Smart Shopper - Suggest a topic of discussion

mason505

I was wondering if there was a thread about opinions/experiences with 3rd party lead providers (especially for internet shoppers). Do they have a pretty high close rate, or are the leads a waste of money?

CarMan@Edmunds

Hi mason505. We do not have one general discussion about third party lead providers that I am aware of, however Edmunds.com does have several discussions about specific lead providers. Click on the following links to check them out: "CarsDirect.com experiences", "Purchasing Programs (AAA, Costco, BJ's, etc.)", "Advice on Invoicedealers.com", and "Autobytel.com - What has your experience been?".

Car_man
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mason505

Thanks Car_man! I think those links look promising!

CarMan@Edmunds

No problem, mason505. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Car_man
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swampwiz

Hi all. I am looking to get a used car sometime in the middle future. I have the exact model I want (VW Jetta Wagon 1.8T manual, with a few options like leather & moonroof, but in a pinch could do without those options.) The problem is that VW is not making too many more of them, and actually will quit making them wihtin the next year. And when they do make them, they make too many of them, so my local dealers never have them. There is a semi-local dealer 100 miles away who I've communicated with before who claims I can get a good internet pricing deal on a new car (at the time, a good price was invoice, which they said they could do) by "ordering" or getting one that is "on the dock" or whatever. But I may have to delay this purchase long enough so that there won't be any more new cars. And I don't care for the new platform that has come out - I like the old platform so much more that I would consider not getting the new Jetta platform.

And as for used cars that would come off lease or whatever - it's an impossibility in my area to get one. They were just never sold in my market. So I have resigned myself to possibly having to buy a used car from a dealer far, far away. Just doing a check on Autotrader yielded only 4 cars in the whole country that are currently listed that I would be interested in. It's a rarity - which could be a good thing if someone wants to sell and has been noticing there's not too many interested folks.

First off, I have no experience negotiating on a used car - I can negotiate on a new car because a new car is a known commodity, but a used car is quite a different animal. Second, it seems that if I would be desperate for a car to go a long distance, a dealer could play me like a fiddle ("oh that car was sold" or "I forgot to tell you that we already gave it a $2K 'polishing' [that cost $100]" or "I thought it had leather", etc.) - I can't just walk out the door. Third, even if I could somehow nail down a dealer with a signed contract, how do I know that a car is running right - is it possible to get a dealer to sign a contract to sell me car subject to my inspection? And I'm not even considering the possibility of a private sale (although I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with that.) I would be looking at car without too much mileage, so the original warranty would cover any problems.

So how does one go about doing this? I suppose I could just drive around, staying on the road and visiting dealers until I find the right car, and then buy it, but that could get a bit expensive. I'd prefer a better way to do this.

Thanks

CarMan@Edmunds

Hi swampwiz. Since you have never purchased a used car before, you may want to check out the following informative article that is found right here at Edmunds.com: 10 Steps to Buying a Used Car. You should be able to get a good idea of how much the vehicle that you are interested in is worth by looking up its Edmunds.com True Market Value in the Used Vehicle Pricing section of this site. You also may want to stop by the following discussion: "Real-World Trade-In Values". One of our most knowledgeable community members, Terry, frequents that discussion and he is often kind enough to give community members who give him an accurate description of their vehicles with his opinion on their value.

For more feedback on how to purchase a vehicle in this sort of situation, you may want to stop by one of the following discussions: "Purchasing Strategies - Questions & Success Stories" or "Any Questions for a Car Dealer?".

Car_man
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seminole_kev

>>>moved from another forum>>>

My wife recently became eligible for Ford's X-plan. Now I understand that it (with a few exceptions) is based on a certain percentage above invoice. That's pretty straight forward. My question is about rebates (both direct to customer and to dealer only).

Can you still apply customer rebates to X-plan pricing? More importantly, can you apply direct to dealer (not customer) rebates to the price of the X-plan?

For example, if car "X" has a $3000 to dealer rebate, can I still deduct that from the agreed X-plan price? If not, seems like you could do better by not using the X-plan.

Any idea?

kyfdx

www.fordpartner.com

seminole_kev

kyfdx - I've looked through that site before, but I can't find any mention in regards to rebates (regardless of to-consumer or to-dealer).

kyfdx

If it is a consumer rebate, you'll get that in addition to the X-plan price... Any dealer rebates, etc. should be reflected in the X-plan pricing..

The program is set up, so that you get a no-haggle deal at right around dealer cost.. IOW, at least as good as you can get otherwise on your own..

The dealers don't have to participate and can exclude any model they choose, even if they do participate..

However, the plan is very strict. Dealers aren't allowed to add bogus fees, etc.. and have to give you every rebate.. They aren't allowed to screw around with the program, and generally follow it to the letter..

