I went to Baker Jackson Nissan off of 290 here in Houston. I was surprised because they had the SE 4x2 in the Offroad package. I guess it is just for looks. Who would take a 2WD drive car offroading?
Thanks Bob.Nomarian Model:SE Off Road,Color:Smoke, Std: Leather(Light Gray), Bose, Power D/P Seats, etc., etc., Options: Tow Pkg, Splash Guards, Microfilter,Floor Mats, Cargo Tray. Price: 40,920. Dealer: North of Atlanta. I can tell you right now the dealers around here are not only charging MSRP, they are adding addendum stickers. One addendum I saw while shopping was $1,500.00. One cool thing I noticed is the full size spare and rim on mine are the same as are on the truck(No steel wheel).
i understand the logic, but in the real world of buying and selling cars and trucks, logic rarely enters into the equation. if it did, then everyone would be buying a yugo or a base pickup. fact is, the armada not only has more equipment, but the usable passenger and cargo space is soooo much greater than the sequoia. the functionality is better by far, and the ride is head and shoulders smoother. for a $2000 difference? anyday in my book.
Understand totally where you are coming from. And I would happen to agree with you. However I have to have some rhetoric to try on my local salesman and just thought I'd bounce it off you first I agree the PFA is superior in every way to the sequoia but I can't let my salesman know that can I
I tested drove a LE 4X2 yesterday in Dallas. It drives great. My only problem is the interior materials, they look pretty cheap. No better than my 97 Pathfinder. I have to say that I was disappointed. As a comparison, Sequoia looks much better.
That is strange. I didn't look too closely at the sticker price on the car for the details, but I could have sworn it said $32K for that Armada that I saw. It had the leather seats and Bose sound system.
leather means an LE model, which stickers at $38450 in 2WD trim. we just got a 2WD LE with upgrade package, floor mats and microfilter. MSRP=$39150.
purnell...quite frankly, the only way i would worry about pricing for the next few months is if the dealer marks it up over MSRP. other than that, just enjoy the easy buying experience and the great truck! ;-)
The Ft. Myers dealer has 4 SE's in. They have two with leather added. The most expensive one is $41K, with Tow package and entertainment system and maybe some more.
The cloth is not really cloth. Nomarian, you may have thought it was leather. I almost made that same mistake. It is a cool microfiber type apolstry. It is similar to the material in the Xterra, which is supposed to be easy to clean.
and checked out the owner's manual. Some interesting tidbits:
* Unbraked tow rating is only 1000 pounds, same as the Sequoia, and most mid-sized SUVs. Not great for a full-size SUV, IMO. The Chevy Tahoe and Suburban both have a 2000 pound unbraked tow rating, and the mid-sized Chevy Trailblazer has a 1500 pound unbraked tow rating.
* Roof rack load rating, if you use the full length is 200 pounds. If you use the back section only, that section is rated for 125 pounds. I think those ratings are quite respectable.
* As I've mentioned before, I wish the 3rd-row seat had a split fold. Also not a lot of rear headroom for third row passengers. I'm 5'9" and my head was close to hitting the roof. Rear leg room was OK, not great, but OK, and the 3rd-row seat was only so-so in terms of comfort. If my memory serves me correctly, the Expedition's 3rd-row seating is better in all those respects -- and it has a split-fold, to boot.
* Other than the third row seat issues, the interior is flat out great.
I drove a fully loaded LE. Let me start by saying that I was impressed with the car but probably not enough for the following reasons. I agree that the headroom in the third row was lacking. Another negative is that there does not appear to be an option to have auto folding side mirrors. Given the width of my garage, this is a must have. I find it hard to believe that they didn't include that on a car so big. I also wish they had a split third row seat option and puting the seat back up from behind is very difficult to impossible. Also, the dealer had a 2,500 markup over MSRP on the sticker. Great if they can get it but not from me.
when would you EVER need to put the 3rd seat up from behind?? if its down, you would need to put it up for passenger use. said passengers will enter through the side doors, and can raise the rear seat quite easily from there...many 3 row SUVs use the same logic (pilot, explorer, expedition (w/o power 3rd row), excursion, tahoe, trailblazer, among others). there is a reason. if you need the space provided by the lowering of the seat, you will be loading something from behind, and can lower it easier from there. if you need to raise the seat for passengers, it will be from the front, and will be easier done this way.
