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Comments
-juice
I am eligible for the VIP pricing program through ACA. I may soon be ready to pull the trigger on a new Subie. I called ACA today and found out that I have to basically call ACA which gets the ball rolling with SoA to process the paperwork, which is only good for 45 days after issuance. (Unstated assumption: that the dealer in question accepts the VIP programs.)
I was told in no uncertain terms that I cannot use the VIP pricing as a bargaining chip, but that I am free to negotiate the best price with the dealer. So given the holdback and that "invoice" actually equals "invoice + holdback", what do I do? Use the no-haggle processing of the VIP paperwork, which gives the dealer its holdback plus whatever other little cockamamie fees ("processing" et al) they extract? Or the current custom of contacting several dealers to see who will give best price out the door, then clear my throat, say "'scuse me while I whip this out," then let 'em know that I can get the VIP price?
Thoughts please. This may have already been discussed but I'm sleep deprived and maybe a bit too lazy to search.
TIA,
Ed
My experience was very good, treated very well. No fees, just TTL. One F-XT at invoice, options too.
-Brian
Ed
Fitz is pretty cool, my brother was not a VIP buyer, nor was my dad, but my sister and my wife were. To be honest since they're no haggle it didn't make much of a difference, but the VIP price was juuuust slightly better.
Rumor has it the 2005 Forester might get better EPA mileage figures, you may want to wait to confirm or deny that rumor.
-juice
As it turned out, we test drove the new OB 's and Legacy GT and decided the FXT was what our next car would be and I called IMBA to get my VIP letter. Our local dealer, Prestige Subaru in Asheville, said they would find whatever color '04 we wanted but they couldnt promise that beyond June.
I got the letter last Friday and left it on my desk when we left for what we planned to be the last trip to the beach in the 94 Explorer. The Explorer turned out to be more tired than we thought...the engine starting lugging a bit with the heat, and the load, and as we got off the expressway in Charleston...there was a Subaru dealer...Viking Subaru! It turned out they had only one FXT PP...in our first choice color, with exactly the options we wanted: Sierra Gold with the auto- dimming mirror/compass,upgraded security system splash guards and the cargo tray!
I explained about my VIP letter and they were familiar with the plan and we had a new Forester at invoice in less than 90 minutes! The saleman was flabbergasted that I didnt even drive the car...I sat in back with the kids and listend for squeaks and rattles and watched for leaks around the doors and sunroof...it was raining hard.. while my wife drove! Since I already knew what the exact invoice price would be,$26,288 including destination/delivery , there were no surprises. The dealer had prepped the car with special coatings, etc. and had installed a rear window air deflector and hood-mounted wind deflector for the XT..and all that got thrown in for free. ( For those looking at the monocolor Forester XT and XS, the little bit of dark plastic across the front of the hood really improves the look of the Sierra Gold, IMO).
I ended up getting the 6 year /80 K Subaru Gold extended warranty and the financial manager took $250 off that, too...$1380. No document prep or processing fees! I financed the whole amount, since 1.9% financing is better that cash in the bank.
I called Subaru of America's VIP program, they faxed a new form to Viking Subaru to complete the VIP paperwork.Painless.
The guys at Viking Subaru were great to work with. Maybe I'll get a Legacy GT wagon from them on next summer's trip to the beach! BTW, as a recent Fence-percher, it was awful hard to ignore the Champagne Gold OB LLBean sitting on Viking's lot...what a beautiful car!
Mark
-juice
Now being a passenger is much different than being a driver so I don't know that she'll feel the same after driving one. I do know she made my dad stop with her at the local dealer (not Viking) to look at the Foresters on the lot one Sunday afternoon.
We have relatives in Charleston so a trip to Viking to pick up a car wouldn't be out of the question for them. I'll keep that in mind.
Ed
Here's a list:
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/subaru_discounts.html
Cheers!
-Ian
Congrats on the new Forester Mark!