Things they can do:
Offer to sell you useless crap in the Finance office (but they can't require it)
Lowball your trade.

regards,
kyfdx

seminole_kev

hmm, so far I haven't seen to-dealer rebates reflected in X-plan pricing. I checked out the Jag X-type for example which Edmunds shows to have $3000-$4500 (depending on the model) to dealer rebate yet the X-plan price is still above invoice. I realize they do Jaguar and Land Rover a little different, but still, the to the dealer rebate doesn't seem to show up in the X-plan price.

kyfdx

Hmm.. I guess if the X-plan price is printed on the invoice at the time the car is shipped, then subsequent dealer rebates would have to come off at the time of purchase.. Hadn't thought of that...

I'm still pretty sure it works the same way though... the dealer cash would have to come off the price... Every Ford, GM, Chrysler and Nissan dealer I've talked to (my company qualifies for all of their programs) says the X-plan, S-plan, etc, etc, is the best deal that you can get, and that although they sometimes offer that price to non-qualifiers, there is no way you can beat it..... I've even heard of deals getting bounced back that didn't conform to the plan (i.e.. wrong discount, bogus fees, etc.)

regards,
kyfdx

seminole_kev

Hmmm. Good to hear. I'll have to inquire further about direct to dealer rebates. Maybe when you submit the actual request to the dealer (rather than look up the X-plan pricing on that site), the quote comes back with an adjustment for the current rebates? One would hope!

greenice

Here is a topic I'd like to see explored: Cars that make excellent
buys used (say, 2 to 4 years old) because they are almost as good
as the class leaders but depreciate much faster.

In the family sedan class, Mazda 626 used to be such a dark horse
a few years ago (that's what I am driving now). How about now?

Any dark horses among entry luxury or luxury cars?
Infinity I35? Old model Acura RL (a 2002 with 35000 miles or so can
seemingly be bought for not much more than 2000)?

Kirstie_H

Used Vehicles: Best Values

greenice

petesam

Smoker's Car: I'm looking at a used car from a new car dealer. So far it looks very good, will take it to my mechanic to do compression test etc. Only apparent negative is that the former owner was a smoker--no burn marks, nothing visible, only the smell lingers on. I don't see anything about that in the Edmunds appraiser. How much should be taken off the price for this? Also, any suggested remedies if I buy it?

Kirstie_H

Please post all of the details about this vehicle in our Real-World Trade-In Values discussion, and the experts there can help you determine what's reasonable to offer.

jaserb

A thread where we can talk about the bad car buying decisions that we've made ourselves, or that we've seen friends / family members make?

-Jason

Kirstie_H

Here ya go:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct;/view/.ef8481d

qbrozen

am I the only one that link is not working for?

carbuyer25

it didn't work for me either

Kirstie_H

That's because your host made a not so smart decision and put a semicolon in the middle of the URL. Duh!
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef8481d

divarp

I was wondering if it is possible to buy a car from a dealer with only a learner's permit?

Kirstie_H

You can probably buy it, but you can't drive it away on your own! Ask in our Any Questions for a Car Dealer? discussion - they'll know.

divarp

Thanks

xlr1

I am communicating with a person in London, United Kingdom about a Cadillac XLR. Does any one know any thing about a transaction from London. The car is very very cheap and would normally go for about 20 times the cost. We looked it up by the vin number and found nothing wrong with the car, excellent condition. What is the catch. Help before we do something stupid.

kyfdx

The catch? They don't have a car.... And, if you send them your money, you won't have a car, either..

If it sounds too good to be true....

CarMan@Edmunds

I completely agree with kyfdx, xlr1. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Why would someone sell you a car for well below its market price? This sounds like a scam to me.

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blane

With the hurricane disaster in the South, the market is bound to be flooded with flood damaged, but otherwise beautiful-looking new and used vehicles. They will be popping up after having been trailered to the most unexpected parts of the country.

There should be a new topic of discussion about the dangers of purchasing such flood damaged vehicles. Buyer beware is the least we can hope for.

audia8q

The insurance companies will run many of these cars thru states that don't brand the titles as salvage/flood. Unsuspecting dealers and consumers will be faced with alot of potential problems.... We have seen it over and over durng past floods.

Kirstie_H

Hi blane,
If we see some questions popping up about this issue, we'll certainly start a new discussion.

latecharges

It's been reported that Hyundai Motor Finance Company, prior to October 2003, did not require its' customers to make late payment fees when they did not make their car payments on their scheduled payment dates, as identified in the sales contract. If this is true, the existence of any "special loan payment forgiveness programs" offered by the company should be identified, utilized, and made known to all existing and future Hyundai car owners. Are their any Hyundai car owners who have not had to pay late payment fees when they have been late making their payments? Then again, are there any Hyundai car owners who have been required to pay late payment fees? Let us hear from you. If you did make late payments fees to Hyundai on your car note prior to 2003, you could be eligible for a late payment fee refund from the company.

latecharges

I have paid late charges, so I don't believe there exist a "loan repayment forgiveness program" as has been alleged.