The Murano has 2 ingenious levers, by the hatchback opening, to remote fold either side of the rear seat. Why couldn't that feature be incorporated for the Armada's 3rd-row rear seat? I don't know if those levers will raise the the seats, however; but for lowering them, it's a great idea.
Oh, and while your at it, add a split-fold to that rear seat too.
the murano's folders are only to lay them down as well...you still have to go in the backseat to put them back up. the armada's rear seat is just as easy to lay down.
The Expedition and Navigator offers remote power folding 3rd-row rear seats. I'm assuming they both raise and lower? If that's the case, that's a possible solution.
I haven't had the chance to go see one yet, but does any one know how much rear cargo room there is in comparasion with Expy and Seq. with 3rd row in use? Judging from the specs., the Armada seems to be the smallest. Can any one confirm this? Thanks.
There's room for groceries or a golf bag or two, but that's about it. My guess is that it's about the same as the Sequoia and Expedition. If you need a lot of space with the 3 rows in use, buy a Suburban.
The price on the LE in Lanham,MD "Capital Nissan" was $5000.00 higher than the sticker price.Thats like what the Volkswagon dealers did when new "BUG" came out several years ago,look what happen to "VW".
No biggie - feel free to copy and paste it over here. Maybe that other topic will get renamed Prices Paid and Buying Experience to match the others over there. And welcome to Town Hall!
Hi all. I am pretty impressed with the specs of both the Armada and the Titan. I was going to purchase a Tahoe or Dodge Ram, or F150, until I read about the Armada and Titan. I am buying either an SUV or Crew Cab. I have it narrowed down to a Tahoe, Armada, Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab Hemi, Ford 150 Crew Cab, Titan. If anyone has any input on these choices, any opinions are welcome.
But, my major question is: What do you think is the better choice an SUV or Crew Cab? If you were going with Nissan would you get an Armada or a Titan? The Titan seems to offer a lot of room for four to five adults or family, yet retains the versatility of a truck. And, it looks comfortable. The Armada seems impressive with its roomy interior. Any opinions on any of these issues?
it all depends on what you are going to use it for...
As to the Armada vs.Titan: The Armada has an independent rear suspension, so it should ride and handle better than the Titan, all things being equal. Also the Armada has an Auto-4x4 mode (on-demand full-time 4WD) on the transfer case, the Titan doesn't. The Armada is also a bit shorter, so it should be more maneuverable and nimble than the Titan.
The Titan can tow a little more, if you need that much towing. It probably also has a higher payload rating.
It really comes down to what you're going to use the rear 25% of the vehicle for. That you have to decide.
I had the opportunity to view and test drive the Armada -- SE and LE -- at my local dealers. First the good. The engine and transmission work vey well together. This SUV is fast. The 5 speed transmission is deceptively smooth. Secondly, the bad. The cloth interior in the SE seems cheap. Moreover, many of the interior pieces (e.g. switches, knobs etc.)seem exceptionally cheap in both the SE and LE. I would gladly welcome an increase in the base price for higher quality materials. What is with the panels that velcro behind the second row (the panels cover the gap when the third row is laid flat)? There is no possible way for a cheaper solution (thumbtacks?). One local dealer has already posted a "market adjustment" of $2,500 on the single LE they had on their lot. Personally, I have never paid MSRP for a vehicle, let alone a market adjustment. I would not buy the Armada from a dealer that gouged its customer base when it had the opportunity (OK dealers, lets pile on with your economics 101 analysis). Interestingly, I priced a 2003 Sequoia Limited this weekend - - $100 above invoice plus $2,000 rebate plus $750 dealer rebate plus free gas for one year (based on EPA numbers). This beats the current Armada pricing. If I choose an Armada (still undecided), I will wait until the buying frenzy subsides. Other observations: the Sedona color is nice - - but do I really want a brownish red SUV 2 years from now? The Smoke color, as one would expect, is a dark silver color, very nice. The Deep Sea Blue (?) does not look blue -- it appears to be dark green.
