real estate. LOL.

As for the M45s... I am ruined. Not too many cars out there feel as good to me for the size and handling I was looking for. The BMW 550 is it's closest contender that I would consider, but not for a $20K difference in cost.

topgun7

"Wasn't too meaningless to me to bring up the holdback, seller buydowns, etc"

heh heh, I mean no offense. It is just that dealer is not going to budge simply because we know how much they made. The only way to make them move is competition and their needs to sell a minimum number of cars every months. And the honest answer is that if they have to sell the car below their holdback, buy down etc and loss money, I won't have any problem buying the car if they are willing to sell it. And on the flip side, if the car is really hot, they would just laugh and move to the next customer if they don't get the price they want... I have been buying and leasing cars for the last 16 years (about 12-13 cars total) and I never find it helpful to bring up how much money they make or loss on selling each car (since I don't know their cost structure, there is no way that I know whether they make money on a given deal or not). I leased our 08 LS460 last friday and it took me a total of 1 1/2 hours to get to price agreement by sending/answering email to 3 out of area dealers and one of them come back with the price that we want. And later on we found another delear in our area that is willing to match the deal for a different color combo. Time is bad for delears now and competition is the best way to drive down the price.

redline122

No offense taken.

If there was ever a mantra that holds true, is that "cash is king". To a dealer (or to any other business), it's more beneficial to have cash in reserves (wherever they keep it... bank, mattress, safe, or even frozen in a freezer). Cash doesn't depreciate as fast as the very piece of consumable they sell - the car.

Even more so, the place where dealers really make any cream on their deals are the "add-ons" like gap coverage, permaplating, tire/wheel road protection, etc. Those items are very nice to helping the dealers bring in more cash...

mosho

G35X, Premium/Navigation/Wood/Splash/Net (MSRP= $40,680). Bought for $32,400 + TTL. Took the $3,000.

WildcatFan

Thanks a million for all the posts. Wow what a difference it makes to have this listserve to exchange information.

i've been shot a 35,500 deal on a 2008 G35s. Where can I find the dealer cash, hold backs and other details? The infiniti website does not have the cash back. One dealer tells me he has 4000 the other says 5000 on the g series. i'd like to get something printed to show me the cash incentives and, if possible, something to show me the dealer hold back. i've gotten the dealer invoice from Edmunds tmv.
doesnt that value even go down now since there is only 20+ days left in 2008?

thanks again for all the input.

metalblaze

I am also getting similar numbers about $4000 or $5000 off MSRP of the vehicle ALONG WITH the special APR financing. I am not sure if this reduction is due to Infiniti or the dealers themselves.....It is too bad that for December, Infiniti did not combine the cash rebate with low APR....I am guessing, depending on how much inventory they have by the end of this month, Infiniti might combine both...any inputs?

I am in real quandry about whether to pull the trigger now ($5k off MSRP + 0% APR: g35x w/ prem & nav) or wait till Jan..... :confuse:

metalblaze

Dec incentives are the same as Nov.

metalblaze

Congratulations! This seems like a good price. I am sure you would have considered low APR instead of the cash rebate -- what was the price your dealer was giving when taking the financing?

I am talking to a few dealers, and right now they are offering around $5000 off MSRP + low APR...is this a good deal?

8thbug

I am looking to buy a 2008 Infinity Journey sedan with these options: Premium package, Sport package, Illuminated kick plate, splash guards, trunk mat, and cargo net. The list price is $38,315 and the invoice is $34,975. Edmunds says that the TMV is $34,860. What is the right price to pay for this car with 0% financing for 3 years? Do I just subtract the $1000 "Sell Down Bonus Cash to Dealer" from the TMV, or can I do better than that? As I understand it, I can't get the additional $3000 Cash To Dealer if I go for the 0% financing.

If I choose to pay cash or finance the car elsewhere, I still can reduce the price to $1000 less than the Edmunds TMV, can't I? Can I do better than that?

What's the best I can expect to do on this car?

topgun7

"Do I just subtract the $1000 "Sell Down Bonus Cash to Dealer" from the TMV, or can I do better than that?"

Don't worry too much about the TMV. It is a national number and car market are local. The price you get depend on how many delears around your area and the demand of the specific car in your city. The best way is to email all the delears around you within a distance that you are willing to travel and try to get the best deal... Once you have that on hand, you can look at LA area and see what is the price range there and whether it is worth your time to fly to LA and pick up your car there. And if G35 does not meet your price target in either your local market or LA area, you can always find other brand.. It is good time to buy car now..