Kirstie_H

The best way to hear from other Hyundai owners is to post in a discussion about a specific Hyundai vehicle. You can find those by using the "browse by vehicle" search tool at the left. If you can't find what you're looking for, let me know and I can give you a link to a specific discussion.

CarMan@Edmunds

Latecharges, you also might want to try posting any questions that you have about financing in the following discussion: "Questions About Financing New Vehicles".

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iwantws6

I am considering several models of used cars. I'm basically looking for either a wagon or convertible ( I know, one end of the spectrum to another)

I need help deciding between

Mid-late 90's Saturn SW
late 90's-2000 Hyundai Elantra Wagon
95-ish Honda Civic Del Sol
92-95 Olds Cutlass Supreme Convertible
95-96 Saturn SC2
90-93 Geo Metro Convertible
early-mid 90's Camro/Firebid V6 convert. or T-Tops

I've driven them all except the Geo and the Olds.
I'm married, dont plan on any kids, have a cat and 15lb dog so I dont need a lot of storage space. Yet I do like the ease of lifting a hatch for groceries and stuff like that. I drive about 45 mins to and from work on the highway,but enjoy driving around the city also. I live in MA so I will be driving through snow.
I love cars that handle well (the Metro would have to get some wider aftermarket wheels/tires) I dont necessarily like big cars, I have no problem handling them but I'm secure enough to be seen in a sub compact and young enough to not have problems getting in and out of them.
I know most of the stats on these cars in terms of mpg, 0-60 speeds,features, etc. But I would just like some other opinions.

Thanks for your time!
Joe

CarMan@Edmunds

Greetings Joe. As you are already aware, there is a big difference between wagons and convertibles. If you don't really need the space that a wagon provides, you will probably regret getting one as you drive down the road in it and see someone having a blast in their convertible. Out of the vehicles that you mentioned, I personally would be tempted to go with the Del Sol. For more information on these vehicles, make sure to stop by the following forums: Edmunds.com Wagons Forum and Edmunds.com Coupes & Convertibles Forum.

Car_man
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qbrozen

That's quite a mix! Well, i agree with host, the Del Sol would be my top pick if you can live with the size. Then the saturns after that.

How the heck did an early 90s Metro even make the cut? Those things can't be worth more than $2.50 or so.

What's the price range? I would think you could add a Miata to that list, no? Is this going to be your only car? Or is this a spare? If your only car, I'm not much of an advocate for having an old beatup convertible as the daily driver. Reason being convertibles obviously drive up the price. So, for the same money, you could typically get a lower mile sedan/coupe/wagon.

iwantws6

LOL The Metro made the cut because of MPG and the convertibles are cool looking in my opinion. (I also like the look of the Pontiac Aztec though, so what do I know?) Metro convertibles and the Del Sol have remarkably similar feel in terms of seating and cabin space.
My price range is about 4,000 and it would be my only vehicle. I'm not a huge fan of Miata's I 've heard a lot of good things about them, but used ones are expensive compared with the rest of this group.

Thanks for all the input!

CarMan@Edmunds

You're welcome iwantws6.

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jaserb

There's a bunch of posts by someone who won a car and is getting some advice on how to handle the tax implications, etc. How about a separate topic: "I just won a car! Now what do I do..."

-Jason

Kirstie_H

Um... No. There simply aren't enough members in this situation to sustain a separate discussion.

isellhondas

MAN!! you are ALL over the board!

With your budget (4000.00) you won't be able to buy much of a Del Sol.

I guess I would maybe go with one of the Saturns. Your other choices are pretty dismal, ESPECIALLY that Metro!

likeitornot

How about lease swapping? I can't find much info on this anywhere and I'm interested in it.

Kirstie_H

Hm... looks like you found our leasing v purchasing discussion, and since you're already getting responses there, that's a good place to continue. If you forget where you posted, please use the "my recent posts" link at the left and you'll be able to find it.

deb55

My husband and I are recently retired and have decided to do some traveling around the US. We are looking for a vehicle that is very comfortable to do long distance driving in (comfortable driving for 10-12 hours in). We currently have an SUV that drives and rides like a truck. When I get out of it, my back hurts. I would like recommendations for a vehicle with these requirements: 6 cylinder only, roomy, comfortable, under $35,000, good warranty, good gas mileage, no lease, no trucks. Thanks!

qbrozen

How roomy?
Personally, I've never found anything more comfortable than a Volvo.
You can pick up an S60 for quite a bit under your target price (depending on model and options - but even a loaded 2.5T AWD will fit under your price), and you can expect high 20s mpg on the highway.
Only place it doesn't fit your requirements is lack of a 6-cylinder. It only comes with 5 cylinders. But it will run circles around quite a few V6s, so you won't be missing anything.

oops... just realized what forum we're in... not really the right place to discuss it.

how bout this discussion?
"Please help me decide between..."

audia8q

Ford 500 or mercury Montego

im_brentwood

Bring back inconsiderate buyers/sellers!