I took the Armada out for a test drive yesterday: LE,4x4, sticker $41,000. First, it is much more impressive in person than in pictures. A tough-looking front end, bigger wheels/tires, innovative roof line. Inside, plenty of leg room in 2nd row w/captains chairs, 3rd row is good for kids or just fold flat for cargo space. When driving the vehicle, the shifting was ultra smooth, quiet, and lots of power for a large SUV. Good visibility all around, and a rear sensor for things you can't see. Love the feature of the adjustable foot pedals (I'm 5'2", husband 6'5")! Lots of standard features that are options on other vehicles of same catagory. Not quite sold on it yet, though, with no particular reason. The Armada is a really impressive SUV. Still attached to my '99 Expedition I suppose, even though it has it's issues.
I purchased my Armada SE 4X4 on October 2 and love it! This is my 3rd Nissan(02 Maxima, 02 Quest) and it wont be my last. I have over 400 miles on it with different types of driving. From highway, city, to dirt roads and love the "feel" of it. It is very quiet inside, I can actually hear the Bose stereo over my kids. My 6'5" tall husband fits in it with room to spare, truly a first! Our friends have a Tahoe and we parked them side by side and they could not believe the size differene, inside and out. I highly recomend the Armada. That is my opinion for what it is worth!
I also agree that many of the interior pieces seem exceptionally cheap (such as the overhead storage compartments, switches, panels on the back of the second row seats, etc). The one I test drove had a sticker of around 48K (includes 2,500 dealer markup and a $900 "environmental package"). This seems way to steep for a vehical like this especally when compared to a higher end car such as a Navigator. I can see paying this for the Infinity maybe.
Test drove the an SE 4x2 base car. sticker of 34,125. Was really impressed. I have driven all the competition short of the Yukon XL and Burban. This one outclasses the rest. However they are not moving that well and I expect to see the dealer markups and prices to come down rather fast. I was called no less than 5 times by the dealer I drove the armada at. If this is such a great vehicle why are they hassling people. I went on a saturday and while they had a lot of lookers to my knowledge the dealer still has the 6 initial Armadas they started with. It may be tbecause toyota basically lowered the price on the sequoia over 1k. You can get a new 2004 similarly equipped for 31-32k. As I said before I will buy an armada but it will be closer to the end of the year after the frenzy has subsided.
For my purposes, the new 2003 Sequoia compared to the new 2004 Armada is an apples to apples because I drive my vehicles until they can no longer be driven. Also, the 2004 Sequoia is relatively unchanged (I believe a major re-do is slated for 2005). The $2,000/750 rebates were not available on the 2004. I believe the Armada and Sequoia are both good trucks - - just having a hard time making a decision (I do not believe my current truck will last until the 2005 Sequoia). Best of luck.
If I have to name one thing that I don’t like about Nissan’s is the Nissan Dealers. Nissan definitely need to look into the way their dealers deal with customers and the price extorting techniques they use. They certainly lose a lot of customers. Having said that, Nissan makes wonderful vehicles. I have owned several, here’s my objective review of the new Armada.
I visited our local dealer this Friday and drove an SE (2x4) base model. Here are the salient points!
1. Outstanding performance: Having worked in the powertrain development of one of the largest auto manufacturers, I was certainly impressed by the engine – transmission performance. Very good for a vehicle of this size. Well-done Nissan! If I have to be very picky (which I am! J) the shifting from 1st to 2nd under heavy acceleration was a bit abrupt.
2. Approach angle: Just by looking at it the approach angle felt to be not as good as the competition (Toyota Sequoia & Ford Expedition). Since I use my vehicles off the pavement quite a bit, it is of concern to me. But I have not seen the specs yet to confirm. Can anyone help in this?