-Ian
Its way cool to hang out a Subaru dealership these days. The new Legacy and Outback are nice and crawling around a 2005 STi is pretty entertaining, too..but I love the FXT!
Mark
I dont know why this color is very underappreciated.
I like the Cayenne Red color. The photo in the 2004 brochure is gorgeous!
-juice
-Frank P
Also, I've heard it's best to buy closer to the end of the year, but Houston isn't a big Subaru town and XS premiums/5-speed seem to be limited ... but I've been quoted a couple of prices and would like to know if these quotes are in the ballpark of other dealers. One dealership quoted $22,999 (total drive-away = $24674.24); the other $22,997 (no word yet on TT&L).
Any comments?
-Frank P
-elissa
I have a '98 and I'm on the original clutch, brake pads, you name it. Never failed me once in 63k miles. Zero out of pocket for repairs, zilch.
-juice
BTW, 1.9 financing is gone now, but they dropped the prices even more - about 1800 under invoice for XT premium (model 4ck).
Just get it documented, as far as those taxes. Maybe make them put a note in the margins and then sign it?
-juice
If they do start hassling you, mention the survey...
-juice
I need air filter, brush guard, hood protector, maybe not in that order.
Of course that's why we've been repeat customers there.
2004s are a bargain now, but 2005s have significant improvements, so it's a tough choice to make.
-juice
-juice
I've sent him a couple of referrals so it's paid off for both of us, literally.
-juice
I'm not bashing them, I'm just saying don't assume you are getting the best deal because they post their 'real' prices on the internet. I had a decent experience up there, but they weren't particulary knowledgeable about what they were selling. If you use their price as a general guide, you should do well.
The thing about the no-haggle deal is the consistency, you pay the same as anyone else. Some people just aren't in to the negotiating and dickering and would be better off.
Also, a bigger benefit IMO, is that there are no games. You set a price then they add a processing fee after the fact. Then of course they'll do you the huge favor of splitting the difference...
There are pros and cons.
-juice
-Frank
That location has 4 brands, but Fitz has dozens of them.
I'm sure their knowledge varies individually. I probably know more than him but then to me it's a hobby (an infatuation really).
They are low pressure and he's paid based on satisfaction scores, not quotas or sales price. So the whole experience is pleasant and surprise-free.
-juice
-juice
My parents did finance their Subie with the dealer, but it was a 2.9/60 month, I don't think that qualifies as being raped. No extended warranty, no trade.
And on both these transactions, we also bought from people that were not paid on commissions, via the internet. In fact on the Malibu, I simply got an email that was the right price, made a phone call and that was that.
I bought from one of the oldest GM dealers in the nation, but from a guy who know my car even better than I did, which was shocking to me since I spent many hours researching it and drove a bunch of them.
I'm not saying my experience is typical, but frankly with traditional dealers beefing up their internet sales its getting more and more common. Many traditional dealers employ someone who is paid a flat fee to deal with their internet customers.
Again, Fitz is fine, but they simply aren't the cheapest. I agree that there is a limit to how low a dealer can go, but Fitz does not go lower than anyone else, and in some cases higher. I mean, how do you explain Fitz pricing a car at $300 over invoice when I can buy the same car on the same day for $700 under? And at the same time, Fitz is saying that's their lowest price. Ok, that's fine, but that wasn't the lowest price from somebody else.
Also, why is their overhead lower than anyone elses? In fact, I see ads for them, big money tv and radio, as much as I do the others and sometimes even more. The guy I bought my car from told him that they're easy to beat, I believe him. His question was, if they say they are giving your their lowest price, but they change it every couple 2 weeks, how are they actually giving you their lowest price?
Look I'm sure Fitz is a fine place, honest, trustworthy, and hassle-free, which is very important to some people. But if your goal is to buy a car for the best price, I don't think that's your best bet most of the time. I'm not telling people not to buy there, I'm just saying that from the sounds of it on here people shop there and nowhere else and just assume they've gotten the best price.