8thbug

You can't be serious. I hardly think that it would be reasonable to get on an airplane from Florida and go to LA to shop for a car. Also, I emailed numerous dealers when I bought my Lincoln several months ago, and I'm not confident that is the way to get the absolute best price on a car. The dealers may quote you a price based on their standard formula for internet sales, but who says you can't do better, especially when there are incentives offered by the manufacturer?

Any reasonable suggestions as to what is the way to find the best price for this car?

mosho

My deal is $8,280 below MSRP without .9 financing so that puts it about there.
I carefully calculated the pros of the low APR and felt that this was best for me.
Like I would have to pay sales tax on the $3,000 added to the car price if I went with low APR.

redline122

Wildcat,
What options are you considering in your 35,500 deal?

What was the MSRP on the vehicle?

For kicks, I asked 2 dealerships what I would expect from a 2008 G35 Journey deal. I was looking at features that included the "sport package" and "navigation/technology".

I think the sticker on the car was close to $38K.
The "invoice price" on the car was quoted to me at $34,200
The "cash price" on the car was quoted to me at $31,200 ($3000 core cash incentive reduced from invoice price)

And this was without any haggling. If they are truly desperate to get rid of the G-sedans, you may be able to squeeze another $1000 off the cash price.

8thbug

So what is your interest rate, and for how many months? You did have to finance through Infiniti to get the $3000, didn't you?

drjustin

redline,

you stated

"This is NOT the what the dealer paid for the car."

would you be so kind to break down the pricing of the car. what the dealer pays and what the fee's are associated? i.e. buydown's, selldown's cash incentives, holdback's etc?

i always thought invoice was what they paid for the car??

topgun7

"You can't be serious. I hardly think that it would be reasonable to get on an airplane from Florida and go to LA to shop for a car. Also, I emailed numerous dealers when I bought my Lincoln several months ago, and I'm not confident that is the way to get the absolute best price on a car. The dealers may quote you a price based on their standard formula for internet sales, but who says you can't do better, especially when there are incentives offered by the manufacturer?

Any reasonable suggestions as to what is the way to find the best price for this car?"

Heh heh, I thought it is a reasonable way to buy cars since I have been doing these for the last 8 years or so (since internet become the go to place for information) 8-))

As far as shopping in LA area, it really depend how much you value your time and how much saving you are going to get.. Some people will never go out of their city to buy a car and other will go anywhere if they can save a couple thousand dollars. And you can always ship your car back home (instead of driving back) for a few hundred dollars. Some manufacturer actually can ship the car to a different dealers from the one you buy the car and all we need to do is pay a few hundred dollars to the receiving dealer for perp. Corvette people seems to do that a lot. So may be a free California vacation + some money in your pocket... This apply mostly for city where there is only one dealer of a specific brand and there is no competition to speak of.

As far as getting the best deal using email. I just leased an LS460 last Friday (12/5) and I spent about 1 1/2 hours total (including getting the detail break down, confirming the final deal on the phone etc..) to agree to the terms. Picking up the car is a different discussion since the dealer is about 100 miles from my home. The LS has an MSRP of 74765 and my sales price was 59692. I posted my deal in the LS460 forum. Lexus has a 6000 rebate on LS this month and I am pretty sure I get all of it.

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0fc7b2/128

The key of getting the best price is to generate competition among the dealers. The more people you talk to the better the chance you bump into one that is hungry for your sales and willing to take rock bottom price. Email does not always get me low price. If the market is hot or the car is new, there is no amount of negotiation that can get us close to invoice . It is all supply and demand. I paid MSRP for an SC430 when it first came out in 2001 when the waiting list is 30 deep in my dealership. And I leased an 07 G35 for $400 over invoice last year and I did the email thing. Email save me from listening to salesman B.S. on the phone. I can email 10 dealers in an hour. I seriously doubt that I can talk to 10 salesperson within the same amount of time. Good luck in your shopping.. It is fun...

redline122

drjustin,
From my experience and conversations from this and other car transactions I have done (not many I must admit, 4 of my own and 2 for friends), the selldowns and holdbacks are the cream that can be incorporated into the invoice price.

After knowing all the incentives on a car - the lease loyalty program, published selldowns (within the dealer's binder), holdbacks (not found written down anywhere in the dealership to the prospective customer's eyes), and the manufacturer to customer all-cash incentives - you can get pretty close to the number in which the dealer is truly making a couple of hundred dollars at best.

It really does pay to simply ask the question to the sales managers... I worked with the Internet Sales Manager.

I am certain that my $41K M45s transaction may sound good on paper and forum, but I am certain that the dealer made money somewhere in there (maybe more manufacturer to dealer cash to move aging inventory)... but at the end of the day all parties were able to close on a number.