3. Interior: The interior room is reasonable for a person of my size & height (6’-6” & 260lbs.). The front row has more room than ’03 Expedition. The older Expedition has arguably more room in the front row. Second row room is the best in class I could sit behind myself! Now the flip side: The plastic stuff (knobs, switches, etc.) is way too cheap for a vehicle in this category. All seats have little thigh support. The third seat is for the kids only (Expedition is better in 3rd row room). Interior, definitely, could use some improvement. Standard sound system was bearable. Glove box cover is made of very cheap plastic it was loose and a potential candidate for rattle.
4. NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness): I don’t think it would be fair to generalize on this considering that the one I drove was “upgraded” by the dealer by adding 20” chrome wheels and low profile tires. In my opinion, it not only looked ugly, but also added to NVH. The steering was excessively responsive and communicative. The ride was harsher than normal. The vehicle was very noisy at highway speeds with a noise similar to the noise from a rear window open at high speed , exceedingly disconcerting! (All windows were closed , we stopped to double check!)
Would I buy this vehicle? Probably not in the first year of manufacturing That is when the bugs are being worked out. Right now, I think a pre-owned (’01 Navigator) would make a better economic sense My only gripe with that is the lack of independent rear suspension and completely foldable third row bench.
How can comparing price on a vehicle the dealership wants to dump (end of model year) vs beginning of model year be apples to apples? Are you saying comparing a 2003 and a 2004 Sequoia is apples to apples? Remember we're talking price.
I agree, the Expedition has a better and roomier 3rd-row seat than the Armada, which is odd. The Armada is the larger truck, with a longer wheelbase; I would think it would have a better 3rd-row seat. Such is not the case...
I think it is due to the limo like second row and theatre third row. If the second row was move up 3 inches you would have tons of space. They should have made those seats adjustable.
Have you seen the JD Power ratings on Mercedes lately...Would I rather own a Benz? Absolutely Not. For the same price I'd buy a Ford first.
As for dealers who add mark up over MSRP--call them out and lets avoid them as a group.. There is a dealer in Manassas, VA i've been talking to that will cut $200 off MSRP and no deliivery fee.
Code Descrip Price HO1 Bose Pkg 750.00 JO1 Sunroof Pkg SE 3350.00 JO2 " " LE 1600.00 JO1 " " SE OR 1000.00 PO2 Upgrade Pkg LE 600.00 SO1 Journey Pkg SE 3950.00 SO1 " " SE OR 1600.00 TO1 Tow Pkg 650.00 UO1 Tech Pkg LE 3900.00 VO1 DVD 1500.00 XO1 Leather Pkg SE 2350.00 A96 Sat Radio XM 400.00 A97 Sat Radio Sir 400.00
marking up a vehicle is not price gouging, screwing, or any otherwise dishonest practice. will you pay over sticker? you've made it abundantly clear that you would not. but let me ask you something...what if you had your heart set on the armada since its idea was released, and they decided to limit their production? not being in that situation, you cant give an honest answer, so i dont expect one...but every dealer knows that SOMEONE will pay over sticker. someone always does when a new model is released from ANY manufacturer. if someone is going to spend that extra money, why would i allow my competition to get it instead of myself?
now...sometimes it happens where a marked up vehicle does not sell quickly. then we mark it back down...but usually its about a 2 week process. after 2 weeks, the fervor of the "i want the first one" buyers settles down a bit.
Marking up a vehicle comes down to supply and demand and I understand that. However, would you rather lose a customer completely or "only" make $500 to $1,000 profit (versus $4 to $6 k)?
Here's my issue, I would like to have the new Armada but when compared to the Sequoia at invoice, it's not worth the $4k extra that I would have to pay at MSRP.
Knowing that, would you let me walk or be willing to sale at $500 to $1000 over invoice?
There's a sucker born every minute, and that's the car dealer's mantra. As bowke says, if you want the best price, wait until the feeding frenzy is over.
As to answering bowke's question: No, I have never paid an ADM, and never will. No car is worth that. Plus I'll never give a car dealer that satisfaction.
Please let me categorically state that my remark about the Nissan Dealers was not in anyway a personal attack on you or anyone. It was out of sheer frustration based on my general experience with them. I sincerely think that Nissan products that are so well designed and executed deserve a more sophisticated sales. I was merely pointing out the fact that Nissan needs to pay serious attention in this area.
As far as marking above MSRP is concerned: I can understand your point when you say “but every dealer knows that SOMEONE will pay over sticker. someone always does when a new model is released from ANY manufacturer. if someone is going to spend that extra money, why would i allow my competition to get it instead of myself?”
BUT I, and a lot of people here, don’t necessarily agree with that practice but it is a free market!
Furthermore, I held off my decision of buying the vehicle because I believed in Nissan’s product and wanted to see what they had to present. I had been following Armada since the idea was released. In fact I was surprised why they did not tap into the North American full size SUV market, since they have a fairly well competing model in overseas markets , which in some areas is more popular, than Toyota Land Cruiser. Anyway, I would not pay outrageously high price to encourage a trend that I don’t agree with in principal.
I was going to further get into the economics and sales strategy, but Coryms states it so well in very simple words (Post # 357). Thank you, Coryms.
I spent over an hr at the dealership on Saturday and didn't see one other person looking at the Armada. I wonder how many they will sell at the 2,500 over MSRP they listed on their sticker.
the prices will eventually come down. If you can't control yourself, and have to be the first on the block to own one, be prepared to pay through the nose.
its also a free country. you can disagree if you want.
have you folks ever wondered why the honda odyssey held at sticker price for almost 5 years? because dealers and buyers knew the van was WORTH that price. honda is very good at pricing a vehicle at or near its true value. up until about 6 months ago, the accord and civic were the only models commonly discounted. nissan is trying to go the same direction. instead of pricing a vehicle $3000 over its actual value only to offer a $2000 rebate, they just price it near its actual value out of the gate.
consider these questions:
if the dealers all got together and agreed to never discount a car again, would you stop buying cars?
if invoice was $300 under MSRP, would you still negotiate?
I think we're agreeing here. The manufacturer should set a fair yet firm price and take the negotiation out of the picture. The problem is the multi-thousand dollar buffer between the invoice and MSRP.
Would I pay MSRP if it was only $300 above invoice? Happily, however, that's never the case.
Dealerships are still living in the 80's assuming that buyers don't have free access to pricing, etc. As you pointed out, they hope for the chance buyer to stop buy and fork over top dollar + when they could purchase the vehicle for much less. I say that you should stream line the process and make everyone happy. In the end you would sell many more cars lessening the pain/fear associated with new car purchasing.
Also, bowke, please answer my question from the previous post. Thanks.
answering your question, it depends on the vehicle...on a 350Z, armada, titan, murano, quest, maxima...i shake your hand and wave bye-bye, because i know the other guy wont do that # either. other vehicles like frontier, pathfinder, xterra, altima, sentra...those are the volume units. i, personally, deal with those a little different. with the non-educated buyer, i show them invoice and explain to them to add whatever they think is a fair profit and make that the offer.
Comments
purnell...quite frankly, the only way i would worry about pricing for the next few months is if the dealer marks it up over MSRP. other than that, just enjoy the easy buying experience and the great truck! ;-)
The cloth is not really cloth. Nomarian, you may have thought it was leather. I almost made that same mistake. It is a cool microfiber type apolstry. It is similar to the material in the Xterra, which is supposed to be easy to clean.
* Unbraked tow rating is only 1000 pounds, same as the Sequoia, and most mid-sized SUVs. Not great for a full-size SUV, IMO. The Chevy Tahoe and Suburban both have a 2000 pound unbraked tow rating, and the mid-sized Chevy Trailblazer has a 1500 pound unbraked tow rating.
* Roof rack load rating, if you use the full length is 200 pounds. If you use the back section only, that section is rated for 125 pounds. I think those ratings are quite respectable.