Some unorthodox negotiations and building a case for my "first crazy offer" (as the managers called it) are beckoned with the current economic crisis.

I probably spent about 3.5 hours of total talk time (phone and in-person) in getting a number I felt good about.

I think of that 3.5 hours, I spent about 20 minutes test driving the new 2009 FX50S - a sleeping beast... argh! That almost convinced me to start dealing with it rather than the M45S. I had to control my caveman instincts... Oh yeah... the MSRP for that crossover beast was $67,000. Let's see how many months that will stay on the lot.

max_anderson

dae928, which dealer did you get that deal from? I'm in the Chicago-area as well and am looking at the G35X. To put that deal in perspective, I just got quoted $811 a month for an Audi A4 that stickered for around $42K. If you're under $500 per month with taxes rolled in on a $38K car, I'd say you did pretty well.

BTW - I told Audi to get bent. There residuals are garbage so they can't compete in the leasing game with the Japanese.

txvinyl1

Is there a possibility of better incentives from the manufacturer coming at the end of December or early January for 2008 cars? The Infiniti dealerships here still have tons of 08 cars on hand. The G37 incentives have been the same since October, how are they going to get people to buy them if nothing has changed? What happens if the dealerships don't sell them by the end of this year? Can they sell 08's in 2009 or do they have to get rid of them before that? Would a dealership be willing to take a loss if they can't sell a car for a profit?

kingpcgeek

Kind of like asking in the stock market going to hit 8000 or 6000 at the end of the month, no one but a psychic knows.

txvinyl1

OK, let me re-phrase my question. In the past, has anyone seen incentives being released at the end of the month (rather than the beginning)? And do new car dealerships still sell previous year models at the beginning of a new year, or do they have to get rid of them in the current model year? (i.e. do they have to get rid of all 08's before January 1, 2009 or some other date in 09?)

Thanks.

kingpcgeek

The automobile industry has never experienced a buying climate like we are in now, thus what may have happened in the past really doesn't have much bearing today.

While Infiniti would love to get rid of all of the 08 in 08, there is no law, rule, or policy that requires them to do so.

redline122

txvinyl1,
Cars are moving ever so slowly on the lots these days. I have found new 2007 Infinitis around the US. As kingpcgeek said, there isn't any policy/law/mandate to encourage or force dealerships to liquidate previous model years.

On that note, the stigma of buying a new car from the previous calendar year just adds to the buyer's negotiation toolbox.

1, I would do a blue book analysis for a particular new car from a previous year in "excellent condition" with little to no miles.
2. Bring the wholesale, suggested retail price, and private party results to the dealership. No need to throw them out for all to see. It's better to be discrete.
3. This, along with other items of research, will help you get the best price that you are comfortable with.

Hope this helps... and good luck.

txvinyl1

Thanks a lot for the response. With that being the case, do you think a dealer would rather take a loss and get rid of a car now, or hold onto it hoping it will sell in 2009, or hoping the manufacturer will give them more incentives?

For the past few months, I've been keeping track of the 2008 G37 coupe inventory of the dealerships in my city and there are currently 110 G37s on hand. In the past month, only about 20 have been sold. The incentives have not changed from last month to this month, so I don't see how they can sell all 110 without more manufacturer incentives. For this reason, I am holding out in hopes of better incentives. Knowing my luck, if I bought one now, a couple days later there will be more incentives and I could have saved a couple extra thousand dollars.

I've heard that dealerships will send unsold cars to auctions. Is this true, and when would this happen? And would dealerships take a loss just to get rid of a car? When I say loss, I mean selling it for less than what they paid for it (Invoice - holdback - manufacturer incentive).

Thanks again.

kingpcgeek

I have never heard of a dealer selling a new car at auction.

It is very doubtful that there is any hold back left on any 08 Infiniti's at this time so don't figure that into any pricing equations.

SamZan

On the road Price is 22800$. I was watching auction prices for awhile and the price came very close to the recent auction sales.
Vehicle comes with Premium and Navigation packages. Not sure if this is a good deal or not?

Auction prices for reference..
-------------
2007 G35 6G 2DCP A PS PB AC SR 4X2 13,337 BLACK OB $21,000
2007 G35 6G 2DCP 6 PS PB AC SR 4X2 15,107 BLACK OB $22,750
2007 G35 6G 2DCP 6 PS PB AC SR 4X2 34,078 DIAMOND $19,250
2007 G35 6G 2DCP A PS PB AC SR 23,498 BLACK OB $19,500
----------