* As I've mentioned before, I wish the 3rd-row seat had a split fold. Also not a lot of rear headroom for third row passengers. I'm 5'9" and my head was close to hitting the roof. Rear leg room was OK, not great, but OK, and the 3rd-row seat was only so-so in terms of comfort. If my memory serves me correctly, the Expedition's 3rd-row seating is better in all those respects -- and it has a split-fold, to boot.
* Other than the third row seat issues, the interior is flat out great.
I'm looking forward to driving one soon.
Bob
The Murano has 2 ingenious levers, by the hatchback opening, to remote fold either side of the rear seat. Why couldn't that feature be incorporated for the Armada's 3rd-row rear seat? I don't know if those levers will raise the the seats, however; but for lowering them, it's a great idea.
Oh, and while your at it, add a split-fold to that rear seat too.
Bob
Bob
Bob
was $5000.00 higher than the sticker price.Thats like what the Volkswagon dealers did when new "BUG" came out several years ago,look what happen to "VW".
Steve, Host
Bob
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/nissan/pathfinderarmada/index.htm- l?tid=edmunds.n.mmindex.content.num7.0.nissan*
Armada and the Titan. I was going to purchase a Tahoe or Dodge Ram, or F150, until I read about the Armada and Titan. I am buying either an SUV or Crew Cab. I have it narrowed down to a Tahoe, Armada, Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab Hemi, Ford 150 Crew Cab, Titan. If anyone has any input on these choices, any opinions are welcome.
But, my major question is: What do you think is the better choice an SUV or Crew Cab? If you were going with Nissan would you get an Armada or a Titan? The Titan seems to offer a lot of room for four to five adults or family, yet retains the versatility of a truck. And, it looks comfortable. The Armada seems impressive with its roomy interior. Any opinions on any of these issues?
As to the Armada vs.Titan: The Armada has an independent rear suspension, so it should ride and handle better than the Titan, all things being equal. Also the Armada has an Auto-4x4 mode (on-demand full-time 4WD) on the transfer case, the Titan doesn't. The Armada is also a bit shorter, so it should be more maneuverable and nimble than the Titan.
The Titan can tow a little more, if you need that much towing. It probably also has a higher payload rating.
It really comes down to what you're going to use the rear 25% of the vehicle for. That you have to decide.
Bob
Bob
Not quite sold on it yet, though, with no particular reason. The Armada is a really impressive SUV. Still attached to my '99 Expedition I suppose, even though it has it's issues.
I visited our local dealer this Friday and drove an SE (2x4) base model. Here are the salient points!
1. Outstanding performance: Having worked in the powertrain development of one of the largest auto manufacturers, I was certainly impressed by the engine – transmission performance. Very good for a vehicle of this size. Well-done Nissan! If I have to be very picky (which I am! J) the shifting from 1st to 2nd under heavy acceleration was a bit abrupt.
2. Approach angle: Just by looking at it the approach angle felt to be not as good as the competition (Toyota Sequoia & Ford Expedition). Since I use my vehicles off the pavement quite a bit, it is of concern to me. But I have not seen the specs yet to confirm. Can anyone help in this?
3. Interior: The interior room is reasonable for a person of my size & height (6’-6” & 260lbs.). The front row has more room than ’03 Expedition. The older Expedition has arguably more room in the front row. Second row room is the best in class I could sit behind myself! Now the flip side: The plastic stuff (knobs, switches, etc.) is way too cheap for a vehicle in this category. All seats have little thigh support. The third seat is for the kids only (Expedition is better in 3rd row room). Interior, definitely, could use some improvement. Standard sound system was bearable. Glove box cover is made of very cheap plastic it was loose and a potential candidate for rattle.
4. NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness): I don’t think it would be fair to generalize on this considering that the one I drove was “upgraded” by the dealer by adding 20” chrome wheels and low profile tires. In my opinion, it not only looked ugly, but also added to NVH. The steering was excessively responsive and communicative. The ride was harsher than normal. The vehicle was very noisy at highway speeds with a noise similar to the noise from a rear window open at high speed , exceedingly disconcerting! (All windows were closed , we stopped to double check!)
Would I buy this vehicle? Probably not in the first year of manufacturing That is when the bugs are being worked out. Right now, I think a pre-owned (’01 Navigator) would make a better economic sense My only gripe with that is the lack of independent rear suspension and completely foldable third row bench.
Sincerely,
Shair Khan
Bob
Model Code Descrip MSRP includ D&H
49214 4X2SE 33,950
49314 4X2SE OR 37,100
49414 4X2LE 38,450
49614 4X4SE 36,750
49714 4X4SE OR 39,900
49814 4X4LE 41,250
As for dealers who add mark up over MSRP--call them out and lets avoid them as a group.. There is a dealer in Manassas, VA i've been talking to that will cut $200 off MSRP and no deliivery fee.
HO1 Bose Pkg 750.00
JO1 Sunroof Pkg SE 3350.00
JO2 " " LE 1600.00
JO1 " " SE OR 1000.00
PO2 Upgrade Pkg LE 600.00
SO1 Journey Pkg SE 3950.00
SO1 " " SE OR 1600.00
TO1 Tow Pkg 650.00
UO1 Tech Pkg LE 3900.00
VO1 DVD 1500.00
XO1 Leather Pkg SE 2350.00
A96 Sat Radio XM 400.00
A97 Sat Radio Sir 400.00
now...sometimes it happens where a marked up vehicle does not sell quickly. then we mark it back down...but usually its about a 2 week process. after 2 weeks, the fervor of the "i want the first one" buyers settles down a bit.
Here's my issue, I would like to have the new Armada but when compared to the Sequoia at invoice, it's not worth the $4k extra that I would have to pay at MSRP.
Knowing that, would you let me walk or be willing to sale at $500 to $1000 over invoice?
As to answering bowke's question: No, I have never paid an ADM, and never will. No car is worth that. Plus I'll never give a car dealer that satisfaction.
Bob
Please let me categorically state that my remark about the Nissan Dealers was not in anyway a personal attack on you or anyone. It was out of sheer frustration based on my general experience with them. I sincerely think that Nissan products that are so well designed and executed deserve a more sophisticated sales. I was merely pointing out the fact that Nissan needs to pay serious attention in this area.
As far as marking above MSRP is concerned: I can understand your point when you say “but every dealer knows that SOMEONE will pay over sticker. someone always does when a new model is released from ANY manufacturer. if someone is going to spend that extra money, why would i allow my competition to get it instead of myself?”
BUT I, and a lot of people here, don’t necessarily agree with that practice but it is a free market!
Furthermore, I held off my decision of buying the vehicle because I believed in Nissan’s product and wanted to see what they had to present. I had been following Armada since the idea was released. In fact I was surprised why they did not tap into the North American full size SUV market, since they have a fairly well competing model in overseas markets , which in some areas is more popular, than Toyota Land Cruiser. Anyway, I would not pay outrageously high price to encourage a trend that I don’t agree with in principal.
I was going to further get into the economics and sales strategy, but Coryms states it so well in very simple words (Post # 357). Thank you, Coryms.
Sincerely,
Shair Khan
Bob
have you folks ever wondered why the honda odyssey held at sticker price for almost 5 years? because dealers and buyers knew the van was WORTH that price. honda is very good at pricing a vehicle at or near its true value. up until about 6 months ago, the accord and civic were the only models commonly discounted. nissan is trying to go the same direction. instead of pricing a vehicle $3000 over its actual value only to offer a $2000 rebate, they just price it near its actual value out of the gate.
consider these questions:
if the dealers all got together and agreed to never discount a car again, would you stop buying cars?
if invoice was $300 under MSRP, would you still negotiate?
Would I pay MSRP if it was only $300 above invoice? Happily, however, that's never the case.
Dealerships are still living in the 80's assuming that buyers don't have free access to pricing, etc. As you pointed out, they hope for the chance buyer to stop buy and fork over top dollar + when they could purchase the vehicle for much less. I say that you should stream line the process and make everyone happy. In the end you would sell many more cars lessening the pain/fear associated with new car purchasing.
Also, bowke, please answer my question from the previous post. Thanks.